Pitcher injuries are unfortunately commonplace across Major League Baseball today. For anybody not named Sandy Alcantara, you need to enter the new season bracing for the possibility of an IL stint at some point. More so than ever, MLB teams are prioritizing quality over quantity when it comes to pitching—they handle their arms cautiously and do everything possible to prepare them to succeed when they’re actually on the mound.
On one end of the injury spectrum, there’s Alcantara with 434 1⁄3 regular season innings pitched since 2021. He is a cyborg. On the other end, there’s Sixto Sánchez.