Arizona’s pitching staff has suffered a significant blow on the eve of opening day as All-American closer Tony Pluta will miss the 2026 season because of an elbow injury.
Pluta, who set the UA record with 14 saves last season, will undergo UCL repair surgery, commonly known as Tommy John, the program announced Tuesday.
Pluta was named the NCBWA Stopper of the Year as a junior after going 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA. He was named a preseason first-team All-American by D1Baseball, which also ranked him as the No. 1 relief pitcher in college baseball entering the 2026 season.
"I am truly gutted that I will not be able to compete with my teammates and represent the University of Arizona and the city of Tucson on the diamond this year," Pluta said in a new release. "With that said, I will do all that I can to help this team succeed and get back to Omaha this season, and I am looking forward to returning to the mound next year. Thank you to everyone, especially my teammates, coaches and family, who have supported me in this difficult time. Bear down!"
Arizona’s Tony Pluta has a fist pump after closing out the game for a save in a 6-3 win over TCU on May 2, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
Arizona opens the season Friday against Stanford in the College Baseball Series at Surprise Stadium.
"I am devastated for Tony," Arizona coach Chip Hale said. "He is an incredibly hard-working, high-character and dedicated individual who is a tremendous representation of Arizona baseball both on and off the field.
“I expected Tony to have another exceptional season and continue to display that he is one of the best relief pitchers in the country; however, I am fully confident that he will recover from this and continue to have an outstanding career in baseball. Tony has unbelievable poise and resolve, and despite this unfortunate news he has remained in high spirits and will continue to be an integral part of our team throughout the season."
Pluta tallied multiple honors last season, including being named a second-team All-American by D1Baseball and Baseball America, as well as a first-team College Sports Communications Academic All-American. Pluta is majoring in aerospace engineering and had a 3.92 GPA as of last spring. The Big 12 named him its baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year for 2024-25.
Pluta’s injury leaves a hole in the back of Arizona’s bullpen. First-year pitching coach Sean Kenny cited depth as the strength of the staff, and that will be tested as Kenny finds a new closer. The Wildcats also could use a committee approach.
Arizona returns workhorse right-hander Garrett Hicks from last year’s staff. The UA added nine pitchers via the transfer portal, and the coaches believe freshman righty Benton Hickman is future closer material.
