Lucas Seehafer PT

There is very little scientific evidence that this is true. Virtually all research points to stronger muscles having less risk for injury. Muscles will always get injured in sport, but injury occurrence can't be boiled down to a single factor. That said, "too strong" just doesn't seem to be a factor according to the most recent literature.

This is a really good point. Essentially, a good coach could take this data and tell Buck, "Hey. When you're swinging, try and rotate your hips as fast as possible." For Lewis, "Stick your arms out a little further with each swing." They'd then work on drills that reinforce those movement patterns. Therefore, the pass on the concepts with even uttering the word torque or moment of inertia.

Two of the Twins' biggest stars saw their swing speeds decrease in 2024. That's a big deal, but it might be fixable—and it might be telling us something else. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Baseball Savant began publishing swing data during the 2024 season. As such, we now have access to impactful metrics such as swing speed, swing length, and the solidity of contact for the second half of 2023 and all of last season, right at our fingertips. Savant defines swing speed as the average velocity of the sweet spot of the bat during the top 90% of an athlete’s swings. They locate the sweet spot 6 inches from the top of the bat, and lop off that bottom decile of swings on the hunch that they're “non-competitive” attempts, such as check swings and bunts, which would artificially lower the average swing speed. There are two properties of physics that are important for understanding why an athlete’s swing speed is important: momentum and torque. Momentum (often labeled as ‘p’) is simply the product of an object’s mass and velocity (p = mv). Essentially, an object will possess more momentum the faster it is moving, given its mass remains unchanged. This is true of a baseball bat; its mass does not change during a swing (assuming it doesn’t break), and therefore, a faster swing has more momentum than a slower one. Torque (‘t’) is the force produced by an object as it rotates around a given point. As such, we can tweak Newton’s linear first law of motion (force is the product of mass and acceleration; F=ma) a bit to torque is the product of an object’s moment of inertia and angular acceleration (t=Iα). Moment of inertia can be expressed as the product of an object’s mass and the square of the radius of the circle about which it is rotating (I=mr2) and the rate at which that rotation is occurring (therefore, t=mr2α). (Note: I can already hear some of you physics types clacking away at the keyboard: “This is much too simplistic! A baseball bat isn’t a simple pendulum!” yada yada yada. Whatever, this simplistic version is good enough to get the point across.) [Editor's note: I can already hear some of you non-physics types cackling bitterly at the idea that what we just read is the simplistic version. Don't worry, Lucas is going to land this plane for us.] What this means in English: Generally speaking, a faster swing will exert greater torque and momentum on the ball, and that will result in the ball registering a higher exit velocity. And we know that a harder-hit ball will more frequently result in a better outcome (i.e. home run, double, fielding error, etc.). Additionally, these physics principles tell us that an athlete can improve their swing speed in two ways; they can rotate more quickly to accelerate the bat head faster (and achieve a greater velocity at any given instant; see: momentum) and/or they can increase the radius of the circle about which they are rotating (i.e. increase their swing length; see: moment of inertia). Doing either (or both!) will increase momentum and torque. (So, of course, would increasing the mass of your bat, i.e. swinging a heavier one—but only if doing so cost you little or no bat speed.) We can see this theory in practice by looking at the relationship between average bat speed and average swing length among MLB hitters. The correlation between the two is 0.54, indicating a moderate (bordering on strong) relationship between the two variables. Basically, the longer an individual’s swing (i.e. the larger the radius of the circle), the faster their swing will generally be. However, swing length doesn’t fully explain swing speed (the correlation isn't 1.0, after all) because swing speed can be modulated by other variables, including how quickly a hitter accelerates their trunk. Additionally, if we consider average bat speed and Statcast’s run value statistic, it can be said that faster bat speeds have a moderate correlation with offensive production (r = 0.41). Again, bat speed is not the sole determinant of offensive production (the correlation is not 1.0), but it is an important factor. Increasing an athlete’s swing speed, either by tweaking their mechanics to increase swing length or by improving their ability to accelerate their trunk rotation via strength training, is of vital importance for individual and team success in the long term. (Yes, Luis Arraez exists. Yes, he has a slow swing speed. Yes, he is productive. Yes, he is an exception to the rule.) However, this also means the opposite is true: a decrease in swing speed would likely have a deleterious impact on offensive production in the long run. That brings us to Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis. Both Buxton (76.2 mph to 74.3 mph) and Lewis (75.1 mph to 73.3 mph) experienced a dip in swing speed in 2024, compared to the second half of 2023. (We don’t know how this trend compares to previous seasons because we don’t have that data.) However, it’s likely that their decreases were driven by different mechanisms. Buxton has one of the longest swings (8 feet, in three-dimensional space, from the start of his swing to the front of the hitting zone) in baseball, which is the driving force behind both his prolific power and propensity to swing and miss. (In short, a longer swing not only causes a fast barrel but also introduces more difficulty in adjusting to a given pitch. The result: more dingers, but also more strikeouts.) From 2023 to 2024, his swing length actually increased from 8.0 feet to 8.1 feet, despite a 2-mph reduction in speed. This would seem to imply that the primary mitigating factor was that he was rotating his trunk more slowly in 2024. Counterintuitively, it’s possible that this reduced reliance on trunk rotation was due, at least in part, to his right knee feeling better. The back leg (Buxton’s right) is important for generating force during a swing, and that force is modulated by the hips, core, and arms before being transferred to the ball on contact with the bat. When Buxton’s right knee was in pain, it’s possible that he compensated by increasing his trunk rotation acceleration to generate similar levels of force. As such, for Buxton to regain his swing speed, it’s likely that he will have to increase his trunk rotational power via strength and weighted-bat training. Lewis, on the other hand, saw his swing length decrease from 7.9-feet to 7.7-feet. Because torque is proportional to the square of the radius of the circle about which he is rotating, a small decrease in swing length can lead to a large decrease in torque production (assuming he used bats of the same weight during both seasons). Lewis saw his production crater during the second half of the 2024 season, as the Twins saw their playoff odds evaporate. It’s possible Lewis subconsciously reduced his swing length to allow for better barrel control, in an effort to improve his production and right the quickly sinking ship. However, doing so is antithetical to Lewis’ strengths, primarily that of quick-twitch power. Lewis is at his best when he's swinging for the fences, not trying to hit singles. For Lewis to regain his old form, it’s possible that he just simply needs to increase his swing length. As we gain the ability to measure not just the outputs of players' movements (like velocity, spin rate, exit velocity, and others) but the movements themselves (like swing speed, arm angle, and more), we'll have to handle lots of new data carefully, and ask good questions about it. Buxton and Lewis exemplify the way changes in swing speed can speak to two different issues, with two different possible remedies—or even more possibilities, not fully unpacked here. Some players can't move a particular way. Others choose not to, for strategic reasons. Either way, it's helpful to understand how they're moving. From there, it becomes possible to convert problems into solutions. View full article

