On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Washington Nationals lefty Patrick Corbin has led the National League in losses for three consecutive seasons, and based on how he’s started in 2024, he could make it four years in a row.
Across his first five starts, Corbin is 0-3 with a 6.51 ERA and 4.46 FIP.
The good news for the Nationals is that Corbin is finally in the final year of a six-year, $140 million deal. The pact did net the Nationals a World Series in 2019, but for the bulk of his time in D.C., Corbin has been one of the worst pitchers in baseball by just about any metric.
There’s light at the end of the tunnel for the Nationals, who didn’t have playoff aspirations in 2024 anyway. But for a variety of reasons, here are five other proven pitchers whose slow starts are a little more concerning.
Kyle Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals went with the quantity-over-quality approach this past offseason, and so far it’s netted, at best, mixed results.
President of baseball operations John Mozeliak signed Kyle Gibson to a one-year, $12 million deal after the journeyman logged 192 innings for the Baltimore Orioles last season. Through his first four starts with the Cardinals, Gibson has a 5.04 ERA, 5.84 FIP and -0.2 fWAR. It’s great that Gibson logs innings, but that only matters so much if he’s leaving the game with his team trailing in most starts.
The University of Missouri graduate’s contract has a $12 million club option for 2025. At this point, there’s a good chance the Cardinals instead take the $1 million buyout on Gibson’s age-37 season.
Jesús Luzardo, Miami Marlins
The version of Jesús Luzardo who posted a 3.48 ERA across 279 innings between 2022 and ’23 could be the top pitcher available on the trade market this summer.
However, that pitcher has yet to emerge in 2024, as Luzardo has a 6.58 ERA and 5.08 FIP through his first five starts of the season. One thing that sticks out right now for Luzardo is that he’s posted a 4.50 BB/9 in the early going of 2024, as opposed to the 2.77 mark he finished with last season.
The Miami Marlins aren’t contenders this year, and Luzardo can’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season, so it’s not the end of the world if the 26-year-old has a relative down year. But, it projects to be a weak starting pitching market before the July 30 trade deadline, so this could be the best year for president of baseball operations Peter Bendix to maximize the return for Luzardo. That is, if the lefty is able to rebound from a rather disastrous start.
Jesús Luzardo struck out 8 in 5 innings today for the Marlins!
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) March 28, 2024
That’s the most by a Miami starter on Opening Day since the late and great José Fernández. pic.twitter.com/jTtMCqNsmR
Bryan Abreu, Houston Astros
As a team, the Houston Astros are in disarray, having started 7-17 with a -33 run differential. One of the many areas of concern for first-year manager Joe Espada is the bullpen, which looked like it had a chance to be an elite unit before the year began.
Both Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly have had nightmarish starts to the 2024 season, but it’s Bryan Abreu who has the worst FIP (6.70) and fWAR (-0.3) among the trio of back-end relievers.
Abreu was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball over the last two seasons, posting a 1.84 ERA across 127 appearances while allowing only eight home runs. So far in 2024, Abreu has a 4.91 ERA over 11 games, and the three home runs he has given up are already more than the two he gave up over 55 outings in 2022.
Whether the Astros are able to dig their way out of this hole as a team remains unclear. But Abreu and the bullpen are too talented to continue pitching this badly, right?
Adbert Alzolay, Chicago Cubs
Speaking of high-leverage relievers who would like a mulligan on the month of April, let’s submit for your consideration Adbert Alzolay.
In 2023, Alzolay converted on 22 of 25 save attempts for the Chicago Cubs, finishing the year with a 2.67 ERA and 3.02 FIP. His season didn’t quite put him in contention to win the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award, but it was a solid development for the Cubs nonetheless.
In 2024, Alzolay has blown four of his first seven save attempts. His -0.6 fWAR is currently the worst mark among all relievers. New manager Craig Counsell — who has a reputation as a strong handler of pitching staffs — has removed Alzolay from the closer role and gone to a closer-by-committee setup for the time being.
