Arkansas junior right-handed pitcher Gage Wood will return from a shoulder injury this weekend against the Texas A&M Aggies at Baum-Walker Stadium, the team announced Wednesday.
The 6-foot-0, 205-pound native of Batesville began the season as part of Arkansas' weekend rotation, but he hasn't pitched in a game since Feb. 23 against Michigan. Against the Wolverines, Wood struck out six batters in two innings before exiting with a shoulder injury.
Now, Wood is set to return to the starting rotation in Game 2 against the Aggies, which is scheduled for Friday in Fayetteville. He is replacing sophomore Gabe Gaeckle in the rotation, as Gaeckle owns a 7.27 ERA in SEC play with a team-high 16 runs allowed across five outings against league competition. Zach Root will maintain his spot as Game 1 starter, and Landon Beidelschies is still set to start Game 3.
The initial time frame for Wood's return provided by head coach Dave Van Horn on Feb. 25 was five-to-six weeks. He went a little bit over that mark, but now is as good of a time as any to return and slowly work back into things during the second half of the season.
"He’s getting close," Van Horn said last Thursday (April 10). "Bullpen has been good and he’s going to throw another one this weekend. That’s one reason he’s going with us (on the trip to Georgia). He’d go anyway, but he is going to throw a bullpen while we’re there and, hey, maybe he’ll be ready for the next weekend. We’ll see."
Van Horn said April 7 to reporters at his Swatter's Club luncheon that he wasn't entirely sure what Wood's role will be when he returns. We now know he will start, but there will surely be a pitch count.
"Gage is an extremely hard worker and he’s very serious," Van Horn said. "Sometimes I’ll try to keep it light when I see him and he’s not really having it. He’s like, working. He threw a pen a couple days ago. I was actually up in the weight room and I watched through the windows and it looked really good.
"Yeah, I think that he’s getting there. I think pain-free and what I saw the other day, he’s throwing the ball 90 mph with ease. If he makes it the next bullpen and next bullpen and he’s still good, I think you get over the hump and that’s what we’re hoping."
Arkansas is tied for fourth in the SEC with a team ERA of 3.65, but that number is slightly higher at 4.20 in league play. Root owns a 4.76 ERA and Beidelschies sits at 5.91 with five starts under their belts.
As for Gaeckle, he was a First Team Freshman All-American after making 22 relief appearances and posting a 2.32 ERA with a team-high seven saves last season. Maybe a return to the bullpen is just what the doctor ordered for the native of Aptos, California.
The Razorbacks will host Texas A&M starting Thursday for a three-game series at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. CT and it'll air on SEC Network.
