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One trend to watch for Kentucky's pitching staff in 2026

With possibly its best weekend rotation on paper since 2018, Kentucky could buck an interesting trend that has emerged throughout the last half-decade.

One trend to watch for Kentucky's pitching staff in 2026
Members of UK's pitching staff greet Nate Harris following an intrasquad scrimmage. Photo by Aaron Perkins for Bat Cats Central.

With possibly its best weekend rotation on paper since 2018, Kentucky could buck an interesting trend this season that started early in the Nick Mingione era and has continued even as the program reached the College World Series and made it to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time in program history.

Since 2018, in Mingione's second year in Lexington, the Wildcats have needed to adjust their weekend pitching rotation at some point during the season. Sometimes the cause was injury-related, but oftentimes the changes were in search of finding a better recipe for winning games in the Southeastern Conference.