09/19/2026
Don’t panic! 👇
One of the unique things about baseball is that we actually get a behind-the-scenes look at “healthy” tissue. During the draft process and contract physicals, a ton of athletes get MRIs… even when they feel completely fine.
And guess what shows up all the time?
✅ UCL changes�✅ Labrum fraying�✅ Disc bulges
In athletes who have zero pain, zero limitations, and are performing at a high level.
That should tell you something.
An MRI is just a snapshot of structure. It does NOT automatically tell you what’s causing your symptoms.
This is why the clinical exam matters so much. How you move, what reproduces symptoms, strength, range of motion, tissue quality… that’s what actually guides the plan.
Too many athletes see “damage” on an MRI and immediately think surgery or a long, aggressive rehab process is the only answer.
Sometimes it is.
But a lot of times, it’s not.
A lot of times the issue is something much simpler. A strength imbalance. Poor scap function. Limited mobility. Tissue that just needs the right stimulus.
The key is matching the imaging with how the athlete actually presents.
If those two things line up, now you have direction.
If they don’t, don’t go chasing ghosts.
Use the MRI as one piece of the puzzle… not the entire story.👊
