Covering all bases: Blue Jays sports physician shares insights from World Series run

Growing up in Toronto, David Lawrence always loved the Blue Jays, going to see most of their Saturday home games with his family.

Following a visit by Joe Carter to his school shortly after his World Series-winning home run back in 1993, Lawrence dreamt of one day joining the Jays and becoming part of Major League Baseball history. 

Nearly a quarter of a century later, Lawrence's dream came true as he became one of the Jays – albeit not as a player, but as their lead primary care physician, entrusted with diagnosing and managing injuries and providing primary care services. He's also medical director of the David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE), an assistant professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine's department of family and community medicine, and assistant medical director at the Dovigi Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital. 

With the Jays advancing to the World Series for the first time in more than three decades, Lawrence shared insights into his work with the Blue Jays and how it feeds into his role as a U of T faculty member and sports physician.

What has it been like looking after the Blue Jays as they've advanced through this season? 

This season has been really special. I’ve been with the team for eight years now and every group has its own personality, but what stands out about this one is how connected they are. From the clubhouse to the medical staff, everyone genuinely pulls in the same direction.

We continuously evolve and iterate our health and performance protocols – whether that’s around medical care, nutrition, recovery, mental health or sleep – to make sure players are optimized throughout the year. As the season goes on and the stakes get higher, the pressure naturally builds, but we stay focused on the same processes and principles that got us here in the first place.

What are some of those processes and principles?

Health and performance don’t start on game day. Our medical team’s work begins well before players ever put on a Blue Jays uniform. Whether it’s through trades, free agency or the MLB draft, we’re closely involved in reviewing potential players to ensure we can meet their needs medically and that they’ll be a good fit for our team. Prevention is our priority – we’d rather stay ahead of problems than react to them. That means continuously monitoring the athletes’ workload, performance metrics, sleep, hydration and nutrition.

What does game day look like with the Jays? 

Our staff meets to review any new issues, check on players receiving treatment and update care plans from the night before. Pre-game is all about preparation – everything from rehab sessions and mobility work to taping, hydration and warm-ups.

During the game, we’re on alert but also proactive, tracking workload, hydration and even subtle movement changes that can signal fatigue or potential risk. We are also available for any on-field emergencies and have emergency protocols in place to respond to any injury or medical emergency. After the final pitch, the work continues with recovery treatments, reassessments and planning for the next day. It’s a long day, but incredibly rewarding to be part of a team effort operating at this level.

How does your work with the Jays overlap with your roles as staff physician and medical director of the David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic?

They really complement each other. Working with professional athletes offers a unique window into elite performance, recovery and data-driven health strategies – insights that translate directly to the university and broader community settings. At the same time, my work at U of T keeps me grounded in education, research and preventive care, which are just as critical at the professional level. The protocols and network we’ve built to support our professional athletes are the same ones we rely on for our varsity teams and student population.

That continuity ensures that whether it’s a Blue Jays player or a U of T athlete, they have access to the same level of expertise and care. And the research coming out of U of T, including from the David L. MacIntosh clinic – particularly in concussion and return-to-play – has been instrumental in shaping how we manage and optimize athlete health across all levels.

What are some common injuries that you see in baseball?

The most common injury in baseball is actually the same one we see across almost every major sport – hamstring injuries. Whether it’s soccer, football, rugby or basketball, those explosive, accelerating and decelerating movements put the hamstrings at risk.

What makes baseball unique, though, is the pattern of shoulder and elbow injuries, particularly among pitchers. Those are specific to the sport because of the repetitive throwing motion and the tremendous forces generated through the arm. Managing those demands – and keeping players healthy over a long season – requires constant monitoring, individualized workload management and a focus on recovery and mechanics.

Are athletes more likely to be injured at the start of the season – when they're fresh, but still 'warming up' – or towards the end of the season when they're more fatigued

These days, with improved off-season monitoring and individualized training protocols, players come into spring training much better prepared than in years past. That’s helped reduce the number of early-season injuries we used to see when athletes were still getting into game shape.

But by the end of a 162-game season – and now, closer to 173 with a couple of playoff rounds – everyone’s body is feeling it. This is the time we tend to see more overuse and repetitive strain-type injuries. The challenge is managing those cumulative loads so players can stay healthy and performing through October.

What’s some advice you give to both Blue Jays and U of T athletes about staving off injuries and staying fit and healthy?

I always emphasize that staying healthy isn’t just about performance or perfecting sport-specific movements – it’s about taking a holistic approach to overall wellness. That means prioritizing rehab, prehab, nutrition, sleep, mental health and recovery just as much as strength and conditioning.

One key point that doesn’t get enough attention, especially in today’s world of early sport specialization and year-round competition, is variety and recovery. Building different movement patterns and incorporating periods of active recovery or rest are essential. Those breaks allow the body and mind to adapt, recharge and ultimately perform better over the long term.

For young people out there dreaming of one day treating their favourite sports team: what does it take to be successful at this job?

It takes a genuine passion for both medicine and sport. You need to be curious, adaptable and willing to invest years in training and experience across different levels of care. Team medicine is as much about relationships as it is about clinical skill – trust, communication, leadership and humility go a long way. And when you finally get the opportunity, remember that you’re a professional first and foremost. Your role is to keep athletes safe and healthy first and foremost; performance will follow. You're always putting their health and well-being above everything else.

Originally posted on U of T News