Union boss calls quicker pitch clock ‘threat to our game’
NEW YORK • The head of the baseball players’ association thinks a shorter pitch clock has contributed to a series of pitcher injuries.
“Despite unanimous player opposition and significant concerns regarding health and safety, the commissioner’s office reduced the length of the pitch clock last December (from 20 seconds with baserunners to 18), just one season removed from imposing the most significant rule change in decades,” union executive director Tony Clark said in a statement.
“Since then, our concerns about the health impacts of reduced recovery time have only intensified. The league’s unwillingness thus far to acknowledge or study the effects of these profound changes is an unprecedented threat to our game and its most valuable asset — the players.”
Cleveland’s Shane Bieber, Atlanta’s Spencer Strider, the New York Yankees’ Jonathan Loaisiga, Miami’s Eury Perez and Oakland’s Trevor Gott are among the pitchers diagnosed with elbow injuries.
“This statement ignores the empirical evidence and much more significant longterm trend, over multiple decades, of velocity and spin increases that are highly correlated with arm injuries,” Major League Baseball said in a responding statement.
MLB said it is undergoing a research study into causes of increased injuries. It cited an analysis by Johns Hopkins that “found no evidence to support that the introduction of the pitch clock has increased injuries” and “no evidence that pitchers who worked quickly ... or sped up their pace were more likely to sustain an injury than those who did not.”
Cleveland said Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner, will have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery to repair an injured right ulnar collateral ligament.
Atlanta said Strider had a damaged UCL and will be examined further by Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister.
Loaisiga said he needs season-ending elbow surgery and will be sidelined for 10 to 12 months. A 29-year-old right-hander, Loaisiga said he felt a pop in his elbow while throwing a change-up to Jorge Barrosa, his final batter in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s 6-5, 11-inning win at Arizona. A scan revealed a torn UCL.
Miami said Perez will have Tommy John surgery and miss the season. Gott has had his TJ surgery.