Pitching injury puzzle: Dodgers work to find a…
Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said that the team’s staff will meet after Thanksgiving to solve pitching injuries in the organization. Prior, who appeared on the Dodgers Territory podcast on Monday, said that the organization is”… committed to see if we can find something common in the way we are developing guys” starting in the minor leagues all the way up to the major league level. Prior emphasized that if they do find something common, that they should “act on it in a smart way, …not a reactionary way.”
Dodgers Trying to Solve Epidemic of Pitching Injuries
Widespread Injury Bug
The Dodgers used 40 different pitchers this season. This includes the 17 that had to fill the starting rotation. Coming out of spring training, the Dodgers appeared to have a surplus of pitching, but every member of the Opening Day starting rotation spent some time on the injured list. The only L.A. starter to pitch above 150 innings this year was Jack Flaherty, who the Dodgers acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers.
Not Just a Dodger Problem
The Dodgers, of course, are not the only team to face a large amount of pitcher injuries. They are league-wide. Multiple theories exist as to why, whether it be the lack of sticky stuff, the pitch clock, or pitchers’ training regimens. Prior said in the interview that these injuries are not coincidences, but that they are working to examine what they have in common in order to address them.
The Good News
The Dodgers pitching coach did say that Tyler Glasnow who went on the IL with elbow tendinitis will start throwing in January and be ready for spring training. Other injured pitchers from this season, including Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin, will likely return in 2025.
Hopefully, by then, the majority of these injuries will have a solution, not only for the Dodgers, but for every team in the majors.