Alex Kirilloff has retired. The former top prospect announced on Thursday that he is dealing with a spondylolisthesis in his lower back that will require surgery to correct. What does that mean? Image courtesy of © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Alex Kirilloff was placed on the injured list in mid-June with what was described as an “unspecified back issue.” He stated that he had been dealing with the back injury since the beginning of the season, but his symptoms worsened, including the onset of nerve pain in his leg, leading to the IL placement. He did not appear in a game after Jun. 11. “During my career, I’ve encountered numerous injuries, which led me to search for new ways to overcome the pain constantly. These challenges have taken a toll on me, mentally and physically,” Kirilloff wrote, in a statement published by the Twins on Twitter. “As I navigate the recovery process for my current lower back injury, I’m excited to focus more on my family and explore new opportunities.” A spondylolisthesis (“spondylo” meaning spine and “listhesis” meaning slippage) occurs when a portion of the spinal column shifts forward relative to the rest of the bones. This most commonly occurs where the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae or the fifth lumbar vertebra and the sacrum meet, as the small forward curvature places increased stress on certain portions of the bone. Significant shifting occurs when the portion of the bone holding the vertebrae together (known as the pars interarticularis) fractures, resulting in compression on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves. Pars interarticularis injuries are relatively common in baseball, as repetitive and combined lumbar extension and rotation (as occurs in swinging and throwing) inflict significant force throughout the bone. If the body can't compensate and remodel in the face of such forces, bony breakdown occurs, leading to a stress reaction and (if untreated) a stress fracture. The pars interarticularis exists on both sides of the spine, so a fracture of both can lead to significant spondylolisthesis. If only one is fractured, the slippage is often less pronounced or non-existent. Treatments for this condition vary from rest and rehabilitation to repair of the pars interarticularis and spinal fusion. Regardless of the procedure and treatment plan, in the long term, Kirilloff will be able to live a happy, pain-reduced (and hopefully pain-free) life. Which, ultimately and inarguably, is what is most important. It's a shame that he'll no longer be able to play pro baseball, but he made the right decision for himself and his family, under the circumstances. View full article

