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Why can't MLB pitchers pitch every game?

Published in MLB Pitcher Management 4 mins read

MLB pitchers cannot pitch every game primarily due to the intense physical strain on their arms, the high risk of injury, and the strategic necessity for adequate recovery time to maintain peak performance throughout a demanding 162-game season.

The Rigors of Pitching: An Athletic Demand

Pitching in Major League Baseball is one of the most physically demanding actions in sports, involving an explosive, full-body motion that culminates in extreme stress on the arm. Each pitch involves a complex kinetic chain, transferring power from the legs and core through the torso and shoulder, ultimately releasing the ball at high velocities. This repetitive, high-stress action places immense forces on delicate joints, ligaments, and muscles.

Physical Strain and Recovery

The sheer force generated with every pitch leads to significant wear and tear on a pitcher's body, particularly the arm.

  • Arm Fatigue: Muscles in the shoulder, elbow, and forearm endure extreme exertion, leading to fatigue, soreness, and microscopic tears in the muscle fibers.
  • Ligament and Tendon Stress: Key structures like the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) in the elbow and various tendons in the shoulder are subjected to immense rotational and shearing forces. These structures have limited elasticity and recovery capacity.
  • Microtrauma: Even seemingly healthy pitches cause tiny damages at a cellular level that require time and biological processes to repair and regenerate. Rushing this process without adequate rest significantly increases the risk of more severe injury.

Allowing sufficient rest between outings is crucial for these tissues to heal, rebuild, and strengthen, preventing cumulative damage that can lead to acute injuries.

Injury Prevention and Pitcher Longevity

The high-velocity, repetitive nature of pitching makes pitchers highly susceptible to a range of injuries, some of which are career-threatening.

  • High Injury Risk: The arm, especially the elbow and shoulder, is incredibly vulnerable. Common injuries include UCL tears (often requiring Tommy John surgery), rotator cuff tears, and flexor tendon strains. A fatigued arm is less efficient and far more prone to injury.
  • The Role of Pitch Counts: To mitigate these risks, the modern game heavily emphasizes the long-term health and performance of pitchers, a shift driven by the understanding of the immense physical stress involved. This evolution has led to strict adherence to pitch counts, a practice significantly influenced by both agents advocating for their clients' well-being and organizations safeguarding their substantial investments in these athletes. Consequently, the expectation for a starting pitcher has moved from routinely throwing complete games to consistently delivering quality starts, typically encompassing six innings, to maximize effectiveness while mitigating injury risk.
  • Minimizing Wear and Tear: Managing a pitcher's workload throughout a season and their career is paramount to extending their time in the league. Overuse leads to breakdown, while careful management helps maintain durability.

Strategic Team Management: The Pitching Rotation

To ensure a fresh and effective pitcher is available for every game, MLB teams employ a pitching rotation, typically consisting of five starting pitchers.

  • 5-Man Rotation: This strategy allows each starter approximately four to five days of rest between appearances. During this rest period, pitchers can recover physically, perform light throwing exercises, and prepare for their next start.
  • Optimizing Performance: A well-rested pitcher can throw with maximum velocity, better command their pitches, and sustain high performance deeper into a game. Attempting to pitch every day would quickly diminish these critical aspects, leading to ineffective outings and eventual injury.
  • Bullpen Support: Complementing the starting rotation, a team's bullpen consists of relief pitchers who are available to pitch on shorter rest, taking over from the starter after they reach their pitch limit or when fatigue sets in. This collective approach ensures the team always has fresh arms available.

Impact on Performance and Effectiveness

A fatigued pitcher is significantly less effective. When an arm is tired, a pitcher's:

  • Velocity decreases, making their fastballs easier to hit.
  • Control suffers, leading to more walks and pitches out of the strike zone.
  • Breaking pitches lose their sharpness, becoming less deceptive.
  • Risk of giving up runs increases dramatically.

The goal is to maximize the performance of each individual pitcher while safeguarding their long-term health, which is impossible if they pitch daily.

Here's a comparison outlining the benefits of the current rotation system:

Aspect Pitching Daily (Not Feasible) Pitching in a Rotation (Standard Practice)
Physical Stress Extreme, unsustainable Managed, allows for essential recovery
Injury Risk Extremely High Significantly reduced
Performance Rapid decline, low effectiveness Consistent, high-level effectiveness
Longevity Virtually none Maximized career length
Team Strategy Impractical Essential for season-long success

Baseball Reference provides extensive data on pitcher performance and usage, underscoring the necessity of managed workloads in professional baseball.