Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer expressed his disapproval of Major League Baseball’s pitch clock in a recent appearance on Foul Territory, citing possible links to serious injuries.

Recognized as one of baseball’s smartest players, Scherzer cited prominent surgeons Drs. Keith Meister and Neal Attrache to back up his assertions.

“[Dr. Meister] observed that this year’s elbow injuries were simply far more serious. Scherzer said in the interview that “if you look at all the data that came across the game, the pitcher injuries and arm injuries are on the high end, but the severity of the injuries is much more problematic.”

“They’re both observing the same thing, which is an increase in severity.”

Scherzer’s issue is in line with the generally good feedback that fans have given about how the pitch clock affects MLB play action.

But the statistical terrain presents a different picture. Despite fewer players being placed on the injured list, baseball had a 6.1% increase in the number of days lost to the list during the previous season.

This suggests that injuries, which affected both position players and pitchers, required a longer time to heal.

Although detractors acknowledge the increase in injuries, some contend that it could be too soon to pin the issue entirely on the pitch clock. Pitchers worked at a faster speed without such time limits, according to historical statistics from the 1980s and earlier decades, even though the minor leagues had been using the pitch clock for years.

Even Scherzer acknowledges the difficulty of pitcher injuries, citing a number of contributing variables like accumulation, extreme workloads, and unplanned mishaps.

He underlined that throughout the previous 15 to 20 years, the average game duration has increased, and this could be partly attributed to the trend of maxing out every pitch.

The question of whether the pitch clock is directly to blame for the increase in the severity of pitcher injuries is still up for debate, notwithstanding Scherzer’s worries.

Critics emphasize the complex nature of pitcher injuries over time and contend that evidence from a single season is insufficient to prove causation.

Aside from injuries, baseball’s pitch clock has been a huge success. The play progressed at a noticeably faster speed, which pleased practically everyone.

How did you feel about the pitch clock?

Are you in agreement with it? Or are you still an antiquated person who opposes it?

Do you think the observed increase in pitching injuries is caused by the clock?