MLB's Approach to Mental Health

Baseball, known as America's Favorite Pastime, has won the hearts of many viewers since it was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1876. Today, we're taking a peek into the dugout for some insight into Major League Baseball’s state of mental health culture, and the significant challenges baseball’s heroes face.

MLB is the oldest sports organization in the world, and for a game that is so steeped in old American culture, it’s no surprise that some old-fashioned values have found their way and survived into the present day. Though it's a typical opinion from the old school, that “men should be men” and repress their emotionality, baseball has an especially sordid history with the ideals of masculinity — more so than some other sports.

This is perhaps due to its historical relation with masculinity; following a bitter period of reconstruction after the Civil War, the idea of masculinity was refined from its eurocentric roots. With the MLB making its debut as “The All-American Sport,” many early players took on a persona of being not only physically strong but mentally. Think, in general, of the “toxic masculinity” we witness today where men are overconfident, unable to access their emotions, and obsessed with their physique; early baseball players might have been the blueprint.  Though this attitude is less widely appealing today, in the harsh landscape of years past it might have been a necessity for the longevity of players and their families.

This stereotype has survived through generations of players and continues to rear its head. Though it’s not in any handbook, professionals who are close to the sport often reference an “unwritten code of conduct.”  In a sphere where machismo is celebrated, this code encourages the toxic masculine mindset. it's harder to unravel some of the more troublesome behaviors rooted in homophobia, sexism, and racism. All of these realities affect the conversation around mental health.

Another notable reason why baseball players' mental health is placed on the backburner is due to the analytical nature of the game. With many sports, players are often reduced to their accomplishments on the field: how many home runs they hit, their top pitching speed, the number of plates collected, and so on. Part of this is attributed to the popularity of baseball cards, which are considered among the most popular collectibles of all time.

The trouble with boiling down human beings to statistics is it removes empathy from the mix; by focusing on numbers, you often overlook the person that is underneath. It’s impossible to see someone struggle when you are obsessed with how valuable or rare their achievements are. It also adds to the pressure to perform well despite not feeling okay, and it makes players the target of vitriol or contempt at the hands of fans, which can be a massive challenge mentally for players.

The game itself and the surrounding culture can cause some issues, however, there is an attempt on the MLB’s part to provide players with resources with which to address their mental health struggles. They offer a free 24/7 chat portal for players and their families, that connects them with a professional when they need support. They also offer a good deal of substance abuse resources and information about anxiety and depression.

That being said, the language used to describe these challenges (at least on their official pages) is lacking and outdated. Boiling down depression to “sadness” and anxiety to “worry” isn’t comprehensive enough, and it's certainly not doing the stigma around mental health any favors.

In an additional effort, as of July of this year, the MLB has partnered with Unmind, an online platform focused on cultural change, with the mission “to create a world where mental health is universally understood, nurtured, and celebrated.” This initiative focuses on the minor leagues, providing the 8,300 members in that network with more tools to discuss their struggles and seek help when needed, as well as reform the culture around mental health.

One other shortcoming I noticed is that the MLB doesn't offer any type of counseling for players leaving the game — which, as we learned in our analysis of the NFL, can be one of the biggest hurdles a player can face. When you are grinding through the minor league to the major league for most of your developmental young life, establishing an identity outside of the game can be a huge challenge. I see a very evident need for players who are leaving the game to receive more support in order to become well-adjusted.

Mental health plays a huge role in performance, but moreover, it has a huge impact on quality of life. Many baseball fans and San Francisco natives have heard the story of Drew Robinson, but it bears repeating. Drew Robinson, a retired member of the San Francisco Giants, attempted suicide in April 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he was suffocated by his grief during the isolation of that period, and left behind a heart-wrenching note to his friends and family telling them: “No one could've seen this coming to prevent it, because of how hard I try to hide it," then shot himself in the head.

However, Robinson’s story didn’t end there: come Christmas of that year, he stood before the press and addressed his mental health struggles in hopes of helping other players and fans heal from their own pain. Since then, he has become an advocate for suicide prevention and even co-founded the Better Universe Foundation, which focuses on breaking the stigma around mental health.

He spoke on what role the culture the MLB played in his attempt, saying: “[For] me it happened to be baseball that brought out these detrimental views on things…I was just going out there trying my best, and when I didn’t [do my best] I thought the world was ending.” Between this and his desire to hide his feelings about depression and suicidal ideation, it paints a less-than-pretty picture of the dangers of not addressing your mental health — and the sort of environments that can make these essential conversations even harder.

Drew isn’t the only member of the MLB who has spoken out about mental health struggles. As recently as last year, Danny Duffy, a pitcher for the Royals, spoke about his struggles with anxiety and bullying. Ryan Butcher of the Diamondbacks spoke out about his struggles with substance abuse and depression. These are just a few of the most recent public confessions of struggle.

As always, empathy, professional support, and reformation of the culture is essential for players. In order for the next generation to join the league, thrive, and ensure safe (and satisfying) careers, changes need to be made. Athletes need to feel safe to come forward before their feelings have become too much to bear.

We hope that the next time you read stats on your favorite player or choose to speak about a player's shortcomings in a game, you think twice about the person behind the numbers and consider their well-being, as they are facing a hard battle. It’s up to all of us to create a world where those who struggle can feel safe and seen, and promote their healing and well-being as much as our own.