Why is there an ongoing conflict in baseball, related to the “injury epidemic”?

After the excitement of Opening Day died down, several Major League Baseball organizations grew worried when several starting pitchers were sidelined due to injuries.

Within a week, Eury Pérez, Shane Bieber, and Spencer Strider were added to the growing list of pitchers currently out of the game.

The term “Tommy John” is being repeated in news headlines, referring to the surgery used to repair a pitcher’s elbow. This surgery, named after an ex-pitcher, is currently a hot topic in the baseball industry.

Houston Astros right-hander, Justin Verlander, expressed concern about the dramatic increase in injuries among pitchers in professional baseball. Verlander stated that the evolution and modernization of the game could be important contributing factors.

“The game has changed a lot,” Verlander said during his rehab process, as KPRC 2 Houston’s Ari Alexander reported. “I think it would be easier to blame the shot clock. I think you put everything together, and everything has a little bit of influence. The most important thing is that the throwing style has changed a lot. “Everyone is trying to throw as hard as they can and spin the ball as hard as they can… it’s a double-edged sword.”

Verlander, who recovered from Tommy John surgery in 2022 and is currently out for the season due to a shoulder injury, acknowledged that the problem has been brewing for years and has no easy solution.

“When the balls started changing in 2016, and they started flying a little more frequently, I know, personally, that started to change how I approached pitching... I wanted to throw so hard that the balls hitters swung and missed,” added the 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner.

“You add that to the mix, and you add the pitch clock, and it all adds up... The trickle extends to Little League. I just hope we don’t wait too long... It’s a pandemic, and it will take years to resolve,” she reflected.

Baseball is a widely known sport for its long history and traditions. However, players’ health has been a significant concern, especially for pitchers. The early days of the 2024 season have highlighted this issue, as the position is inherently fragile and increasingly risky for those who play it.

An article published in The Ringer has echoed these concerns, citing research conducted by former MLB coach Stan Conte. The study reveals a significant increase in the number of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgeries performed in 2023, with 263 surgeries being carried out. This is compared to 111 surgeries that were performed in 2011. These numbers are indicative of a worrying trend that is affecting the health of pitchers.

According to a report by the New York Post, 132 of the 166 players who started the season on the disabled list were pitchers. This highlights the disproportionate number of injuries among players in various positions and specifically points to pitchers’ vulnerability in the current game.

If these trends continue, 2024 could be another year of concern for arm injuries in professional baseball. This not only affects individual players but also raises concerns throughout the sports community, as the health and well-being of athletes should be a top priority.

The Union points to the clock as the culprit for the injuries

In a statement released on Sunday, the Major League Baseball Players Union blamed the pitch clock implemented by Major League Baseball since 2023 for the increase in injuries among pitchers, particularly starters.

Tony Clark, the director of the union, stated that despite the unanimous opposition from the ballplayers and significant health and safety concerns, last December, the Commissioner’s Office reduced the length of the Pitch Clock.

Since then, their worries about the health effects of reduced recovery time have only grown. The league has been unwilling to recognize or study the impact of these profound changes. This attitude is an unprecedented threat to the game and its most valuable resource, the players.