Should Baseball Players Stop Throwing in the Off-Season?

By Dr. Carmen Jansante, PT, DPT, CSCS | Undefeated Physical Therapy and Performance

As fall baseball season wraps up, many players start asking the same question every year:

“Should I stop throwing for a while—or keep my arm going through the off-season?”

It’s a great question, and like most things in performance and rehab, the answer depends. Every athlete’s situation is unique. The right approach depends on how your arm feels, how much you’ve thrown, and whether you’re a pitcher or a position player.

1. The One Thing Everyone Should Do: Reduce Intensity

You can’t throw at full intensity 365 days a year and expect your body—not just your shoulder and elbow—to stay healthy.

When the season ends, intensity must come down in some way. That doesn’t always mean a complete shutdown, but your body needs time to recover and adapt.

This reduction could look like:

• Fewer throwing days each week

• Lower effort (less force and velocity)

• Shorter distances

• Or in some cases, a brief period of complete rest

2. If You Had Arm Pain or Injury During the Season

If your arm hurt at any point—especially if you had to stop throwing—your tissue needs time to heal and regenerate.

In that case, a complete shutdown of one to three weeks is usually appropriate. That gives tendons, ligaments, and muscles time to recover.

However, that approach isn’t for everyone. Too much total rest can make it harder to ramp back up and may actually set you back if your arm loses tissue resilience. The key is balancing rest and movement.

3. If You’re Coming Back from a Recent Injury

If you were already on a return-to-throw program near the end of the season, keep going—but taper.

Drop your throwing volume, distance, and intensity slightly to give the arm a breather, then plan to start ramping up again in late November or early December.

Think of it like running:

If you run five miles daily and suddenly jump to seven, those extra miles are going to feel rough. Throwing is the same—you have to build capacity gradually.

4. For Healthy Arms: Controlled, Low-Intensity Throwing

Even if you feel great, you still need to scale back.

A good approach is one to two light throwing sessions per week, keeping the arm moving without overloading it.

Try starting around 50 feet, making 30–40 easy throws per session. After two to three weeks, slowly increase distance and effort. Pitchers can reintroduce flat-ground bullpens after about three weeks and begin low-intensity mound work around six weeks in.

5. The Importance of Monitoring and Maintenance

Throughout the off-season:

• Track soreness and pitch counts

• Keep up with strength and mobility training

• Stay consistent with your soft-tissue and arm-care work

The best off-season approach is individualized, structured, and progressive—not a long, total shutdown or year-round max-effort throwing.

Your goal is to slowly load the tissue so the shoulder and elbow adapt, not break down.

The Bottom Line

A successful off-season throwing plan keeps you healthy, strong, and ready to perform when spring rolls around. Avoid going from zero to one hundred overnight—your arm will thank you later.

If you need help designing a personalized off-season throwing or arm-care program, we’d love to guide you.

👉 Contact Undefeated Physical Therapy and Performance

📍 Cecil Township, PA

📞 412-627-2131

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