Performance metrics and economics of superior labrum anterior-posterior tear repairs in Major League Baseball pitchers.

Background: Superior labrum anterior-posterior tears (SLAP) can be a career-altering injury for Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. Surgery and postoperative rehabilitation keep pitchers on the injured list (IL) for extended time, which results in a significant cost to a team. To date, no analyses have focused on the financial cost of SLAP repairs in MLB pitchers.

Methods: A retrospective review of MLB pitchers with SLAP repair from 2004 to 2019 was conducted utilizing IL and financial contract data from the MLB website. Cost of injury was calculated from salary of the player. Performance metrics including earned run average, walks + hits per innings pitched, and innings pitched (IP) were averaged for one and all seasons played before and after injury. Return to play and return to prior performance rates were calculated and reported.

Results: Of the 55 players identified, 22 players (40%) returned to play and 18 of these 22 players (82%) returned to prior performance. Annual cost increased over the study period (R = 0.288) averaging $3.5 million, and a stable average of 172 days was spent on the IL (R = 0.001). Performance was negligible except IP (106.95 vs. 50.85;  < .01) for 1 season before and after injury. For all seasons, earned run average and walks + hits per innings pitched significantly increased (4.13 vs. 5.19;  = .030, and 1.36 vs. 1.53;  = .033, respectively), while IP downtrended without significance ( = .058).

Conclusion: SLAP repairs in MLB pitchers have significant financial impact and time spent on the IL, which surprisingly has not changed over time. It is encouraging to know return-to-play pitchers return without profound decline in performance level following SLAP repair.