diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 437459c..73462a5 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.5.0
+2.5.1
diff --git a/app/routers_v3/players.py b/app/routers_v3/players.py
index 75b8f7f..1b5a394 100644
--- a/app/routers_v3/players.py
+++ b/app/routers_v3/players.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ async def get_players(
     strat_code: list = Query(default=None),
     is_injured: Optional[bool] = None,
     sort: Optional[str] = None,
+    limit: Optional[int] = Query(default=None, ge=1, description="Maximum number of results to return"),
+    offset: Optional[int] = Query(default=None, ge=0, description="Number of results to skip for pagination"),
     short_output: Optional[bool] = False,
     csv: Optional[bool] = False,
 ):
@@ -36,6 +38,8 @@ async def get_players(
         name=name,
         is_injured=is_injured,
         sort=sort,
+        limit=limit,
+        offset=offset,
         short_output=short_output or False,
         as_csv=csv or False
     )
diff --git a/app/services/player_service.py b/app/services/player_service.py
index ef9f063..22d5129 100644
--- a/app/services/player_service.py
+++ b/app/services/player_service.py
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ class PlayerService(BaseService):
 
     cache_patterns = ["players*", "players-search*", "player*", "team-roster*"]
 
+    # Deprecated fields to exclude from player responses
+    EXCLUDED_FIELDS = ['pitcher_injury']
+
     # Class-level repository for dependency injection
     _injected_repo: Optional[AbstractPlayerRepository] = None
 
@@ -87,6 +90,8 @@ class PlayerService(BaseService):
         name: Optional[str] = None,
         is_injured: Optional[bool] = None,
         sort: Optional[str] = None,
+        limit: Optional[int] = None,
+        offset: Optional[int] = None,
         short_output: bool = False,
         as_csv: bool = False,
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
@@ -101,6 +106,8 @@ class PlayerService(BaseService):
             name: Filter by name (exact match)
             is_injured: Filter by injury status
             sort: Sort order
+            limit: Maximum number of results to return
+            offset: Number of results to skip for pagination
             short_output: Exclude related data
             as_csv: Return as CSV format
 
@@ -131,11 +138,24 @@ class PlayerService(BaseService):
             # Convert to list of dicts
             players_data = cls._query_to_player_dicts(query, short_output)
 
+            # Store total count before pagination
+            total_count = len(players_data)
+
+            # Apply pagination (offset and limit)
+            if offset is not None:
+                players_data = players_data[offset:]
+            if limit is not None:
+                players_data = players_data[:limit]
+
             # Return format
             if as_csv:
                 return cls._format_player_csv(players_data)
             else:
-                return {"count": len(players_data), "players": players_data}
+                return {
+                    "count": len(players_data),
+                    "total": total_count,
+                    "players": players_data
+                }
 
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error fetching players: {e}")
@@ -322,19 +342,10 @@ class PlayerService(BaseService):
         if first_item is None:
             return []
 
-        # If items are already dicts (from mock)
-        if isinstance(first_item, dict):
-            players_data = list(query)
-            if short_output:
-                return players_data
-            # Add computed fields if needed
-            return players_data
-
-        # If items are DB models (from real repo)
-
+        # Convert all items through _player_to_dict to ensure filtering
         players_data = []
         for player in query:
-            player_dict = model_to_dict(player, recurse=not short_output)
+            player_dict = cls._player_to_dict(player, recurse=not short_output)
             players_data.append(player_dict)
 
         return players_data
@@ -434,17 +445,20 @@ class PlayerService(BaseService):
 
     @classmethod
     def _player_to_dict(cls, player, recurse: bool = True) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Convert player to dict."""
-        # If already a dict, return as-is
+        """Convert player to dict, excluding deprecated fields."""
+        # If already a dict, filter and return
         if isinstance(player, dict):
-            return player
+            return {k: v for k, v in player.items() if k not in cls.EXCLUDED_FIELDS}
 
         # Try to convert Peewee model
         try:
-            return model_to_dict(player, recurse=recurse)
+            player_dict = model_to_dict(player, recurse=recurse)
+            # Filter out excluded fields
+            return {k: v for k, v in player_dict.items() if k not in cls.EXCLUDED_FIELDS}
         except ImportError:
             # Fall back to basic dict conversion
-            return dict(player)
+            player_dict = dict(player)
+            return {k: v for k, v in player_dict.items() if k not in cls.EXCLUDED_FIELDS}
 
     @classmethod
     def update_player(