Remember Lightning McQueen and how he used to pump himself up before every race? Those three words from Cars are now kinda echoing across MLB. It was not some random rant or a passing complaint from a bitter ex-star. It came straight from champions, stars who have been in the grind, hoisted trophies, and felt the strain of the sport on their bodies.

Former Phillies World Series champions did not sugarcoat anything when they spoke on the current growing obsession in MLB: Speed. While their admiration for speed’s comeback was clear, there was an undercurrent that could not be ignored. 

Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins were recently having a candid conversation while reflecting on several things around MLB. “When you look at this dude, Chandler Simpson, and what he is able to bring to the game… it starts to bring the game back to what it was when we grew up, right? There was a lot more speed,” pointed out Howard. And what came from Rollins went deeper.

“But speed is power… that first step, that reaction time, you have to have that speed to win.” Well, that sounds thrilling until you identify what that is for stars across MLB.

With speed comes force. But in this instance, that force is falling squarely on pitchers’ shoulders, literally.

As teams push for more SBs, quicker pace through the pitch clock, and lightning-quick reactions, a pitcher is being forced to run in overdrive. The outcome? An epidemic of elbow, shoulder, and oblique injuries. As per DVS Baseball, in 2024, 263 pitchers spent time on the IL. Of these, 172 were injured because of arm issues, and 38 needed elbow reconstruction. The total number of pitchers who threw at least one inning was 615.

Rollins and Howard did not blame speed. They were all in for it. However, their nod to MLB’s transforming pace doubled as a subtle reality check. For years, power-dominated teams have been in focus. But currently, speed is fighting to reclaim the spotlight—however, at what cost? We are receiving the answers with MRIs and Tommy John surgeries, and that is where the legends’ concern takes root.

The ex-Phillies champs are definitely not saying to ditch speed. But their discussion surely indicated balancing the excitement before the mound becomes a casualty zone. And one star-studded team is already facing that heat… 

When speed collides with fatigue: MLB’s new trend

While some celebrate the game’s enhanced pace and excitement, the Dodgers are feeling the blowback in real time. Normally a pitching powerhouse, they are now in the middle of a rough May stretch. And this looks less like a slump and more like a warning sign.

Through just 17 games in May, the Dodgers’ arms have surrendered 31 home runs, matching the team’s total from all of April, which took 31 games to reach there. It is not just bad luck; it is a symptom of something deeper.

Arizona’s three-homer barrage on Monday night was not a one-off—it was a continuation of a trend that has seen the team give up more than 9 runs in four of the Dodgers’ last ten games. Dave Roberts did not defend the situation either and pointed out, “It is not the staff we thought we would have this season.” 

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And that highlights a larger issue across MLB: Teams simply are not equipped to manage the trending breakneck tempo. With the bullpen guiding the league in appearances and innings, it is no wonder their arms are hitting a wall. The real issue is not just the injuries. There is constant stress, too. Pitchers are being forced to work faster, throw harder, and do it all with less rest.

Now, with the Dodgers’ rotation banged up and no vital reinforcements on the way outside of Michael Kopech, the wear is showing. Only three times in 17 games has a Dodgers pitcher gone beyond five innings. That is not a winning approach, it is a survival tactic.

What we are seeing with the team is the real-world fallout of a league that has focused on pace over preservation. Yes, saying “I am speed” adds excitement. But when a star who lifted a trophy just months ago is now barely staying afloat, MLB has to ask: At what point does speeding up the game slow down the pitchers for good?

From Philly veterans voicing concern to the Dodgers pitching star unraveling, the signs are all around. It is not just related to adapting, it is related to surviving.

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