The Epidemic of Arm Injuries in Major League Baseball: The Case of Josiah Gray and the Need for Intervention

Major League Baseball is grappling with a high number of significant arm injuries among pitchers, with the latest casualty being Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray. Gray has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain, forcing him to miss his scheduled start against the San Francisco Giants. In his two starts this season, Gray struck out nine batters but also allowed 13 runs and 15 hits, continuing a trend of inconsistency.

Despite being the Nationals’ only All-Star representative, Gray struggled with allowing home runs and walks last year, indicating potential underlying issues with his pitching mechanics. As a top prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gray was a key piece in the trade for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner in 2021, but has yet to fully reach his potential in the major leagues.

Gray now joins a growing list of prominent pitchers who have suffered arm injuries this season, including Gerrit Cole, Spencer Strider, Framber Valdez, Shane Bieber, Lucas Giolito, and Eury Perez. The prevalence of these injuries has raised concerns about the factors contributing to this epidemic, including players throwing harder and gripping the ball tighter to increase spin rate.

While some players like Bieber remain uncertain about the true origins of these problems, others argue that changes in pitching techniques and training methods could be contributing to these injuries. Additionally, there are concerns about how MLB teams are handling their workload management during preseason games as well as their practice schedule during regular season games which could be affecting player health negatively.

The ongoing challenges faced by pitchers in Major League Baseball highlight the need for further research and intervention to protect their health and longevity as well as ensuring that they are able to perform at their best on the field.

In conclusion Major league baseball continues its struggle with major arm injuries among pitchers with Josiah Gray being added to its list of casualties. The growing prevalence of such injuries raises concerns about factors contributing to this epidemic and highlights the need for further research and intervention to protect players’ health and longevity in baseball.