Surgeries and long recovery times have become part of everyday baseball vocabulary. Injuries to pitchers have become one of the sport’s most alarming epidemics, and it’s not just the major leagues feeling the strain. The problem is spreading rapidly among younger players at the high school and college levels. Experts and insiders are sensing the alarm, pointing to one likely culprit: the relentless overuse of pitching arms.

MLB has been shifting some of its player development responsibilities to college programs. While it may save money, college coaches tend to overuse young players, which can have serious consequences. A recent example is Boston College’s junior pitcher A.J. Colarusso, whose overuse last week has raised serious concerns, especially from The Athletic’s Keith Law. Colarusso was stellar in the ACC tournament opener on Tuesday, pitching 72 pitches in four innings. And on Friday of the same week, the coaches had him throw 109 pitches in six innings after just two days of rest. That’s 181 pitches in just four days. Shockingly, the ACC even praised him for this performance, a clear sign of negligence.

Law warned about the increased risk and called out the extreme measures taken by coaches. “It was an outstanding performance by Colarusso, but the coaches and the people running the conference are supposed to be the adults in the room here, and 181 pitches over four days is not something to cheer,” Law wrote. And he’s absolutely right, without proper regulation, many pitchers risk having their careers cut short almost as soon as they begin.

There’s solid reasoning behind Law’s concerns. According to MLB PitchSmart recommendations, players aged 19–22 should not exceed 120 pitches in a single game, and if given only two days of rest, their pitch limit drops to 46–50.

In Colarusso’s case, he threw 109 pitches on Friday, well above the safe limit. And this isn’t an isolated case. Coaches prioritize winning the next game over the health of their players. They often push young players to prioritize velocity and spin rate, leading to increased risk of injuries, mainly UCL tears. Even MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently admitted that they are left with players already damaged. This further underscores that the problem goes far beyond college games.

Although there is no official pitch limit in MLB, the growing number of pitchers on the Injured List should be a wake-up call for team overloading their players. Even powerhouse teams like the Dodgers and Yankees are not exempt from the threat of injuries. The Yankees have recently lost pitchers like Marcus Stroman, Fernando Cruz, and Jake Cousins, while the Dodgers have also seen key names such as Blake Snell sidelined. However, the Dodgers seem to have introduced strategies to better manage the rising wave of pitcher injuries.

Dodgers respond to injury woes with strategic shift

Injuries and uncertainty have plagued the 2025 MLB season. Even while leading the NL West, injuries continue to haunt the Dodgers’ roster. They currently have 14 pitchers on the injury list, surely a massive concern for a team hoping to carry forward the momentum of last season. But they sure seem to have a plan. According to pitching coach Mark Prior, they’ve been implementing strategies to mitigate this issue.

Prior has shared that their focus is on preparing players for role readiness. “When they reach this level, sometimes they’re used to different roles and are asked to do things they might not be accustomed to. So, something we’ve looked into is trying to prepare them, whether they’re relievers on the rise or starters turning into relievers. All those factors matter. It’s like you’re speeding up the pace,” Prior had told The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya earlier this month.

The switch between roles will help the team adapt to injury challenges, and it’s especially vital for the Dodgers, as their rotation is missing several key players. The injury list includes starters Snell and Tyler Glasnow.

Apart from them, the team has placed prominent players Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, Roki Sasaki, and River Ryan on the injured list. This situation will clearly impact their October run if not addressed swiftly. But unlike other teams, the Dodgers seem to have a firm grip on reality and a plan to manage things better. Whether it works or not, we’ll have to wait and see.