Guardians Have A Pitching Problem, So Does MLB

MLB’s star pitchers keep coming down with injuries, including the Cleveland Guardians’ Shane Bieber.

Jun 6, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Shane Bieber, Trevor Stephan, Sam Hentges, Gavin Williams, and third-ranked prospect Daniel Espino. What do all of these players have in common? They’re all pitchers, and they’re all on the Cleveland Guardians' injured list. 

Bieber is done for the year because of Tommy John surgery, and Stephan requires the same procedure. Williams is still working back up to full strength after being shut down in spring training due to elbow discomfort. 

The numbers of pitcher Cleveland has already shuffled through, and will continue to sort through, this season just to have someone on the mound for a nine-inning game has been one the biggest storylines during the first two weeks into the season.

The Guardians clearly have a pitching problem, but it’s not exclusive to the Cleveland organization. This has been an issue going on around all of MLB, and what’s happening with this team is just a microcosm of a larger issue.

Some of baseball's biggest stars are also injured, including Atlanta’s Spencer Strider, Houston’s Framber Valdez, Texas’s Max Scherzer, Miami's Sandy Alcántara, and New York (AL)'s Gerrit Cole. These names are just the tip of the iceberg of the lengthy list of pitchers on the IL.

All of these players face long absences, and no one seems to know what the root cause of all of these injuries is. 

Jun 6, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The MLBPA quickly blamed the pitch clock for all of the injuries, which is something MLB shut down right away. Another possible reason could be pitchers eager to increase their maximum velocity at any cost. Los Angeles (NL) pitcher Tyler Glasnow seems to be convinced that the slippery and inconsistent grip on baseballs combined with the ban on sticky substances could be a factor leading to more injuries.

Bieber said he believes “it’s a combination of multiple factors,” which could very well be the case. But that's the problem. No one knows what that core issue is.

Pitchers continuing to get hurt is an issue, but the problem truly lies with the unknown cause of why it’s happening. Until the source is identified, the Guardians and the rest of Major League Baseball could be looking at a lot more pitchers headed to the IL this season.