Razorbacks Shake Up Its Starting Rotation Before Alabama Series

Arkansas reshuffling their weekend starters with six weekends left and a top-10 road test ahead.

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Hunter Dietz in game against the Florida Gators. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

It's a new-look rotation for Arkansas heading into a critical road trip, and the Razorbacks aren't waiting around to figure things out.

With six weekends left in the regular season and a series at ninth-ranked Alabama on the schedule, Dave Van Horn has reshuffled his starting pitchers and handed the ball to someone who's earned it.

Third-year left-hander Hunter Dietz gets the Game 1 start when Arkansas heads to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide.

First pitch at Sewell-Thomas Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Friday. It's the first time Dietz has been handed the No. 1 role, and Van Horn didn't mince words about why.

"He's got Friday night stuff, obviously," the Arkansas coach said. "There's a lot of [pro] interest in him for down the road because of his stuff, and he's left-handed."

Based on what Dietz did last week at Auburn, it's hard to argue with the decision.

Dietz went seven innings against the Tigers, gave up just two runs — one earned — scattered six hits, didn't issue a single walk and struck out 11 batters.

He threw 106 pitches, and his final one registered 97 mph.

The Hogs trailed 2-1 heading into the eighth, but Ryder Helfrick's two-run home run flipped the game, and closer Ethan McElvain shut the door. Dietz earned the win.

Dietz Doing It the Hard Way

What makes Dietz's emergence even more impressive is the path he took to get here. He's a high-profile recruit who chose college baseball over the pros coming out of high school.

In his first two years with the Razorbacks, though, he pitched just 1 2/3 innings total because of injury. What's happening now is essentially his first real season of competition at this level.

He leads the SEC with 69 strikeouts. His overall ERA sits at 3.70, with a 4.63 mark in conference play.

Van Horn believes both numbers will improve before the season wraps up.

"He's not pitching like a guy that hadn't really pitched much in two years," Van Horn said. "He's pitching like a guy that has a lot of experience, and that's what we need."

The mental side of it has impressed Van Horn just as much as the physical.

Dietz has kept his composure in tight spots, worked back from 3-0 counts and has shown he can control the running game.

For a guy who's been fighting through injuries and working his way back, that kind of poise doesn't come cheap.

On Friday, he'll face Alabama right-hander Tyler Fay, who threw a no-hitter against Florida on March 20 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Fay owns a 4.07 ERA and a .185 batting average against in a team-best 48 2/3 innings.

"He throws to all four quadrants of that plate," Van Horn said of Fay. "He's inside, outside, up and away, up and in, in the square, and he doesn't let you get comfortable. It's going to be a major challenge."

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Cole Gibler delivers a throw against the Tennessee Volunteers at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs On SI Images

Gibler Gets His Shot

Saturday brings another new face to the rotation. Left-hander Cole Gibler will make his first career start for the Hogs, entering a spot in the weekend order he was actually in the mix for before the season even started.

Gibler has put together a 2.57 ERA and a .186 batting average against as a reliever and Van Horn's explanation for why it took this long to get him into the rotation is as simple as it is honest — the bullpen needed him.

"We started him in scrimmage games in the fall both years and he's been so valuable out of the pen that we felt like getting off to a good start this season, we might need him there," Van Horn said. "I think he just deserves a chance to start."

Gibler will go against Alabama left-hander Zane Adams, who's been there before against Arkansas. As a freshman, Adams held the Razorbacks to eight scoreless innings in the rubber match of the 2024 series between these two programs — four hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

"His stuff is good," Van Horn said. "It's ticked up a little bit since we faced him. … He's just a good pitcher. He's left-handed and he's experienced."

Arkansas hasn't announced a starter for Game 3 of the series.

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Gabe Gaeckle on the mound against the Xavier Muskateers at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas Communication

What Happens to Gaeckle?

The elephant in the room is Gabe Gaeckle, who was the Razorbacks' No. 1 starter before this weekend.

His recent struggles prompted the change and he's already made his first relief appearance of the season — a solid seventh-inning outing in a 7-0 win over Little Rock on Tuesday in which he was sitting in the mid-90s throughout.

This is actually the second straight season Gaeckle has been moved out of the rotation in April. Last year the move came with five weekends remaining, and what happened after that speaks for itself.

As a sophomore starter, Gaeckle posted a 6.69 ERA in 36 1/3 innings across nine starts. Out of the bullpen that same season, he was a different pitcher — a 2.06 ERA in 35 innings across 10 relief appearances.

His career numbers tell the same story: a 2.17 ERA in relief compared to a 5.42 ERA as a starter. He was a Freshman All-American as a closer in 2024. That context matters.

Van Horn made clear that pitching coach Matt Hobbs handled the conversation with Gaeckle about the role change, and that the response from the pitcher was the right one.

"What I get out of it is he just wants to help the team," Van Horn said. "I don't think there's been [any] complaining."

Alabama coach Rob Vaughn put it simply when asked about Gaeckle: "Gabe Gaeckle, wherever you pitch him, is just real, real arm talent."

Arkansas Razorbacks' Hunter Dietz against Stetson. | Arkansas Communications

Matchup of First-Round Futures

Beyond the rotation decisions, this series features a compelling subplot at the position level.

Two players projected to go in the first round of the July MLB Draft will be on the field in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron is the No. 4 overall prospect according to Baseball America, hitting .267 with 11 home runs, five doubles and 28 RBI. He was in the lineup against the Razorbacks as a freshman in 2024.

"As a coach you're thinking, 'Wow, this kid is going to be amazing as a junior,'" Van Horn said. "What I've seen, the difference now is just he seems to be a lot more of a leader, like he shows his emotions a lot more. The physicality, he's gotten a lot bigger and a lot stronger."

On the Arkansas side, catcher Ryder Helfrick is ranked No. 15 in the draft class. Vaughn didn't hold back with his assessment.

"Ryder Helfrick is probably the best backstop in the country, or one of, if not the best, and can really hit," Vaughn said.

The offensive numbers for both teams are similar across the board. Alabama is hitting .270 with an .863 OPS and is averaging 7.35 runs per game.

The Hogs come in at .271 and an .836 OPS, averaging 6.88 runs. The gap widens in conference play — the Tide are at .264 and 6.25 runs per game in the SEC, while Arkansas is at .224 and 5.42.

Those conference hitting numbers are a point of frustration Van Horn addressed directly Monday at Swatters Club.

"Conference statistics show what we've not done well, and when you look at it, it's been older guys," Van Horn said. "It's time for them to get it rolling."

The Razorbacks are 21-13 overall and 5-7 in the SEC. Alabama is 26-8 and 8-4 in conference play. This is a big weekend for Arkansas, and the pitching changes signal that Van Horn knows it.