Can MLB save the starting pitcher? The search for solutions to baseball’s ‘existential crisis’
New York TimesFor 100 years, that wasn’t just a casual question. “It’s really hard to force pitchers to start and go,” said one exec, “because in my opinion, you’re going to get into all sorts of situations where you ask: Is someone faking an injury? So the idea would be if you pull your starter, you’re going to lose a ball game because you pulled your starter early.” Of the ten active major-league starting pitchers who have won a Cy Young Award, all but the Orioles’ Corbin Burnes have spent time on the injured list in 2024. “There are people on one side of this,” one skeptical executive said, “who want to have less pitchers, make them pitch more … and I just don’t understand how that’s going to work. “To me, it’s not crazy that would consider outlawing it, because there’s lots of dangerous behavior that is not allowed on the field because it leads to injuries.” Could the league even target high velocity?
History of this topic
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander sound off on how MLB can save the starting pitcher
New York TimesMLB wants to make starting pitching more prominent, but it’s a tough task in today’s game
Associated Press
Commentary: Baseball needs to showcase its traditional playoff stars — starting pitchers
LA Times
Commentary: MLB pitching crackdown is crisis management
LA TimesDiscover Related
