Latest news with #workload
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
MLB contenders watch for fatigue as some starters experience an increased workload
CHICAGO — At age 34, Matthew Boyd is going back to what was once familiar territory for the left-hander. He has logged 130 2/3 innings so far in his first season with the Chicago Cubs, more than he totaled in the previous two years combined. It's a workload jump that goes against what had become conventional wisdom in the majors, where teams have frequently capped pitchers' innings in hopes of keeping them healthy.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB contenders watch for fatigue as some starters experience an increased workload
CHICAGO (AP) — At age 34, Matthew Boyd is going back to what was once familiar territory for the left-hander. He has logged 130 2/3 innings so far in his first season with the Chicago Cubs, more than he totaled in the previous two years combined. It's a workload jump that goes against what had become conventional wisdom in the majors, where teams have frequently capped pitchers' innings in hopes of keeping them healthy. 'Things have been going great,' Boyd said. 'And I think it's like none of us know what's ahead. And that goes for everybody." Boyd's workload is worth watching as the Cubs try to rally in the NL Central race and go on a deep October run. He is among a group of pitchers going through a spike in innings in the heart of the playoff picture. After spending most of his career as a reliever, Clay Holmes has 117 1/3 innings going into his 23rd start for the Mets on Tuesday night. Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo is up to 127 innings after he finished with 66 2/3 last year. All-Stars Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox and Bryan Woo of the Mariners also are progressing toward major increases. 'That's something we always monitor and watch,' Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. 'I know we're in constant communication in-between starts.' The days of predetermined innings limits, especially when it comes to young prospects and pitchers on losing teams, aren't going away anytime soon. But more organizations appear to be going with a case-by-case approach. 'I think the reason why it's changed a little bit and we don't look at that either percentage increase or fixed innings increase is because it wasn't working," said David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets. 'I think more and more we're trying to treat each pitcher as an individual. And if a pitcher feels good both subjectively and objectively, we try not to artificially shut them down.' Crochet, 26, helped show what might be possible last year. The 6-foot-6 left-hander, who had Tommy John surgery in April 2022, began last season with 73 innings in 72 appearances spanning four seasons with the White Sox. He made his first big league start on opening day. With the White Sox closely monitoring his workload in the last part of the season, he finished with 32 starts and 146 innings. He is tied for the major league lead with 141 1/3 innings going into Tuesday night's start against Kansas City. 'I think that I really set myself up for this season to go out there and for there really to be no leash necessary,' said Crochet, who was traded to the Red Sox in December and then agreed to a $170 million, six-year contract. 'I've been feeling really good throughout the season and the five days in between my starts I really feel like I'm prepared and doing a lot to get my body in the right position to have success and to continue to give length throughout the year.' Boyd was recovering from Tommy John surgery when he signed with Cleveland last year. He returned to the majors last August and went 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in eight starts and 39 2/3 innings for the Guardians. He also pitched 11 2/3 innings for the AL Central champions in the playoffs. That was enough for Chicago to give Boyd a $29 million, two-year contract in free agency. And he has delivered so far, making the NL All-Star team while going 11-4 with a 2.34 ERA in 22 starts. Boyd pitched a career-high 185 1/3 innings for Detroit in 2019, but he hasn't approached that territory since. The Cubs gave him nine days off between starts over the All-Star break, and Boyd has frequent conversations with manager Craig Counsell and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy about his workload and how he is feeling. The Cubs also have rookie right-hander Cade Horton, who is up to 102 2/3 innings this season — including his time with Triple-A Iowa — after he totaled 34 1/3 innings in the minors last year. 'This is an area where the industry has not maybe figured out the answer, so you're just trying to keep getting better answers,' Counsell said. 'I think in the past, we were just relying on history. I think now we're relying on the data we collect from the actual player.' Communication is one thing, but an array of metrics and biomechanical analysis is at the center of the decision-making process when it comes to pitchers and rest. 'There's tangible things that you just keep an eye on,' Boyd said. "You have your spin data, you have your velocity. We have biomechanics tracking. It's like, 'Hey, the mechanics are getting out of whack. ... Is there something we need to address? How do you address that?' 'There's so many different avenues you can go down and levers you can pull if you will. And it's not as cut and dry as like 20% increase, 50% increase (in innings).' ___ AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick in New York and AP Sports Writer Andrew Destin in Seattle contributed to this report. ___ AP MLB:
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
MLB contenders watch for fatigue as some starters experience an increased workload
