In the last decade, starting pitchers have suffered more injuries and become more disposable. But a three-time Cy Young winner says MLB should up the rules.

MLB has a starting pitching problem. Max Scherzer knows how to fix it: Penalize teams for taking their starter out early. It’s a concept the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher calls “the qualified starter,” and he has upgraded his original suggested requirements. What’s a qualified starter?

“If you go six innings, throw 100 pitches or give up four runs,” Scherzer says. “You achieve any one of these three, you become qualified.”

A team is penalized if it pulls its starter before one of those thresholds is reached, says Scherzer, who last year suggested five innings, 90 pitches and three runs as thresholds. He believes new rules are the only fix.

“Once you’re qualified, alright, okay, the DH gets to be in for the rest of the game,” Scherzer says. “If you’re unqualified, [the DH] has got to come out.

“Okay? If that’s not enough to make the analysts upstairs keep the starter in the game, let’s talk about maybe there’s a free substitution. That way you can pinch hit or pinch run for somebody if you want to.

“If that’s not enough, okay, let’s go to extra innings. You get the baserunner. If your starter is qualified, you get the baserunner [on second base] in extra innings. If you’re not, you don’t. You know, keep upping the rules.”

MLB is concerned about its pitching injury epidemic and the increasing trend of starters working less often and for fewer pitches. The issues are linked. The concept of “burst” pitching—maxing out on velocity and spin in shorter outings—has led to more injuries. The fallout from this style also includes more pitching changes, fewer balls in play and the loss of prestige for starting pitchers, who traditionally have been important drawing cards.

Despite the downsides, MLB teams continue to adhere to such a philosophy because the amateur and pro markets have learned so well how to increase velocity and spin. This increasing supply of hard throwers—and the injury risk associated with throwing hard—have prompted teams to ask starters to pitch less. From 2014 to 2024, the average number of pitches per start dropped from 96 to 85—and with more rest between starts.