Pitch clock cited as cause for injuries to more pitchers

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, just one season removed from imposing the most significant rule change in decades,” union executive director Tony Clark said Saturday night in a statement.

“Since then, our concerns about the health impacts of reduced recovery time have only intensified,” he said. “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.”

Shane Bieber and Spencer Strider are among the pitchers diagnosed with elbow injuries.

“This statement ignores the empirical evidence and much more significant long-term 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.”

Strider, the Braves’ ace, has damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, an MRI revealed Saturday, leaving his status for the remainder of the season in doubt.

The Braves said the righthander will be evaluated further. Even though the team did not announce the severity of the damage, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said the result “wasn’t good.”

The 25-year-old complained about discomfort in his elbow Friday after pitching four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits against Arizona.

“You never expect these things to be good or just a blip on the screen,” Snitker said, adding UCL injuries that often lead to season-ending Tommy John surgery are a problem across baseball.

The Guardians announced their ace, Bieber, will have Tommy John surgery, ending his season.

“They’re throwing harder than ever and spinning the ball more than ever,” Snitker said, adding Strider’s long-term prospects remain bright.

Bieber, the 2020 Cy Young winner, had looked like his dominant self in two strong recent starts. The righthander struck out a league-leading 20 and pitched 12 scoreless innings despite the elbow getting progressively worse.

The Guardians showcased their pitching depth while improving to 7-2 this season as David Fry hit a three-run homer and seven pitchers combined on a two-hitter in a 3-1 victory over the Twins.

Emmanuel Clase worked the ninth for his MLB-leading fourth save.

Yamamoto nabs first victory

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched out of two early jams in five scoreless innings for his first career major league victory, Max Muncy hit a two-run single, and the Dodgers beat the Cubs, 4-1.

Shohei Ohtani had two hits and reached base three times to help the Dodgers improve to 8-3 with their fifth victory in six games.

Cody Bellinger had two of Chicago’s seven hits against his former team as the Cubs had their fivegame winning streak snapped.

Marlins’ worst start extends to 0-9

The winless Marlins, who are off to the worst start in the 33-year history of the franchise, dropped their ninth consecutive game, losing, 3-1, to the Cardinals.

The 0-9 Marlins are the only winless team in baseball. The Mets, who dropped their first seven games, beat the Tigers, 2-1, on Thursday for their first win.

New York lost, 9-6, to the Reds as Spencer Steer hit a three-run homer during Cincinnati’s five-run eighth inning.

The Reds sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning, and the Mets used four relievers in Friday’s win and were without Edwin Díaz after the closer pitched each of the previous two days.

Realmuto makes Nationals pay

J.T. Realmuto followed an intentional walk to Bryce Harper by driving a curveball for a three-run homer, helping the Phillies beat the Nationals, 5-2.

Realmuto, who singled and scored on Alec Bohm’s triple in the first, took advantage of a poor 0-2 pitch by Jake Irvin to give the visiting Phillies a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Trea Turner got things going with a two-out double, before two-time NL MVP Harper was put aboard.

Yankees lose Loáisiga to surgery

Yankees reliever Jonathan Loáisiga said he needs season-ending elbow surgery and will be sidelined for 10-12 months. Teammate DJ LeMahieu said he has resumed baseball activities as he recovers from a broken foot caused by a foul ball March 16 . . . The Brewers placed starter Jakob Junis on the 15-day injured list because of a right shoulder impingement. Lefthander Aaron Ashby was recalled from Triple A and will take Junis’s spot in the rotation.

Former Red, Met Zachry dead

Pat Zachry, who won a share of the 1976 NL Rookie of the Year for the World Series champion Reds and was traded to the Mets the following year for Tom Seaver, has died. He was 71.