Editorial Commentary: Understanding Injury Epidemiology Builds Trust in Baseball Players

Although the odds are extremely low, some baseball players are fortunate to make it to the professional ranks (minor or major league), where suffering an injury is common. During the 2011 to 2019 seasons, 112,405 injuries were reported in the Major League Baseball Health and Injury Tracking System database. Compared with other professional sports, baseball players have lower rates of returning to play, take longer to return to play, and have shorter careers after shoulder arthroscopy. By understanding injury epidemiology, the treating physician will gain player trust and understand the prognosis and how to properly return the player safely back to the field and best prolong their career.