Pitchers to use protective caps in MLB

The protective caps

According to MLB executive vice president for labor relations Dan Halem, the MLB has informed the 30 teams present in the competition that it has approved the usage of protective caps for the first time, after consultation with the players’ association.

Dan Halem was quoted as saying: “We’re excited to have a product that meets our safety criteria. MLB is committed to working with manufacturers to develop products that offer maximum protection to our players, and we’re not stopping at all.”

The company revealed that the caps are a slightly more than a half-inch thicker in the front and an inch thicker on the sides than standard caps. They afford protection for frontal impact locations against line drives of up to 90 mph and for side impact locations at up to 85 mph. The soft padding comprises of “plastic injection moulded polymers combined with a foam substrate” and is designed to diffuse energy upon impact through a combination of dispersion and absorption techniques.

Chief executive officer Bruce Foster stated: “I think players who’ve been hit by ferocious comebackers will probably be early adopters”.