That was an error. It should have said Kirilloff, not Wallner, in the story. Made the fix.

The Twins will be without their best starter for "weeks to months," according to Rocco Baldelli. While troublesome in the short term, the injury shouldn't be of concern in the long term. Image courtesy of © John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports The teres major is a relatively small muscle that runs from the shoulder blade to the front of the arm. It's actively involved in throwing as it pulls the arm into extension and internal rotation, two of the primary motions of the arm during pitching. The latissimus dorsi (i.e., last) perform the same motions but are significantly larger and more powerful. Teres major strains aren't among the most common pitching injuries but aren't rare. A recent study identified 159 professional pitchers who suffered either teres major or lat strains, with long-term return-to-play rates hovering around 100%. However, what is more important, particularly for the Twins, is short-term return to play. Grade 2 injuries fall on the moderate to severe end of the muscle strain spectrum. They generally don't require surgical intervention, but they do take a while to recover from. Moderate muscle strains usually heal within 4-8 weeks, not including a full ramp-up period. With seven weeks remaining in the regular season, it's possible Ryan won't be able to make another start until the playoffs (assuming the Twins make the playoffs). Unfortunately, Ryan's injury was far from the only one to strike the Twins in recent days. Reliever Brock Stewart will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The recovery is expected to take 5-6 months, which is fairly standard for the procedure. Arthroscopy generally involves "cleaning up" damaged and/or floating tissue in the joint. According to Stewart, imaging did not find major structural damage, which keeps the expected recovery time from approaching 12 months or more. Finally, top prospect Luke Keaschall will be undergoing Tommy John surgery. Luckily, he is a position player and right-handed batter, so he should be a full go by the time Spring Training rolls around. Keaschall joins Alex Kirilloff and Miguel Sanó among Twins position player prospects to have the procedure done. View full article

If we had an answer to this question, we'd have much, much fewer injuries. Again, the extremely unsatisfying answer is that random chance plays a significant role. There are so many factors associated with injury occurrence that it's nearly impossible to account for them all. Strength training, sleep, diet, traveling from east to west, weekly load, yearly load, lifetime load, intrinsic characteristics about the individuals body, modifiable risk factors, non-modifiable risk factors, I could go on. There aren't enough hours in the day, especially during an MLB regular season. When conducting research, we often look at a variable's p-value when determining if it's a risk factor. This values attempts to determine if the outcome in question is due to chance or the variable being assessed. The cutoff is often set at 5%. So if a p-value comes in at 4%, we determine the result is "significant" but what it is really saying is that there is a 4% chance that the outcome occured due to luck. Luck is *always* an option. (And that's not even getting in to how 5% is probably not sensitive enough to find true significance and that most studies have too small of a sample size.)

If we want to dive into the weeds: -Muscle strains generally occur at one of two points: the point where stress (i.e. force) is too great for its ability to strain (ability for the muscle to deform) or when the muscle is transitioning from a concentric (shortening) to eccentric (lengthening) contraction. -Based on option one, you'd think stretching would be protective against injury but there is so much research on the topic I can confidently say that stretching doesn't reduce injury risk. -Yoga improves overall body mobility which seems to be protective, but only to a point. In my opinion, mobility has become over-hyped by the fitness and performance legion.. it's helpful but not a panacea. -There is a ton of research that suggests strengthening the groin and hamstring muscles eccentricly reduces injury and re-injury rates. Without a doubt this was/will be part of his rehab process. Does he need to do more in the offseason? Maybe, but who knows. -As I stated in the article, we know muscle activation and strength issues persist for up to two years following ACL surgery. But beyond that we're just taking logical leaps and inferring that those issue lead to greater injury risk. Logically, that makes sense but I'm not comfortable saying so definitively. Sports med just isn't that simple vary often.

