Gators LHP Frank Menendez Out For Season

The sophomore will miss the rest of the 2025 season with an elbow injury, per head coach Kevin O'Sullivan.

Florida's pitcher Frank Menendez (31) pitches in relief Friday, May 3, 2024, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida. The Gators fell to Tennessee 6-2 in the first game of the doubleheader. [Cyndi Chambers/ Gainesville Sun] 2024 / Cyndi Chambers Sports / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators sophomore left-handed pitcher Frank Menendez will miss the rest of the 2025 season with an elbow injury, head coach Kevin O'Sullivan announced Tuesday after the team's 16-4 win over Jacksonville.

Menendez, who had not pitched since Florida's 4-2 win over Florida Atlanta on March 5, recorded a 1.29 ERA across seven innings of work this season with 12 strikeouts against only five hits, one earned run and three walks and was expected to be a major contributor out of the Gators' bullpen.

Menendez is the third player to have a premature ending to the season after outfielder Kyle Jones, who suffered a shoulder injury while while making a diving catch in the weekend series against Miami. He also dealt with a hamstring injury, which occurred in the season-opener against Air Force and forced him to miss four games.

Additionally, freshman pitcher Joshua Whritenour was reported to need season-ending Tommy John surgery after dealing with a preseason UCL issue.

Other Injury Updates

O'Sullivan did give three positive updates on the injury front.

Second baseman Cade Kurland, who suffered a shoulder injury also against Miami, made his return to the lineup on Tuesday but left in the middle of his second at-bat. O'Sullivan said that Kurland's shoulder did not pop out of socket, but he noticed the junior was under some discomfort, which ultimately led to his removal.

"The shoulder did not pop out. That's the encouraging thing," O'Sullivan said. "Obviously, if that was the case, it'd be a totally different situation. I just saw him grimace a little bit on the second swing, and there's no sense of pushing it right there. He'll get with the trainers, and they'll have a look at it, but like I said, the most important thing is it didn't pop out. Maybe it's just a little bit too soon."

Cade Kurland left Tuesday's game after some concerns regarding his shoulder injury. / Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

Additionally, O'Sullivan announced that weekend starter Pierce Coppola will start throwing against next week after dealing with an injury suffered in the same game as Kurland. At the time of his injury, Coppola had become Florida's Saturday starter after beginning the season as the Gators' Sunday starter.

"He was our number two starter. We're fortunate to get him back. It'll be huge for us," O'Sullivan said.

The fourth-year junior recorded a 1.42 ERA across three appearances in which he earned two wins. In 12.2 innings, Coppola shined with 23 strikeouts, which included a 12-strikeout effort against Air Force, with only four hits and two earned runs allowed.

Additionally, Blake Cyr has missed the last two games with "some sort of virus," O'Sullivan said, and will probably miss Wednesday's game against Florida A&M. However, he's expected to return Friday for the team's three-game series against Georgia.

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