CHICAGO (AP) — At age 34, Matthew Boyd is going back to what was once familiar territory for the left-hander. He has logged 130 2/3 innings so far in his first season with the Chicago Cubs, more than he totaled in the previous two years combined. It's a workload jump that goes against what had become conventional wisdom in the majors, where teams have frequently capped pitchers' innings in hopes of keeping them healthy. 'Things have been going great,' Boyd said. 'And I think it's like none of us know what's ahead. And that goes for everybody.' Boyd's workload is worth watching as the Cubs try to rally in the NL Central race and go on a deep October run. He is among a group of pitchers going through a spike in innings in the heart of the playoff picture. After spending most of his career as a reliever, Clay Holmes has 117 1/3 innings going into his 23rd start for the Mets on Tuesday night. Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo is up to 127 innings after he finished with 66 2/3 last year. All-Stars Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox and Bryan Woo of the Mariners also are progressing toward major increases. 'That's something we always monitor and watch,' Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. 'I know we're in constant communication in-between starts.' The days of predetermined innings limits, especially when it comes to young prospects and pitchers on losing teams, aren't going away anytime soon. But more organizations appear to be going with a case-by-case approach. 'I think the reason why it's changed a little bit and we don't look at that either percentage increase or fixed innings increase is because it wasn't working,' said David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets. 'I think more and more we're trying to treat each pitcher as an individual. And if a pitcher feels good both subjectively and objectively, we try not to artificially shut them down.' Crochet, 26, helped show what might be possible last year. The 6-foot-6 left-hander, who had Tommy John surgery in April 2022, began last season with 73 innings in 72 appearances spanning four seasons with the White Sox. He made his first big league start on opening day. With the White Sox closely monitoring his workload in the last part of the season, he finished with 32 starts and 146 innings. He is tied for the major league lead with 141 1/3 innings going into Tuesday night's start against Kansas City. 'I think that I really set myself up for this season to go out there and for there really to be no leash necessary,' said Crochet, who was traded to the Red Sox in December and then agreed to a $170 million, six-year contract. 'I've been feeling really good throughout the season and the five days in between my starts I really feel like I'm prepared and doing a lot to get my body in the right position to have success and to continue to give length throughout the year.' Boyd was recovering from Tommy John surgery when he signed with Cleveland last year. He returned to the majors last August and went 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in eight starts and 39 2/3 innings for the Guardians. He also pitched 11 2/3 innings for the AL Central champions in the playoffs. That was enough for Chicago to give Boyd a $29 million, two-year contract in free agency. And he has delivered so far, making the NL All-Star team while going 11-4 with a 2.34 ERA in 22 starts. Boyd pitched a career-high 185 1/3 innings for Detroit in 2019, but he hasn't approached that territory since. The Cubs gave him nine days off between starts over the All-Star break, and Boyd has frequent conversations with manager Craig Counsell and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy about his workload and how he is feeling. The Cubs also have rookie right-hander Cade Horton, who is up to 102 2/3 innings this season — including his time with Triple-A Iowa — after he totaled 34 1/3 innings in the minors last year. 'This is an area where the industry has not maybe figured out the answer, so you're just trying to keep getting better answers,' Counsell said. 'I think in the past, we were just relying on history. I think now we're relying on the data we collect from the actual player.' Communication is one thing, but an array of metrics and biomechanical analysis is at the center of the decision-making process when it comes to pitchers and rest. 'There's tangible things that you just keep an eye on,' Boyd said. 'You have your spin data, you have your velocity. We have biomechanics tracking. It's like, 'Hey, the mechanics are getting out of whack. ... Is there something we need to address? How do you address that?' 'There's so many different avenues you can go down and levers you can pull if you will. And it's not as cut and dry as like 20% increase, 50% increase (in innings).' ___ AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick in New York and AP Sports Writer Andrew Destin in Seattle contributed to this report. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why players ‘fear' criticising heavy workload amid busy football schedule
Players remain fearful of speaking out about their heavy workload because of the impact it could have on their careers, a top player union official has said. FIFA has been accused of 'turning a blind eye to the basic needs of players' in a statement issued by world players' union FIFPRO on Friday, which also likened FIFA president Gianni Infantino to an 'emperor'. FIFPRO cited the scheduling of matches at the recent Club World Cup in extreme heat as an example of FIFA's 'autocratic' approach to running the game. Without the players there is ultimately no product, but despite that FIFPRO general secretary Alex Phillips believes it is difficult for individuals to make their voices heard. 'I was speaking to some of the top stars that were going to play in the Club World Cup, and they were saying that they hadn't had a rest for X amount of time,' Phillips said. 'One of them even said, 'I'll only get a rest when I get injured'. Others were resigned actually, and cynical about speaking up. 'Then you see some of the same players two weeks later having to record social media videos saying 'we think the Club World Cup is great' because their employers are telling them to do it. 