The Minnesota Twins lost Royce Lewis to yet another muscle injury on Wednesday afternoon, this time a Grade 2 right adductor strain. It is the fourth significant injury to his right leg in the last three seasons. Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Luckily, the Twins are hopeful that it isn’t as severe as the right quadriceps injury which caused Royce Lewis to miss the first two months of the season. The adductor muscles provide breaking forces through eccentric muscle contractions (i.e. the muscle is contracting while lengthening) to help control athletic movements. So, it should come as no surprise that groin and adductor strains are among the most common muscular injuries in elite athletes. The Grade 2 categorization essentially indicates that it is a moderate injury. From an advanced imaging standpoint, this means at least 10% but no more than 50% of Lewis’s muscle fibers were damaged. Because of the wide range of damage, outcomes for Grade 2 strains vary considerably, though most generally heal within six to eight weeks. That would be a rough estimate for Lewis’s return sometime between Aug. 14 and the end of that month. Now, the question facing Lewis and the Twins, one that is undoubtedly on everybody’s mind: What can be done to prevent this from occurring again? As I mentioned previously, this is the fourth significant injury Lewis has suffered to his right leg—ACL twice, quadriceps, adductor—since reaching MLB, and the sixth issue (those four, plus strains of his left oblique and left hamstring) that has landed him on the IL. Unfortunately, there aren’t any easy, straightforward answers here. It’s often said that the best predictor of future injury is past injury, though that saying is only true as it pertains to the same muscle or location. For example, the best predictor of suffering a right ankle sprain is if you previously sprained that right ankle. All of Lewis’s injuries thus far—save for the ACL—are to unique muscles. Muscle weakness is a common characteristic following ACL reconstruction, yet there is a surprising lack of research looking into the presence and persistence of weakness in muscle groups other than the quadriceps. However, there is evidence that muscle activation patterns (specifically the co-activation of the gluteal and adductor muscles) are impaired for up to two years following surgery. Unfortunately, research going the next step—determining if these impaired activation patterns are associated with greater injury risk—is largely absent. It’s also important to consider that, as a professional athlete, Lewis has access to elite rehabilitation and strength and conditioning programs. The Twins have been cautious with his rehab and training, and assess his force production (strength, power, etc.) via scientific means such as force plates and dynamometry regularly. Athletes aren’t cleared to return to play following a major injury until all of their measures have reached or exceeded their pre-injury values. (As far as imbalances go (i.e. one side is stronger than the other), there isn’t much strong evidence to suggest it is an important factor in injury risk mitigation or performance.) Finally, the most powerful but least satisfying factor needs to be considered: Dumb luck. We don’t like to think that nothing could have been done; that Lewis’s injury was an accident, the simple flap of the butterfly’s wing throwing into motion a chain of events that were unpredictable and uncontrollable. Suggesting so nullifies the ability to ascribe blame, leaving our frustrations and sympathies simply afloat in the ether. We can’t blame Lewis’s legs or work ethic, nor can we question Nick Paparesta’s treatment philosophy and practices. But often that is done anyway, by the talking heads and individuals with no avenue for venting their frustrations. They label the athlete as “injury-prone”—despite not fully appreciating the complexities of the human neuromusculoskeletal system and injury risk mitigation—and place blame via jumps in logic and correlation-equals-causation thinking. Losing Royce Lewis sucks--for him, for the team, and for us. We all want to see Lewis batting in the middle of the order and playing a stout third base. But right now, he’s headed for another IL stint. It’s not his fault. It may not even be his body’s fault. It may just be Lady Luck striking yet again. View full article

Manual manipulation of the spine (aka back cracking) is probably one of the hands-on treatments they're doing as well as soft tissue massage. The back cracking causes nitrogen bubbles with the joints to break up, which reduces pressure in the joints that can be aggravating for the nerves and surrounding tissue. That's why cracking joints feels so good and improves mobility.

