Reasons for Retirement Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Among Major League Baseball Pitchers

Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR) has become an increasingly common procedure among Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. The long-term effects of this procedure on the career of an MLB pitcher are largely unknown.

The purpose of this study was to determine why and when MLB pitchers who underwent UCLR during their careers retired from baseball as compared with controls. We hypothesized that pitchers who underwent UCLR are no more likely than control pitchers to retire from elbow or shoulder problems.

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

All MLB pitchers who underwent UCLR were identified through publicly available data. A cohort of pitchers who did not undergo UCLR were matched to pitchers with a history of UCLR, based on sex, age, draft year, and draft round. Of those who were no longer pitching in the MLB, the reason for retirement was determined. Reason for retirement and length of career following UCLR (surgical group) and index year (control group) were determined and compared through prior studies via the MLB HITS database, MLB team websites, and publicly available internet-based injury reports.

Overall, 153 MLB pitchers who underwent UCLR between 1974 and 2015 are currently retired. Mean ± SD time to retirement was 4.4 ± 4.7 years (range, 0-26 years) after the index year in the control group and 4.4 ± 3.5 years (range, 0-15 years) after surgery in the UCLR group (P = .388). Patients who were status post-UCLR were significantly more likely to be released during the season (34 of 144, 23.6%) than were players who were not status post-UCLR (14 of 144, 9.7%) (P = .002). Shoulder injury as a reason for retirement was more common in the control group than the UCLR group (P = .011). Elbow injury as a reason for retirement was not more common in either group (P = .379). Leg injury as a reason for retirement was more common in the control group (P = .013). Performance as a reason for retirement was more common in the UCLR group than the control group (P < .001).

MLB pitchers who have undergone UCLR are no more likely to retire from shoulder or elbow injuries than are those who have not undergone UCLR. MLB career length was similar between pitchers with and without a history of UCLR.