It’s a long season, so Alzolay will have time to earn back Counsell’s trust. But considering his limited track record of MLB success pitching out of the bullpen before last season, it is more than fair to be concerned by his slow start.
Miles Mikolas, Cardinals
The veteran additions of Sonny Gray and Lance Lynn have worked out well in small sample sizes for the Cardinals thus far, but as noted above, Gibson isn’t off to an encouraging start.
Elsewhere in a comically aging starting rotation, 35-year-old Miles Mikolas has a 6.49 ERA and 64 ERA+ (100 is the league average) across his first five starts of 2024. This comes after he posted a 4.78 ERA and 4.27 FIP across a league-leading 35 starts last season.
Again, it’s great to have one guy in your rotation who’s a back-end innings eater. The Cardinals have at least two in Gibson and Mikolas, and possibly a third in Lynn (his 4.44 FIP is significantly higher than his 2.81 ERA). That makes it feel like St. Louis has Gray and then a collection of No. 4 starters behind him.
More must-reads:
- Mets announce unexpected Opening Day starter
- Reds catcher to begin season on injured list
- The 'Most strikeouts for an MLB rookie pitcher since 1995' quiz
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Highly anticipated Chicago Cubs game cancelled
The Chicago Cubs big league team is currently overseas in Japan, where they will play a pair of exhibition games followed by regular season games. The exhibition games will be against the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants whereas the MLB games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the team is away, minor league spring training has carried on. Unfortunately, for the second season in a row, one of the Cubs highly anticipated Spring Breakout matches was cancelled. The good news is that the prospects selected to play will get one more chance this year to play in the event. What is Spring Breakout? Last year MLB implemented a showcase series called Spring Breakout in order to highlight each organization’s top prospects. The event spans several days, features rosters in which only top prospects participate, and each team is supposed to play at least once. Why was the Chicago Cubs Spring Breakout cancelled? Last year, the Cubs Spring Breakout match against the White Sox was called due to weather. This year, also due to weather, their March 13 Spring Breakout game against the Los Angeles Dodgers was cancelled. Chicago prospects will get one more chance to play this year as they are scheduled to take on the Angels prospects this weekend. Which Cubs prospects are on the roster? Here is the Cubs Spring Breakout roster Pitchers: Cade Horton, Jaxon Wiggins, Drew Gray, Riley Martin, and Will Sanders Catchers: Moises Ballesteros, Pablo Aliendo, Ariel Armas, Ethan Hearn, and Michael Carico Infielders James Triantos, Cristian Hernandez, Jonathon Long, Ronny Cruz, Cole Mathis, Angel Cepeda, Pedro Ramirez, Yahil Melendez, Ty Southisene, and BJ Murray Outfielders: Christian Franklin, Felix Stevens, and Ivan Brethowr
Former Steelers RB Najee Harris seemingly takes shot at Pittsburgh after arriving in Los Angeles
Warriors quietly developing another sharpshooting threat
The Golden State Warriors have long been renowned for their ability to identify and develop elite shooters, from Stephen Curry to, in the past, Klay Thompson. This season, Moses Moody has emerged as a reliable perimeter threat, shooting 39% from beyond the arc, while the acquisition of Buddy Hield has only bolstered Golden State’s deep-shooting arsenal. However, down in the G League, the franchise may be quietly cultivating its next sharpshooter. Rookie Blake Hinson has turned heads with the Santa Cruz Warriors, building on a strong collegiate career at Ole Miss and Pittsburgh, where he set a school record for the Panthers with 110 three-pointers in a single season. The 25-year-old has quickly established himself as one of the premier long-range marksmen in the G League. After a relatively slow start in the Tip-Off Tournament, Hinson has found his stride in the regular season. Through 26 games, he is averaging 18.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field. Over the past month, however, he has taken his game to another level. On Feb. 13, he tallied a career-high 42 points, 11 rebounds and eight three-pointers in a win over the Stockton Kings. More recently, on March 12, he poured in 37 points on 6-of-9 shooting from deep — just days after a 34-point outing. Through February and March, Hinson is averaging 25.2 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting a scorching 39.3% from three. His consistency has placed him atop the G League leaderboard in three-pointers made (93), while his 488 total points rank seventh in the league. At 6-foot-8, the Santa Cruz forward possesses a solid blend of size and shooting ability, making him an intriguing prospect. His versatility to play multiple positions aligns well with Golden State’s offensive philosophy, and his efficiency from deep mirrors the Warriors' emphasis on perimeter shooting. After going undrafted in 2024, Hinson signed a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers but was waived before the season. He later joined the Warriors on an Exhibit 10 contract before being released and landing in Santa Cruz on a standard G League deal. Notably, he is not on assignment from Golden State or signed to a two-way contract, meaning any NBA team can call him up at any time. With his scoring prowess and three-point efficiency, Hinson may not stay in the G League for long. Whether the Warriors act quickly to secure his future or risk losing him to another team remains to be seen.
