Rangers doctor has wild solution for limiting pitcher injuries

Tradition and evolution are constantly in competition, and baseball is not devoid of this conflict. A Texas Rangers doctor recently came out on the side of progress, but purists will wonder if his suggested rule change is too radical.

Rangers’ head physician and key member of MLB’s task force focused on widespread arm woes, Dr. Keith Meister, has proposed getting rid of two-strike foul balls as a way of keeping pitchers healthy through the grind of a grueling season. His thoughts were displayed in a recent deep dive by D Magazine.

“What I've talked to MLB about is, look, we have all this data on performance. We also have all this data on health. We have to marry these two metrics," Meister told The Athletic. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you to never throw a sweeper or never throw a hard changeup. But at some point, you have to say, 'OK, when we see a pitcher throwing that pitch more than 15% of the time, the likelihood of him having an injury to his shoulder or elbow goes (up), whatever, tenfold.”

This is the kind of rule change that would dramatically change America’s pastime, and while the details are fuzzy, it seems as if Meister is advocating for all two-strike foul balls to be deemed strikeouts (like two-strike bunt attempts).

Rangers doctor has wild solution for limiting pitcher injuries

Of course, many fans and pundits are going to scoff at this idea, but it is important to remember the pitchers Meister has worked with as a member of the Rangers. Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom have both dealt with a number of nagging ailments throughout the course of their careers.

Such a dramatic switch could make the game a pitcher’s haven, and this is uniquely true for talents like Scherzer and deGrom. Both could be headed to Cooperstown, and if they had been healthy for the entirety of their careers, they would likely be automatic entries.

A sport with little room for error must be careful before embracing a transformative concept. While it may help All-Star pitchers, it is not a guarantee that such a development would aid the game as a whole. Fans will have to see how the sport decides to progress as we wait for a fresh season.