Ace is slumping

Bobfather · 01-12-2026, 06:06 PM

As you can see, Skenes is having a terrible time lately. So much so, I gave him a dead arm injury. In my experience, a run of starts like this usually is a precursor to a major injury. Any ideas to avoid this? Have you experienced an ace-level pitcher having this kind of slump? If so, what did you do?
These are all starts, none are relief appearances.

snepp · 01-12-2026, 07:24 PM

I see two bad starts, one very good, and two that ended too early to glean much from (a little quick on the trigger for me, imo).

I think you're reading too much into it, fwiw.

Bobfather · 01-12-2026, 10:28 PM

The two shorter appearances he was pulled from were an Injury and an ejection. So in a snapshot, he has only one terrible start. Looking back at it, he is not the only one. My top 3 starters have at least once in the last 5 starts given up double-digit runs in less than 5 innings. FWIW, they are all 60+ rated. I have to hope it is just a fluke. But the same thing happened to me last season, and my pitching staff was held together by bubblegum and barbed wire, and I was knocked out in the wild-card round. I was the number one seed. I was giving up about 8 runs a game. Besides the start's slump, my best LHR was injured, and my remaining 2 were below average. NO I don't think because I was the one seed I should have won. I just think if I had pitched better over the last few weeks of the season and in the playoffs, I would have had a better chance. Rant Over.

snepp · 01-13-2026, 09:50 AM

If it makes you feel any better in my last season I went 7-13 in the final month, while another team went 14-6. I missed the playoffs by 1 game.

I got "baseball'd".

Pelican · 01-14-2026, 02:26 PM

I'm curious what no starts for a month (June 14 - July 15) and then a ten-day lapse (July 29 to August 9). He's pitched in four games in two months. Was he injured? If so, I would have given him at least one rehab start at AAA. For him right now, this is like early Spring Training.

pgjocki · 01-14-2026, 06:57 PM

This is one of the constant struggles as a GM. Things I've tried but have had varying levels of success and failure:

- Skip him one time in the rotation

- Use an opener and then have him come in the 2nd inning

- Check the opponent and see if they are going with a line-up that has been really good against against right handers and delay if possible

- Make sure he doesn't go more than 3 times through a line-up and sometimes just twice

- Ensure I don't let him go over 100 pitches unless he is doing good

- Pull him immediately if he gives up 3 or more runs

Bobfather · 01-17-2026, 04:25 AM

After getting bombed in 2 rehab starts, I have decided to shut him down for the rest of the season. My theory, based on past experiences, if I don't shut him down now, he will need TJ surgery and miss over a year.

01-12-2026, 06:06 PM	#1
Bobfather All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Boston Ma. Posts: 1,766	Ace is slumping Disregard. I posted in haste. As you can see, Skenes is having a terrible time lately. So much so, I gave him a dead arm injury. In my experience, a run of starts like this usually is a precursor to a major injury. Any ideas to avoid this? Have you experienced an ace-level pitcher having this kind of slump? If so, what did you do? These are all starts, none are relief appearances. Attached Images __________________ I play out every game—one pitch mode. Last edited by Bobfather; 01-14-2026 at 04:31 PM.

01-12-2026, 10:28 PM	#3
Bobfather All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Boston Ma. Posts: 1,766	The two shorter appearances he was pulled from were an Injury and an ejection. So in a snapshot, he has only one terrible start. Looking back at it, he is not the only one. My top 3 starters have at least once in the last 5 starts given up double-digit runs in less than 5 innings. FWIW, they are all 60+ rated. I have to hope it is just a fluke. But the same thing happened to me last season, and my pitching staff was held together by bubblegum and barbed wire, and I was knocked out in the wild-card round. I was the number one seed. I was giving up about 8 runs a game. Besides the start's slump, my best LHR was injured, and my remaining 2 were below average. NO I don't think because I was the one seed I should have won. I just think if I had pitched better over the last few weeks of the season and in the playoffs, I would have had a better chance. Rant Over. __________________ I play out every game—one pitch mode.

01-14-2026, 02:26 PM	#5
Pelican Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 3,136	I'm curious what no starts for a month (June 14 - July 15) and then a ten-day lapse (July 29 to August 9). He's pitched in four games in two months. Was he injured? If so, I would have given him at least one rehab start at AAA. For him right now, this is like early Spring Training. __________________ Pelican OOTP 2020-? ”Hard to believe, Harry.”

01-14-2026, 06:57 PM	#6
pgjocki All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Maryland - just outside DC Posts: 1,645	This is one of the constant struggles as a GM. Things I've tried but have had varying levels of success and failure: - Skip him one time in the rotation - Use an opener and then have him come in the 2nd inning - Check the opponent and see if they are going with a line-up that has been really good against against right handers and delay if possible - Make sure he doesn't go more than 3 times through a line-up and sometimes just twice - Ensure I don't let him go over 100 pitches unless he is doing good - Pull him immediately if he gives up 3 or more runs __________________ - - - World Series championships: 1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011

01-17-2026, 04:25 AM	#7
Bobfather All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Boston Ma. Posts: 1,766	After getting bombed in 2 rehab starts, I have decided to shut him down for the rest of the season. My theory, based on past experiences, if I don't shut him down now, he will need TJ surgery and miss over a year. __________________ I play out every game—one pitch mode.

01-12-2026, 07:24 PM	#2
snepp All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,651	I see two bad starts, one very good, and two that ended too early to glean much from (a little quick on the trigger for me, imo). I think you're reading too much into it, fwiw.

01-13-2026, 09:50 AM	#4
snepp All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,651	If it makes you feel any better in my last season I went 7-13 in the final month, while another team went 14-6. I missed the playoffs by 1 game. I got "baseball'd".