'That's why unions do exist, partly, to be their voice, because they are in an invidious position. They can't speak. They can't say exactly what they think – well, they can do, but that may have consequences.' Phillips cited a legal complaint lodged by FIFPRO Europe and domestic leagues to the European Commission against FIFA last autumn as an example of alternatives to negotiation that the union has already taken. He insisted the possibility of a strike was 'not mentioned' when 58 of FIFPRO's member unions held talks in Amsterdam on Friday. A statement issued after that summit was scathing about FIFA, which organised a player welfare meeting without FIFPRO's involvement on the eve of the Club World Cup final earlier this month. That has been seen by the unions as an effort to divide and weaken them. 'The overloaded match calendar, the lack of adequate physical and mental recovery periods, extreme playing conditions, the absence of meaningful dialogue, and the ongoing disregard for players' social rights have regrettably become pillars of FIFA's business model; this is a model that puts the health of players at risk and sidelines those at the heart of the game,' FIFPRO's statement on Friday said. 'There can be no legitimate spectacle built on fatigue, exclusion, and exploitation. FIFA continues to systematically ignore and silence the real issues players face in different parts of the world. It is unacceptable for an organisation that claims global leadership to turn a blind eye to the basic needs of the players. 'One clear example of this disconnect was the recent Club World Cup, celebrated by President Infantino despite being held under conditions that were extreme and inappropriate for any human being, demonstrating a troubling insensitivity to human rights, even when it concerns elite athletes.' FIFA replied: 'FIFA is extremely disappointed by the increasingly divisive and contradictory tone adopted by FIFPRO leadership as this approach clearly shows that rather than engaging in constructive dialogue, FIFPRO has chosen to pursue a path of public confrontation driven by artificial PR battles – which have nothing to do with protecting the welfare of professional players but rather aim to preserve their own personal positions and interests. 'The game deserves unity, not division. Players deserve action, not rhetoric. 'FIFA will move forward together with players and those who really want the best for football. It is up to FIFPRO to answer this call.'
The Independent
25-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Footballers fear speaking out about workload will damage their careers, players' union says
Players remain fearful of speaking out about their heavy workload because of the impact it could have on their careers, a top player union official has said. FIFA has been accused of 'turning a blind eye to the basic needs of players' in a statement issued by world players' union FIFPRO on Friday, which also likened FIFA president Gianni Infantino to an 'emperor'. FIFPRO cited the scheduling of matches at the recent Club World Cup in extreme heat as an example of FIFA's 'autocratic' approach to running the game. Without the players there is ultimately no product, but despite that FIFPRO general secretary Alex Phillips believes it is difficult for individuals to make their voices heard. 'I was speaking to some of the top stars that were going to play in the Club World Cup, and they were saying that they hadn't had a rest for X amount of time,' Phillips said. 'One of them even said, 'I'll only get a rest when I get injured'. Others were resigned actually, and cynical about speaking up. 'Then you see some of the same players two weeks later having to record social media videos saying 'we think the Club World Cup is great' because their employers are telling them to do it. 'That's why unions do exist, partly, to be their voice, because they are in an invidious position. They can't speak. They can't say exactly what they think – well, they can do, but that may have consequences.' Phillips cited a legal complaint lodged by FIFPRO Europe and domestic leagues to the European Commission against FIFA last autumn as an example of alternatives to negotiation that the union has already taken. He insisted the possibility of a strike was 'not mentioned' when 58 of FIFPRO's member unions held talks in Amsterdam on Friday. A statement issued after that summit was scathing about FIFA, which organised a player welfare meeting without FIFPRO's involvement on the eve of the Club World Cup final earlier this month. That has been seen by the unions as an effort to divide and weaken them. 'The overloaded match calendar, the lack of adequate physical and mental recovery periods, extreme playing conditions, the absence of meaningful dialogue, and the ongoing disregard for players' social rights have regrettably become pillars of FIFA's business model; this is a model that puts the health of players at risk and sidelines those at the heart of the game,' FIFPRO's statement on Friday said. 'There can be no legitimate spectacle built on fatigue, exclusion, and exploitation. FIFA continues to systematically ignore and silence the real issues players face in different parts of the world. It is unacceptable for an organisation that claims global leadership to turn a blind eye to the basic needs of the players. 'One clear example of this disconnect was the recent Club World Cup, celebrated by President Infantino despite being held under conditions that were extreme and inappropriate for any human being, demonstrating a troubling insensitivity to human rights, even when it concerns elite athletes.' FIFA replied: 'FIFA is extremely disappointed by the increasingly divisive and contradictory tone adopted by FIFPRO leadership as this approach clearly shows that rather than engaging in constructive dialogue, FIFPRO has chosen to pursue a path of public confrontation driven by artificial PR battles – which have nothing to do with protecting the welfare of professional players but rather aim to preserve their own personal positions and interests. 'The game deserves unity, not division. Players deserve action, not rhetoric. 'FIFA will move forward together with players and those who really want the best for football. It is up to FIFPRO to answer this call.'
