Van Horn Shuffles Razorback Rotation Ahead of Final SEC Weekend

New face set to make first SEC start

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Gage Wood throws a pitch during an appearance against McNeese State on March 10, 2024. / Arkansas Communications

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The once seemingly unbreakable Arkansas rotation of Hagen Smith, Brady Tygart and Mason Molina is no more.

Coach Dave Van Horn announced Wednesday that Gage Wood would make his first SEC start of his career and his second start overall. Wood will start behind Smith in game two of the series. A game three starter has not been officially announced.

The change comes after back-to-back short starts from both Tygart and Molina. Tygart has only pitched 4 2/3 innings across the past two weekends although Van Horn is confident that he is fine despite his velocity being down in his previous start. He did not commit to him pitching this weekend.

"We’ve had him looked at and as of right now we’re told everything’s clean." Van Horn said. "We might just give him some time off."

Although Van Horn also didn't rule out Molina as an option on Sunday, he remained confident that the righty would serve the team down the stretch in some role. His last three starts have lasted less than three innings the last three starts with his shortest start lasting just one inning against Mississippi State. He has not come out of the bullpen since the 2022 season at Texas Tech.

"I’m confident in him," Van Horn said. "When he’s pitching good, I’m very confident in him. If we bring him out of the pen and he pitches well, he’ll stay in there and grab that starting job again. He’s just got to go out and throw the ball better. That’s obvious. I think that’s a good spot for him and he needs to embrace it and get after it."

The Razorbacks will open the series against Texas A&M with Smith on the mound 7 p.m. Thursday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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