Clayton Kershaw Baffled by Ongoing Pitching Injury Crisis, Dodgers Star Opens Up Amidst Heated Debate

The bewildering pitching injury crisis currently being experienced by the league has left many shaken. Day after day, pitchers are falling like a house of cards. That has led to increased calls for research and investigation. While there have been multiple speculations regarding this situation, as Clayton Kershaw says – “Nobody Knows” what’s actually happening. 

Kershaw’s been out of action since last season. While he’s slowly getting back to his best, the ace is baffled by the “surge” in injuries this season. While the Los Angeles Dodgers ace tried to find out the answers to the question, he explained how the game has changed from earlier days.

Clayton Kershaw wonders what’s causing an increase in injuries 

During an interview with The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Kershaw shared that nobody knows the actual reason for injuries. “Everybody has theories,” Kershaw said. “…Whether it be added velocity, weighted ball programs too young, all this stuff that people talk about. But at the end of the day, nobody knows.” The superstar said that the discussion should instead focus on how this issue can be solved.

Kershaw noted that it isn’t the “old guys” like him whose injuries matter. But pitchers like Sandy Alcantara and Spencer Strider getting injured could prove to be a major problem for baseball. The superstar noted that Alcantara’s pitching form was impeccable and Strider’s lower body should’ve saved him, but they both got injured. That’s a surprising development.

Later, the Dodgers star shared that pitchers need to throw their hardest in this era. Kershaw shared that players of previous eras could throw conservatively in the beginning. However, modern baseball doesn’t allow for it. The pitchers will be pulled “out of the game in the third inning if that happens.” Still, the debate on what is causing these injuries has continued to rage in baseball circles.

MLB and MLBPA loggerheads due to injuries

MLBPA’s executive director Tony Clark released a statement on Saturday where the union blamed the pitch clock for increasing the risk of injuries for pitchers. The statement stated that despite “unanimous player opposition” MLB reduced the length of the pitch clock last December. The fact that this happened just one year after the clock’s implementation has increased the health concerns of players.

In reply to this, MLB released a scathing statement. It said that they’ve commissioned a comprehensive research study to understand pitching injuries. It cited the independent study done by the Johns Hopkins University, which found no evidence of quick pitching leading to injuries. As a result, both the players and the league are currently butting heads with each other.

But while that is happening, it cannot be denied that this pitching injury crisis is scary. Reduced longevity of pitchers can have a drastic impact on the sport. As a result, something needs to be done quickly.