Part 5/9:
Younger pitchers face a plethora of injuries that sideline them for extended periods, stunting their marketability. Tommy John surgery, which was once a major concern, has become almost routine—fans have grown desensitized to the risk of injury when pitchers focus on maximizing velocity and pitch count. With notorious names like Jacob deGrom struggling with availability, the gap widens between rising stars and the expectations set by their forerunners.