The St. Louis Cardinals’ aspirations for the 2024 season suffered a setback on May 7 when catcher Willson Contreras sustained a forearm fracture during a swing by J.D. Martinez. Contreras is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, sparking discussions among fans and players about measures to mitigate the increasing occurrence of catcher interference calls across the league and reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.
Catcher interference, once a rare phenomenon, has become more prevalent in recent years as catchers have adopted a new framing technique aimed at garnering more strike calls for their pitchers. Modern catchers often position themselves closer to home plate than in previous eras and employ a strategy of receiving pitches low and then lifting them toward the path of the hitter’s swing. This shift in approach has led to a surge in interference calls, prompting concerns among stakeholders about player safety and the integrity of the game.
To help catchers get more low strikes for pitchers, MLB teams have coaxed catchers into getting closer. That has led to far more catchers' interference calls, per MLB research.
2023: catchers interference called every 50.6 games
2024: catchers inference called every 32 games— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) May 8, 2024
Following the game, Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas proposed the idea of implementing a rule requiring catchers to remain behind a designated line drawn in the dirt. Such a regulation would not be unprecedented in baseball history. In 2011, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey suffered a fractured fibula and torn ligaments following a collision at home plate, prompting the introduction of a rule three years later that effectively prohibited collisions at home plate.
Umpires could contribute to mitigating the issue by rigorously enforcing existing rules, such as ensuring batters keep both feet within the batter’s box. Currently, umpires often overlook infractions, such as batters stepping out of the box between pitches. While baseball authorities have sought to enforce rules to expedite the game, prioritizing consistency in enforcing the batter’s box rule would benefit the sport.
The emergence of automated ball-strike systems in baseball could also help address the catcher interference problem in the coming years. With pitches consistently and accurately called, catchers would have no incentive to manipulate pitches and interfere with hitters.
The injury to Contreras underscores the need for Major League Baseball to take action to reduce the risks catchers face in their quest to gain advantages in the game. Whether through rule changes or advancements like the automated ball-strike system, measures must be implemented to mitigate the dangers associated with baseball’s most perilous position.