This is a tough question to answer. The short answer is yes, sports medicine is better than it was in the past. The more detailed answer is that injuries are complex. Athletes have never been stronger or faster. They also are specializing in their sport at a much earlier age and are playing year round. In the 50s, athletes played during their season, maybe did some offseason training, and possibly worked a second job. Athletes are exposing their bodies to such dramatic forces so frequently these days that they breakdown and do so at earlier ages. However, the treatments for these injuries have never been more scientifically based and effective. We know way more now than we did even a decade ago. It's just all the miles the athletes put on their bodies starting as low as age 10 is just too much to compensate for new training and treatment techniques. At least that's my educated guess in a nutshell.

According to Aaron Gleeman, the Minnesota Twins' top prospect is expected to miss at least another month after recently being diagnosed with a disc herniation in his balky back. Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports A herniation, which often first presents as back spasms as the lumbar musculature contracts to "protect" the injured tissue, occurs when the inner, more fluid portion of the intervertebral disc protrudes outward either against or through the outer, more dense rings of cartilage. Brooks Lee, of course, was first diagnosed as suffering back spasms when he was held back to begin the minor-league season. The most common mechanism for acute (i.e. "instantaneous") herniation is the forceful rotation of the spine in combination with an axial load. It is no coincidence that the textbook definition of "the forceful rotation of the spine in combination with an axial load" is a baseball swing. If the herniation is large enough, it can compress nearby nerves, or even the spinal cord itself, which can cause numbness, tingling, and weakness in the legs. However, as concerning as that sounds, disc herniations are exceedingly common--and they typically resolve without surgical intervention. According to previous research, it is estimated that up to 30-40% of elite athletes (depending on their sport) have disc herniations in their lower back, but do not have any symptoms. Among professional baseball players who do have symptoms (i.e. pain, numbness, tingling, etc.), the return-to-play rate is nearly 100%, with athletes who ultimately underwent surgery returning in an average of eight months and those who did not returning in six. According to Gleeman, Lee is approximately halfway through an eight-week rehabilitation process overseen by Dr. Robert Watkins, one of the foremost back specialists in the United States. Current best practices indicate that athletes should undergo roughly eight weeks of rehab, focusing on improving core and lower back strength while reducing nerve irritation, before even contemplating going under the knife. (It is common for athletes to also receive a cortisone injection, which reduces inflammation of the nerve and surrounding tissue.) Most symptoms of disc herniation resolve within the above timeframe. Contrary to popular belief, disc herniations (especially those that are relatively small) can be reabsorbed by the body and spontaneously heal on their own. Surgery to remove the disc, known as a microdiscectomy, is viewed as a last resort, as its rate of success is commensurate with conservative treatments and may increase the odds of re-herniation. Disc herniations have been reputed to be a significant, career-altering, potentially career-threatening injury, but the research suggests that it isn't that cut-and-dried. The academic studies that have indicated that the condition can seriously impact an athlete's career contain a significant risk for inaccuracy, due to the difficult nature of adequately establishing control groups in professional sports. (They also tend to use statistics such as batting average and runs batted in to measure the impact of the injury. We know better now.) It is by no means good news that Lee has been diagnosed with a disc herniation but, as the research shows, it also shouldn't be a cause for panic. View full article

