Pitcher Injuries Are on the Rise
Here Are Some Reasons Why
By: Tobey Schulman
The start of the 2024 MLB season has been highlighted by some negative headlines. From the betting scandal with Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, the state of the Oakland Athletics franchise, to the new uniform debacle, there’s already been so many negative topics plaguing Major League Baseball in the first few weeks of regular season play. These topics are not the most prevalent headline in the sport however, due to the large increase in pitcher injuries at the start of this season.
It’s no secret that many pitchers, over time, will develop issues with their elbow or shoulder and need reconstructive surgery of some kind whether it’s Tommy John, or something else. It’s tragic, but like any other sport, playing at a high level can add a risk to injury. This season however, it feels like the injuries are more prevalent and many speculate that baseball’s rule changes are to blame.
Aside from the rule changes, there may be other causes. For example, pitchers are throwing too hard. Per fangraphs, starting pitcher velocity has been on constant rise since 2020, with velocity being especially higher in the beginning of the season compared to the end. Looking at some of the names currently listed as injured for the entire season, Spencer Strider, Felix Bautista, Eury Perez, Sandy Alcantara, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Shane McClanahan are all guys that throw 96+ mile per hour fastballs. Over time, this simply just isn’t healthy for your arm, especially combining that with other off speed pitches, where pitchers now more than ever are trying to abuse spin rate. The modern mechanics of pitchers may just lead to more injuries, and the high level of play resulting in higher rates of injuries may just be a tradeoff fans have to get used to.
The MLB seemingly does not want to address the reasoning set forth by the MLBPA: the pitch clock. That’s because the pitch clock has done wonders for the game of baseball. Across all levels games are going much quicker, and that’s due to the pitch clock. However, the thought is that while it’s obvious that throwing for high velocities isn’t helping, the pitch clock isn’t doing you any favors making you throw 96+ MPH every 15-20 seconds.
Another reason that can’t be overlooked is the banning of many foreign substances. With the banning of a substance that was so commonly used by pitchers - like sunscreen, it’s been suggested that it’s the cause of the harm to the pitchers. The combination of sunscreen, sweat, and rosin was used by pitchers often as it gives them better control over the baseball. When pitchers were caught up in the “sticky-stuff scandal,” using substances like pine tar or spider tack, the MLB banned all of these substances, forcing pitchers to adapt to using the baseball without them, using only the rosin bag, if needed. It’s been suggested that this may cause pitchers to not have as good of a grip on the baseball which could result in gripping the ball harder and on top of throwing high velocities, the two are not a recipe for good arm health.
The final headlining reason is one that develops as early as the middle or high school levels. Travel baseball and recruiting platforms work wonders when it comes to helping kids get noticed by college coaches, and it gives them more opportunities to showcase their talent. However, this culture comes with a bit of a downside. Kids trying to get noticed by scouts and coaches will push their bodies to the limit and while that effort isn’t a bad thing, it can cause injury, especially in pitchers. At the end of the day, you’re not going to turn a power five program's coach’s head by throwing 85 and dotting the zone. To turn heads, a pitcher must throw 90+ MPH.
The whole landscape of pitching seems to be changing. The age of low velocity pitchers are starting to die out, and high velocity is taking the sport by storm. With the recent uptick in injuries, it will be interesting to see how players, teams, and coaches adapt not just in the majors, but as far down as the high school level as well.