Baseball injury report

Rick Wilton’s Baseball Injury Report has announced that Major League Baseball is on pace to set a another record for the number of players who spend time on the disabled list. Here are the details…

The previous record was set last year with 404 players. As of April 30, there are 180 players who have spent time on the disabled list this season. That is 6.6% increase over the same time last season. From 2002-2006, an average of 141 players landed on the DL from spring training through April 30 each year. This year’s pace is 21.7% greater than the average during that period. This alarming statistic could increase even further in the coming days with retroactive disabled list moves.

Three teams, the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves lead the Majors in injured players, having each already placed 11 players on the disabled list as of April 30.

Last year’s record 404 players was a 12.2 % increase over the five-year average between 2002-2006. The current pace is for 416 players to spend time on the disabled list in 2008.

2008 Injury Facts

– Pitchers account for 66.7% of the players placed on the disabled list so far.
– 22.7 % of the injuries are elbow related (10.7% Tommy John surgery)
– 22.7% are shoulder related (3.4 % are labrum related)
– Pitchers account for 91.3% of elbow and shoulder injuries

Tom Glavine and Jorge Posada are on the disabled list for the first time in their Major League careers.