Gerrit Cole Voices Frustration Over MLB’s Debate on Pitch Clock, Injuries

Karl Rasmussen | Apr 8, 2024

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has yet to pitch in 2024 after landing on the injured list with elbow inflammation prior to Opening Day. The 33-year-old has begun a throwing program as he works his way back from the injury, and he spoke with reporters about his frustrations regarding MLB's conversations about the recent surge in injuries to pitchers.

Early into the season, multiple pitchers have been shelved with elbow injuries, some of who will require Tommy John surgery. Although Cole avoided such a procedure with his own elbow injury, he admitted that he was "disheartened" by MLB being so quick to dismiss the notion that the pitch clock could be a contributing factor in the worrying trend.

"We are going to really understand the effects of... the pitch clock maybe five years down the road," Cole said, via ESPN. "But to dismiss it out of hand, I didn't think that was helpful to the situation. I think the players are obviously the most important aspect of this industry and this product. And the care of the players should be of utmost importance to both sides."

Cole's comments come in the wake of an elbow injury to Yankees teammate Jonathan Loaisiga, who is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season.

Last week, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark issued a statement in which he pointed to MLB decreasing the pitch clock from 20 seconds to 18 seconds as the culprit of the surge in pitcher injuries. The league countered by saying the increase in velocity was responsible.

"Every time you adapt to something, there’s a cost,” Cole said, via Newsday. “To say that [the pitch clock is] not contributing to people getting hurt is—I don't think that's an accurate statement. I'm not necessarily saying that it is, but it's certainly a variable that's out there along the importance of spin and the importance of velocity and the importance of location. They're all contributing factors.”

Cole is hoping to return to the mound by June, and he made clear amid his recovery that MLB's issue with injuries to pitchers is a prominent one.