Cubs lose 3.79 ERA reliever to season-ending surgery amid Phillies series

Q: What injury did Porter Hodge sustain that requires surgery?

Porter Hodge sustained a UCL injury in his throwing elbow, necessitating surgery.

Q: How will Porter Hodge's surgery impact the Cubs' pitching lineup?

Hodge's surgery will leave the Cubs without a key reliever for the remainder of the season, further straining their pitching depth.

Q: When is Porter Hodge expected to return to play after his surgery?

Porter Hodge is expected to miss the beginning of the next season following his UCL surgery.

Cubs lose 3.79 ERA reliever to season-ending surgery amid Phillies series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Cubs will have to navigate losing another pitcher for the remainder of the season.

After right-hander Cade Horton's injury revealed that he needed elbow surgery to repair the UCL in his throwing arm, a reliever faces a similar issue.

Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network reported on Wednesday that right-hander Porter Hodge will undergo surgery on the UCL in his throwing elbow.

Presumably, the former 13th-round draft pick will also miss the beginning of next season. He made 36 appearances out of the bullpen in 2025, posting a 6.27 ERA after recording a 1.88 earned run average in 43 innings during his rookie campaign in 2024.

Hodge, 25, began the season on the 15-day injured list after suffering from a right flexor strain in his elbow.

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“He just didn’t feel right,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian after Hodge was diagnosed with the flexor strain. “Look, it’s a setback. It’s going to put him certainly behind, and it’s going to take him a while to get back to [being] healthy and ready to contribute. So that part’s unfortunate.”

Now, Hodge is facing a much longer and tougher uphill battle to return to the mound. He threw just two innings during spring training, giving up seven earned runs on four hits.