MLB Pitchers Could Be Wearing Helmets Next Year

In baseball, the only players wearing protective helmets are batters and catchers. Throughout the years, plenty of pitchers have taken line drives to the head. A redirected 90 MPH fastball couldn't feel too great.

That's why next year, the MLB could be permitting pitchers that want to wear protective headgear to do so. Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon McCarthy told Fox Sports "They're coming. From everything I know they'll be available this year. I don't believe they're going to be mandatory. Actually, I'm almost certain they won't be mandatory."

He continued by saying, "I did get a chance to sit down with the head MLB doctor last year during spring training, who's overseeing the whole thing, and it has been a high priority for them. It's just that there has been very few answers. We both agreed on it not being mandatory at the time, there's just no need to do that. But whatever gets proposed has to be correct or we're not really doing too much."

McCarthy suffered a head injury during the 2012 season as a member of the Oakland Athletics.