"There is a way to manage this" - Rangers physician critical of MLB teams jeopardizing pitchers' health in return for better numbers

Several teams in the MLB have seen a rise in pitching injuries lately, and Dr. Keith Meister, the Texas Rangers' head physician for the last 21 years, has raised concerns about the frequent injuries.

While speaking to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Rangers' head physician said that the teams focus mainly on the pitchers' performances.

“These front offices, unfortunately, are living more in the moment than taking a longer, broader-term view,” Meister said. “There is a way to manage this. What if a guy doesn’t have a WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) of 0.8. What if he has a WHIP of 1.1 but he’s able to play 162?”

Rosenthal also reported that an MLB spokesperson gave numbers that showed a 56.3% hike in the number of players placed on the injured list from the last decade due to the emphasis on velocity and pitching techniques.

One prime example is Shohei Ohtani, who dominated the mound last season before getting injured in September. Although he underwent a successful UCL surgery, he won't pitch until 2025.

According to Rosenthal, Meister had a Zoom meeting with two MLB executives before the spring training to discuss injury prevention. The league is planning to form a task force after conducting interviews with several doctors, trainers, and pitchers to address this issue.

MLB teams are already suffering from injuries in 2024

MLB returned in February with spring training as teams prepared for the regular season. However, injury reports have already started to emerge from the camps.

The Boston Red Sox's recent addition, Lucas Giolito, was expected to fill in for Chris Sale, who was traded to the Atlanta Braves. However, according to Jeff Passan, Giolito may miss games or potentially the entire season.

Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reported that Alek Manoah is suffering from a sore shoulder, which could affect his performance for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Similarly, Oswald Peraza's shoulder discomfort might cause the New York Yankees to alter their plans for the lineup before the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Astros manager Joe Espada has already announced that Justin Verlander will begin his season on the injury list. Therefore, the question remains on how the teams will handle this unforeseen adversity for the upcoming season.