Browns insider predicts trade with Giants, stunning QB move
The Cleveland Browns possess the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They are likely hoping that Miami's Cam Ward, the "consensus" No. 1 quarterback in this year's class, remains available after the Tennessee Titans make their selection with the first overall pick. However, Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand and NFL reporter Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com believe the Titans will take Ward with the draft's top pick. Thus, Grossi predicted in his latest mock draft that the Browns will trade their No. 2 selection to the New York Giants for pick No. 3 and choice No. 65 this year, along with a 2026 third-round pick. Grossi thinks this could result in the Giants taking Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders at No. 2 and the Browns landing Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart with the third pick. Following the NFL Scouting Combine, some speculated that the Browns could select Sanders with the second pick and that the Giants would "reach" for Dart at No. 3. Sanders has been linked with the Giants since at least December. Still, numerous reports revealed that some teams don't view him as a first-round prospect after he allegedly "hit the wrong notes in combine interviews." Perhaps there's reason to believe the Browns are one of those clubs. As of Thursday afternoon, the Giants and Browns continued to be mentioned as potential landing spots for veteran quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins, even though the Atlanta Falcons seem serious about not releasing Cousins anytime soon. Grossi wrote that "signing either Cousins or Wilson might be the clearest signal yet of the Browns taking a position player other than quarterback with their first pick," and ESPN's Field Yates thinks Cleveland could draft Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter over both Sanders and Dart. Interestingly, Dart's supposed rise in draft stock has coincided with Sanders sliding down the board in mock drafts. It's difficult to know what to believe during the draft process's "smokescreen season," but it's worth noting that NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY shared on March 5 that at least "one team source" had Dart ranked ahead of Sanders following the combine. It remains to be seen if the Browns or Giants would be bold enough to select Dart over Sanders with the second pick in the draft.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has perfect one-word reaction to the Cooper Kupp signing
Cooper Kupp has decided to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, and nobody seems happier about the move than Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba, who just completed his second season with Seattle, shared a one-word reaction via social media to the news of Kupp’s signing. “Cooooooooooooppppp,” Smith-Njigba wrote on X. Smith-Njigba’s presence is a big part of the reason why Seattle felt comfortable cutting Tyler Lockett and trading DK Metcalf. Smith-Njigba was the No. 20 overall pick by the Seahawks in 2023 out of Ohio State, and he really blossomed last season. JSN had 100 catches for 1,130 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. In 2025, he’ll have a new quarterback throwing to him in Sam Darnold. The one issue for Seattle is figuring out how they’ll be lining up their receivers in pass formations. Both Smith-Njigba and Kupp dominate in the slot, which makes the addition of Kupp somewhat questionable, and could push Smith-Njigba to the outside. There is no reason to believe he wouldn’t be successful out wide. Seahawks fans were probably questioning the team’s plans after they lost Geno Smith, Metcalf and Lockett, and they may still have questions. Kupp is getting a 3-year, $45 million deal.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
