BATON ROUGE — This season has been a rollercoaster ride for LSU No. 1 baseball’s bullpen.
The Tigers’ assists have had as many highs (Game 2 vs. Tennessee and Game 3 vs. Arkansas) as lows (Game 1 vs. Arkansas and Game 3 vs. Tennessee) so far in 2023.
Here are five questions centered around LSU’s bullpen taking part in the Tigers’ big three-game trip against No. 6 South Carolina, which begins Thursday (6 p.m. SEC Network+).
Should Garrett Edwards be moved to the rotation?
Garrett Edwards was LSU’s top assist with a .81 ERA in 22⅓ innings. He has allowed just one earned run in 9⅔ innings against SEC competition.
But given Thatcher Hurd’s struggles as starting pitcher No. 3, should LSU bring Edwards into the rotation?
Coach Jay Johnson answered that question earlier this week, as Christian Little will face the Gamecocks on Saturday. But Edwards has the stamina to start, having thrown 79 pitches in two games in one day during the Arkansas series. And if Little struggles on Saturday, the Tigers will run out of options for that third seed.
The only question is whether coach Jay Johnson would tear Edwards out of a role he has already excelled at.
“I trust him enough to do that. But (with) my teams has to be one of your best guys in the bullpen,” Johnson said after Game 3 of the Arkansas series.
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Can LSU count on Christian Little?
There were ups and downs in Little’s tenure at Baton Rouge. The Vanderbilt transfer was brilliant early in the season and took on a key role outside of the bullpen during the non-conference game.
The story goes on
But he’s struggled since the beginning of the SEC schedule. Little gave up six earned runs in 2⅓ innings against the conference. He’s also been in and out of the starting rotation after making three starts while he was due to make a fourth against South Carolina on Saturday, his first against an SEC contest.
Little has the talent to succeed. He was a freshman at Vanderbilt and had a solid 3.72 ERA as a sophomore last season. But whether it’s from the bullpen or as a starter, the Tigers need him to get back to the form he had during the non-conference game.
Who is the Tigers’ most reliable left-hander option?
At the start of the season, Nate Ackenhausen appeared to be the Tigers’ best left-hander. But after missing serve against Arkansas and then giving up a run in ⅓ of an innings against Tennessee, that may not be the case anymore.
Unlike last year, that doesn’t mean the Tigers lack left-handed options. Griffin Herring has moved up after conceding just one deserved run in four innings against Arkansas and Tennessee. Riley Cooper has struggled but proved last year he can be a dependable arm. And Javen Coleman could still return to the bullpen.
Herring is likely to hold the belt now, but a good weekend out of Ackenhausen could make him the preferred choice again.
Who is a Dark Horse contender for the second half of the season?
Infielder/back-up pitcher Gavin Guidry has been consistently praised as a pitcher by Johnson this season. Though he only pitched one inning against SEC competition, it wouldn’t be shocking if he did become a celebrity assist by June.
“Gavin Guidry looks different to us and his rise is great,” Johnson said on Tuesday.
Two other potential names to keep an eye on are Micah Bucknam and Aiden Moffett. Neither has served much this season, but both have the talent to make a difference, especially Moffett.
Who needs to step up for LSU to make it to Omaha?
Bryce Collins is the main member of the Tigers’ bullpen moving forward. He was a solid play in last year’s unit but has struggled this season after giving up eight earned runs and nine walks in seven innings.
He’s been serving better lately, not giving up any earned runs in the 1⅔ innings played against Tennessee before a scoreless performance against Nicholls State. But that improved run of form needs to continue if LSU is to make a deep run into June.
Another key piece from the bullpen is Chase Shores, but Johnson has already ruled him out for the South Carolina series. This news only makes Collins’ performance more critical to LSU’s future success.
Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser and the USA TODAY Sports South region. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @KokiRiley.
This article originally appeared in the Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU Baseball: 5 Questions About the Tigers Bullpen
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