The Minnesota Twins had a rough weekend in Detroit, splitting the series and losing shortstop Carlos Correa to the injured list. However, in better news, the star's prognosis turns out to be better than first thought. Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports Carlos Correa left Friday night's loss to the Tigers after experiencing tightness in his right side. He was placed on the injured list on Saturday with what was originally stated to be a right oblique strain. However, an MRI conducted after Correa left the game Friday instead revealed the injury to be a minor right intercostal strain. The obliques are a group of large, powerful muscles located on each side of the trunk that, along with the rectus abdominis (i.e. the abs), the transverse abdominis (i.e. the body's internal corset), and a slew of back muscles, comprise the core. In fact, there are two types of oblique muscles, the external and the internal. The external oblique is the primary driver for "cross-body" rotation of the trunk, whereas the internal oblique is the primary driver for "open-body" rotation; for example, when a right-handed batter swings, their right external oblique and left internal oblique contract powerfully to twist the core. Oblique injuries are notorious for lingering and recurring, because of how frequently those muscles are utilized during baseball activities: any swing of the bat or throw of the ball recruits the muscles. Additionally, muscle injuries most frequently occur when the muscle quickly and forcefully transitions between a concentric and eccentric contraction. During a concentric contraction, the individual muscle fibers pull each other closer, causing the muscle to shorten; during an eccentric contraction, the muscle fibers grip onto each other like a hug while the muscle lengthens. This transition between muscle contraction types exerts significant force through the musculature, and if the force is too great, the muscle fibers tear (i.e. a muscle strain). Correa's injury occurred during a check swing, which definitionally occurs when a batter begins their swing but abruptly stops. This is an example of a concentric-to-eccentric muscle contraction transition and is a common way in which the oblique muscles get injured among batters. Add in that he immediately grabbed at his right side and an initial diagnosis of an oblique strain makes sense. Luckily, further testing revealed that the intercostal muscles were actually the culprit of Correa's discomfort. The intercostal muscles are located between each rib and, like the obliques, consist of an external and internal variant. Whereas the obliques function to rotate the trunk, the intercostals are primarily involved with forceful inhalation and exhalation. The internal intercostals forcefully contract during actions such as coughing and holding one's breath (like when swinging at a 95-mph heater). Correa revealed Saturday morning that he had been dealing with an illness recently, which may have caused his side to ache. It isn't uncommon for repetitive, forceful coughing to strain the intercostal muscles; in rare instances, it can even fracture ribs. Intercostal muscle strains are generally relatively minor and don't impact long-term performance. They typically heal within a couple of weeks. Correa is guaranteed to miss 10 games due to being placed on the IL, but, likely, he won't miss much more time than the minimum. Over the past three seasons, oblique injuries have resulted in injured-list stays averaging roughly five weeks in length. Intercostal injuries are not only much, much less common, but have resulted in injured list stays averaging roughly 20 days. The Twins caught a major break here, and just have to hope Correa stays healthy on the other side of this brief absence. The Four-Year Injury Map graphics in this piece are drawn from Baseball Prospectus. View and explore the tool here. View full article

The Minnesota Twins announced on Saturday morning that star third baseman Royce Lewis is headed to the 10-day injured list after straining his right quadriceps during Thursday's season-opening win over Kansas City. Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey labeled Lewis's injury as "severe" and "serious" but did not provide a grade for the strain, the traditional way for communicating the extent of a soft tissue injury. According to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, surgery was never considered. Soft tissue injuries, such as quadriceps strains, exist on a spectrum with grade 1 injuries considered mild and grade 3s the most severe. But even within the traditional 1-3 grading system, vagueries exist concerning the extent of damage. MRIs determine the degree of the muscle strain, or torn muscle tissue. If less than 10% of the muscle fibers are damaged, the injury is classified as grade 1 and usually heals within a week or two. If more than 50% of the fibers are torn and/or the integrity of the connecting tendon is compromised, it's classified as a grade 3, and recovery is generally on the order of 4-6 months, especially if surgery is required. Grade 2 strains comprise a bulk of the classification system with 10-50% of muscle fibers needing to be damaged to meet the criteria. Unlike grade 3 injuries which are all debilitating regardless if 50% or 100% of the fibers are damaged, the amount of function lost and the time needed to heal varies widely based on how many muscle fibers are compromised in grade 2 strains. If the number is closer to 10%, the injury heals similar to a grade 1; if it's closer to 50%, well, you get the idea. Based on Falvey's description, Lewis's injury likely lands on the more significant end of the grade 2 spectrum. As I reported in our initial story following Lewis's injury, Baseball Prospectus's injury database has the average days missed following a quadriceps strain at 30. According to the Twins, Lewis will spend at least the next 30 rehabilitating before being re-evaluated to determine if it is appropriate to begin ramping back up to game speed. MLB athletes get 20 days once designated for a rehab assignment, so the most optimistic return for Lewis would be in 50 days, or May 19. A more realistic return date may be June 1, which is 63 days from the time of writing, though a later return date can't be ruled out. While disappointing, the Twins would still have 104 games remaining on their schedule if Lewis returns on June 1, leaving him plenty of time to make an impact on the team's playoff hopes. In the meantime, Austin Martin and Brooks Lee, once he himself returns from injury, will get plenty of run in the big leagues. Injuries are an unfortunate aspect of sport and no one, other than perhaps Byron Buxton, knows this more than Royce Lewis. Yet, after every roadblock, he returns to post high levels of productivity. Despite the severity of his current malady, we shouldn't expect anything less from the former first overall pick this time around either. View full article

