Over the weekend, Matt Blake texted Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber with a message of reconciliation. Previously a part of the Cleveland player development system in the 2010s, Blake played a role in Bieber’s journey from a college walk-on to the unanimous winner of the American League Cy Young Award in 2020. Bieber, once seen as a prime example of how to develop a top-tier pitcher, had now joined a troubling trend of talented young pitchers who would be sidelined this season. After the announcement of 20-year-old Eury Pérez needing Tommy John surgery, the Guardians revealed that Bieber, 28, would also require the same procedure. Similarly, Atlanta Braves starter Spencer Strider, 25, faced a potential second Tommy John surgery. The New York Yankees were dealing with injuries to their ace Gerrit Cole and reliever Jonathan Loaisiga, adding to the concerns.
Blake expressed his concern as a pitching coach facing the challenge of managing a full season of pitching, “I’m pretty worried.” The increasing fragility of pitchers in the league was becoming apparent at the start of the 2024 season, with a rise in arm injuries. In 2023, there were 263 UCL surgeries, a significant increase from 111 surgeries in 2011. Out of 166 players on the injured list at the beginning of the season, 132 were pitchers, highlighting a growing issue in the game.
The conversation around the surge in injuries led to debates between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. The introduction of the pitch clock in 2023, further shortened in 2024, became a point of contention. Despite arguments from both sides, the impact of the pitch clock on the rise of injuries remained inconclusive.
Various factors were identified as contributing to the injury crisis, including the pursuit of maximum velocity and spin, year-round high-intensity training, and a drive for player optimization. Untangling these interconnected reasons would require extensive research and reevaluation in the years to come.
The concern for pitcher health extended to veteran players who were also facing injuries, emphasizing the need to protect pitchers at all levels. The issue prompted MLB to commission a study aiming to understand and address the root causes of the problem.
The evolution of pitching strategies, emphasizing maximum effort from the start of outings, and the pursuit of velocity and movement, may have inadvertently contributed to increased stress on pitchers’ arms. Despite efforts to improve the game, the challenge of balancing performance and health remained a significant issue.
While the focus on the pitch clock continued, players and coaches acknowledged that it was just one part of a more extensive problem. The relentless pursuit of velocity and spin compounded the risks for pitchers, creating a complex cocktail of factors influencing the injury crisis.
The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Sam Blum, Patrick Mooney, Cody Stavenhagen contributed to the reporting.
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(Top photo of Strider: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)