COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Texas A&M left-handed pitcher Shane Sdao will factor heavily into the No. 10 Aggies’ plans this weekend as they travel to No. 23 Ole Miss for the second-to-last series of the regular season. Head coach Michael Earley was adamant about that fact.
However, for the first time this year, it won’t be as part of the starting rotation.
Earley announced Thursday a change to the starting lineup that will see junior left-hander Ethan Darden get the ball for A&M’s Friday series opener in Oxford. Aiden Sims will continue as A&M’s Saturday starter, and Sunday’s starter remains to be determined.
Darden, a Clemson transfer, started nine games last season for the Tigers. He posted a 4-2 record with a 6.08 ERA in that role. Out of the bullpen this season, Darden has a 4-0 record with a 2.88 ERA in 25 innings pitched.
“I think he’s done well this year,” Earley said Thursday of Darden. “I think, if you look at his stats and what he’s done, he’s got experience starting, which maybe played a little bit of role into it.”
Some of Darden’s success this season has been changes to his pitch mix and how he pitches compared with when he was a starter at Clemson, Earley said.
Earley stopped short of calling Darden an opener, saying they want the lefty to get as many outs as possible. However, at that point they can look to Sdao to collect innings out of the bullpen.
Sdao has struggled through his first season back from injury, amassing a 3-4 record with a 6.55 ERA. In his last start Saturday against Auburn, Sdao made his earliest exit of the season after one inning. He allowed six runs on four hits in an 18-5 loss to Auburn.
“Shane hasn’t had the year he’s wanted to have,” Earley said. “He hasn’t had the year we’ve wanted him to have. He knows it. We need Shane to be good. We need to see how he does out of the pen and put him in situations that are going to be pretty big situations. We’re not burying Shane Sdao. If anything, it’s a different role, but it’s going to be as important, if not more important, the role he’s put in.”
Among SEC pitchers who have at least one inning pitched per team game played, Sdao ranks last in the conference in ERA during SEC games at 9.74, and last in WHIP at 2.16 and in hits, with 57. He holds an 0-4 record in conference games this season.
In 2024, his last full season on the mound for the Aggies, Sdao finished the year with a 5-1 record and a 2.96 ERA, starting five games.
Sdao left the second game of the 2024 College Station Super Regional after suffering a ligament injury to his throwing arm that ultimately required surgery.
Closer Clayton Freshcorn, one of Sdao’s closest friends on the team, said the lefty took the news of his move back to the bullpen well this week.
“I’m proud of him, because he could have taken it any way,” Freshcorn said. “He came to me in the weight room and he was just like, ‘Man, I was just told I’m not going on Friday, but I’m excited to go. I know that I’m going to get my chance and when I get it I’m not going to miss it.’ That just shows maturity.”
Sophomore Aiden Sims has been A&M’s top arm in the rotation this season, collecting a 5-1 record with a 4.68 ERA. His win total is tied for second in the SEC, with A&M reliever Gavin Lyons leading the way with six. Sims’ first loss of the season was in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Auburn, which ended in a 5-4 Auburn victory.
The likely option for A&M’s (36-10, 15-8) Sunday’s start is Weston Moss, who has filled that role in A&M’s last three series. He has a 4-2 record with a 5.12 ERA. Should Sdao’s services not be needed Friday, he could also be an option for Sunday’s start.
The Rebels (32-17, 12-12) will begin the series with left-hander Hunter Elliott (4-2, 5.49 ERA), followed by right-hander Cole Townsend (5-1, 2.42 ERA) and right-hander Tayler Rabe (3-3, 4.17 ERA).
The unexpected nature of this rotation strategy can keep pitchers on their toes throughout the weekend, Freshcorn said.
“You have to build up a little bit of adrenaline for starting and stuff like that, and there’s nerves, but coming out of the pen is a little different and [Sdao’s] done both, so he’s going to be comfortable in both,” Freshcorn said. “He’s going to be fine, but I think he’s going to get a little bit more juice pumping and we might see a couple of 96s or a 97 out of him, or something like that. So, it’s going to be fun to watch. It’s going to be something that, he’s going to revert back to his old stuff a little bit and we’ll see exactly how that goes.”
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