Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
08:27
Novel Triple-Loop Technique for Suturing TFCC Injuries without Transosseous Tunnel
Published on: May 23, 2025
1.2K
Pitch Performance After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgery in Major League Baseball Pitchers
Michael A Mastroianni1, Jennifer A Kunes1, Morgan R Dillon2
1Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA.
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
|April 15, 2026
Summary
Major League Baseball pitchers often do not fully return to pre-injury performance for all pitch types after ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery. While velocity and movement recover, advanced metrics show pitch-specific deficits persist up to three seasons post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Sports medicine
- Baseball analytics
Background:
- Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery is common in Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers.
- Previous studies focused on general return to play, but pitch-specific performance metrics after UCL surgery are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate pitch performance 1, 2, and 3 seasons after UCL surgery in MLB pitchers.
- To analyze return to performance using advanced pitch metrics like Stuff+, Location+, and Pitching+.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 129 MLB pitchers undergoing UCL reconstruction or repair (2017-2023).
- Analysis of fastball, slider, curveball, sinker, cutter, changeup, and splitter performance using pitch-tracking data.
- Evaluation of Stuff+, Location+, and Pitching+ metrics for pitchers with available data post-2020.
Main Results:
- All pitches regained preoperative velocity and movement by season 2 post-surgery.
- No single pitch type returned to full performance in all advanced metrics at a rate higher than 44% by season 3.
- Fastballs and sliders showed better return to performance in Stuff+, Location+, and Pitching+ compared to other pitch types.
Conclusions:
- Significant pitch-specific differences exist in return to performance after UCL surgery.
- Changeups demonstrated the best, though still limited, return to performance among non-fastball/slider pitches.
- Findings inform MLB players and teams about realistic expectations for specific pitch recovery post-UCL surgery.