Unintuitively, flexibility has almost no impact on injury prevention. This has been shown in the research many times. Simultaneously, having more muscle bulk and strength has been shown to be protective against injury in the grand scheme. This is partially why strength training has become so prevalent while traditional stretching programs have declined in favor of what's called "dynamic" stretching. Dynamic stretching focuses less on holding static positions and more on working through a full range of motion while moving. This increases blood flow to the muscle tissue and, because of friction between the different muscle fibers, literally warms up the muscles. That's why you see athletes doing band work, jogging, carioca, etc. prior to games. That's not to say there isn't a place for flexibility work, but I don't think it's the issue here.

The glossy patina covering the Minnesota Twins' 4-1 season-opening win over the Kansas City Royals was dulled a bit due to an unfortunate scene that has been all too common in recent years: a franchise cornerstone exiting the game due to injury. Image courtesy of © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports The injury bug once again burrowed its displeasing proboscis into star third baseman Royce Lewis, sucking up some of the vigor fueling the Twins' otherwise promising start to the season. Lewis came up lame rounding second base on a double by Carlos Correa and quickly exited the game following a consultation with athletic trainer Nick Paparesta. The team later relayed that Lewis had suffered a quadriceps injury and underwent an MRI as the contest progressed. (As of this writing, the results of the MRI have not been revealed.) The quadriceps is the primary muscle group of the thigh, and is comprised of four different muscles (hence the name). Their purpose is to forcefully extend (i.e., straighten) the knee, particularly during powerful movements such as sprinting and swinging. Without a fully functional quadriceps, completing athletic movements becomes difficult, if not impossible, especially at the level needed to play major-league baseball. Quadriceps strains are fairly common in baseball, with 68 having occurred between 2016 and 2023, according to Baseball Prospectus’s Recovery Dashboard. The average number of days missed following a quadriceps strain falls between 21 and 30 days, or approximately four weeks. However, the severity of the strain (as well as how Lewis responds to rehabilitation and ramping back to full baseball activity) will determine how much time he misses. Grade 1 strains—the least severe—tend to sideline athletes for a couple of weeks; Grade 2 strains may linger for a couple of months. Regardless, it seems as though a trip to the injured list is in the cards for Lewis. As a result, expect the Twins to call up either Austin Martin or Jose Miranda should Lewis land on the IL. Brooks Lee would likely have been first in line for a promotion following a solid spring, but the former first-round pick is expected to miss the first month of the season as he recovers from back spasms, according to St. Paul Saints manager Toby Gardenhire. Martin played third base extensively during his college days at Vanderbilt but has not appeared at the hot corner during his minor league career; should he get the call, he will likely primarily appear at second base with Kyle Farmer shifting to third. Miranda rose up the minor league ranks and made his MLB debut as a third baseman, however, he has been transitioned to first base following a shoulder injury and corresponding surgery. Unsurprisingly, Lewis—who is known for his glass-half-full disposition—was his typical positive self after the win, reflecting on how cool it was to be in the big leagues on Opening Day for the first time in his career. He also mentioned that he was relieved that his latest injury did not directly impact his twice-surgically-repaired right knee. Speculation will run rampant about whether Lewis’s two ACL ruptures caused, or at least contributed to, his quadriceps strain. The true answer is that it’s almost impossible to know, despite the seemingly clear correlation. Athletic injuries are complex and multifactorial. As such, there is never a clean explanation for why they occur, or if they were even preventable. Correlation does not equal causation, despite how logical the correlation may look on paper. Regardless of how much time Lewis misses, this is not an injury that should hamper his future outlook, either this season or moving forward. As he has shown all too often, Lewis is perhaps the most resilient player in MLB. The big questions are whether and how much the Twins prove to be resilient after losing him, for some period of time. View full article