Remember when you could plan your entire week around watching your team’s ace take the mound? Those days feel like ancient history now. Today’s game has shifted from workhorses who dominated for seven innings to a relay race of specialized relievers.
The modern emphasis on velocity over stamina has fundamentally changed how we experience baseball. You’re witnessing the potential end of durable, marketable aces who once drove ticket sales and energized fan bases.
9. Tommy John Surgery Becomes Background Noise
Imagine a baseball era just a generation or two past, where the frequency of elbow surgeries has normalized what should alarm everyone. Fans casually accept that any pitcher could vanish for 18 months without warning.
This desensitization impacts how we value durability. The myth that Tommy John surgery is routine undermines the reality of its challenging recovery and career uncertainty.
8. Marketing Nightmares When Stars Vanish
How many current MLB pitchers under 30 does the general public recognize? Building a star’s brand becomes impossible when they pitch five innings every fifth day.
Compare that to legends who commanded attention for entire games. Pablo Sanchez lasted nine innings in Backyard Baseball 2005. Modern aces barely make it through six.
7. The Root Problem: Teaching Velocity First
Youth baseball now prioritizes radar gun readings over mechanics and stamina. This creates a pipeline of hard-throwing pitchers who break down by age 25.
Teams must realize durability carries value beyond maximum effort. Developing training programs that emphasize efficiency over raw power will determine baseball’s future stars.
6. Relief Pitchers Steal the Show
Today’s relief pitchers consistently throw high-90s with devastating arsenals that make them nearly unhittable. Managers quickly replace starters after five innings, trusting their bullpens completely.
This strategy maximizes short-term success but eliminates opportunities for starters to develop into true aces. You’re watching the death of pitcher stardom in real time.
5. The Last Generation of Legends
Kershaw, Verlander, Scherzer, and Greinke represent the final generation capable of reaching 200 wins and 3,000 strikeouts. Jacob deGrom has just 88 career wins despite historic dominance.
Only Gerrit Cole among younger pitchers has a realistic shot at traditional milestones. The math simply doesn’t work when starters throw 60 fewer innings per season than their predecessors.
4. MLB Tries Band-Aid Solutions
The three-batter minimum rule aimed to reduce excessive pitching changes. Proposed solutions include six-inning minimums and the “double hook” that ties the DH to your starter3.
These adjustments might help, but they’re treating symptoms rather than causes. Japanese teams use six-man rotations that could provide a real blueprint for change.
3. The Workhorse Era Has Left the Building
Baseball just a generation ago revolved around frontline pitchers who racked up innings totals that seem mythical today. In 2010, 14 pitchers threw 200+ innings. By 2023, only Gerrit Cole reached that mark.
This shift prioritizes bullpen depth over allowing starters to work deep into games. You now watch a completely different sport than your parents enjoyed.
2. The Injury Epidemic Changes Everything
Tyler Glasnow‘s blunt assessment captures modern pitching: “If you throw 100 every pitch, you have to understand that something will happen.” His career-high 120 innings proves the point perfectly6.
Meanwhile, Kyle Hendricks throws 10 mph slower but consistently delivers 180+ innings per season. Yet Glasnow earns $27 million annually while Hendricks makes $14 million.
1. Bringing Back Baseball’s Missing Magic
Prominent starting pitching benefits everyone: excitement for fans, ticket sales for teams, and Hall of Fame potential for pitchers. The 2025 season will show whether teams embrace durability or continue chasing velocity.
Watch for teams that buck trends by developing workhorses. They’ll likely dominate the next decade while their competitors burn through arms.
