Nguyen VT, et al. - There has been a recent uptick in the concern surrounding professional athletes’ long-term health, and some researchers have reported lower all-cause mortality among Major League Baseball (MLB) players compared with the general male population of the United States. However, only one study with a small population sample examined specific causes of mortality, wherein researchers reported mostly non-significant results. Lower cause-specific mortality rates among MLB players may be attributed to fitness associated with playing baseball, but other sport-related aspects—such as injuries, lifestyle habits, or environmental exposures specific to baseball—may also negatively impact players’ health. The investigators of the current study recently discovered lower mortality rates among MLB players overall and for certain specific causes vs National Football League (NFL) players—all of whom had playing careers of ≥ 5 years. Thus, in order to better understand risks compared with the general public, the investigators assessed mortality rates among MLB players, including specific mortality causes and differences by career length and position.