Cardinals Get Much-Needed Good News on Hunter Dobbins

The Cardinals' offseason acquisition is recovering well from a torn ACL and on track to contribute this season.

Feb. 21, 2026 at 7:41pm

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The St. Louis Cardinals acquired pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins from the Boston Red Sox this offseason, but he was recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. The Cardinals received good news this week as Dobbins' follow-up evaluation showed his recovery is progressing well, with his strength and muscle development meeting the team's targets. The Cardinals are now able to put together a timeline for Dobbins' return to full speed and potential contribution to the major league roster.

Why it matters

Dobbins was one of the key prospects the Cardinals acquired in trades this offseason, so his successful recovery is crucial for the team's pitching depth and future. The Cardinals are hoping Dobbins can contribute at the major league level this season to bolster their rotation.

The details

Dobbins, 24, logged a 4.13 ERA in 13 appearances, including 11 starts, for the Red Sox last season before suffering a torn ACL. The Cardinals acquired him in a trade that sent catcher Willson Contreras to Boston. In a follow-up evaluation this week, Dobbins' doctors reported that his recovery is progressing well, with the strength in his quadriceps and surrounding muscles meeting the team's targets. The Cardinals are now able to put together a plan to get Dobbins back to full speed and determine a timeline for his potential return to the majors.

  • Dobbins suffered the torn ACL injury last season.
  • Dobbins had a follow-up evaluation in Wisconsin this week to check on his recovery progress.
  • The Cardinals are expected to put together a timeline for Dobbins' return to full speed in the coming days.

The players

Hunter Dobbins

A 24-year-old pitching prospect acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Boston Red Sox this offseason. Dobbins is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season.

Chaim Bloom

The president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, who has provided updates on Dobbins' recovery progress.

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What they’re saying

“Hunter Dobbins had a follow-up visit in Wisconsin this week to evaluate his ACL recovery. All checked out well with the doctor, strength in the quad and the other surrounding muscles is where they want it. Cardinals circling up today to look at a plan to get him to full speed.”

— Jeff Jones, Reporter

“Hunter is doing well. Arm-wise, he's right on track. It's just because of the fact that [his injury] was an ACL, there's a progression there that we need to build out. So he's doing everything off the mound but he's not doing any kind of uncontrolled agility-type stuff. He's at a point mid-next week after we help him build out a progression for him and then we'll know more about timetable once we do that.”

— Chaim Bloom, President of Baseball Operations

What’s next

The Cardinals are expected to put together a timeline for Dobbins' return to full speed and potential contribution to the major league roster in the coming days after his successful follow-up evaluation.

The takeaway

The successful recovery of pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins is a crucial development for the Cardinals, who acquired him this offseason as part of their efforts to bolster their pitching depth. Dobbins' progress puts the team in a good position to potentially have him contribute at the major league level this season as they aim to build on their recent success.