![Texas A&M has a mound conference during an NCAA baseball game against Florida at Condron Family Ballpark at Alfred A. McKethan Field in Gainesville, FL on Friday, April 24, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2516,h_1415/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/273/01kr287w01ac7y3j0ryd.jpg "Texas A&M has a mound conference during an NCAA baseball game against Florida at Condron Family Ballpark at Alfred A. McKethan Field in Gainesville, FL on Friday, April 24, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
Michael Earley's Texas A&M baseball team has hit a snag over the last few weeks, as the problems for this team on the mound have mounted. It cost them dearly against the Auburn Tigers, leading to their first series loss in the last six tries, and it nearly bit them again against the lowly Prairie View Panthers.
Ahead of a pivotal series against the no. 20-ranked Ole Miss Rebels, though, Michael Earley has decided to not stand pat. According to Richard Zane of Texags, the Aggie skipper has made a change in his Friday night starter, benching Shane Sdao for Ethan Darden.
Michael Earley tells the media that No. 9 Texas A&M will use the following starting rotation at No. 20 Ole Miss:
— Richard Zane (@RichardZane32) May 7, 2026
Friday - LHP Ethan Darden
Saturday - RHP Aiden Sims
Sunday - TBA
After some recent struggles on the mound, Sdao's ERA has climbed higher than you'd hope to see out of a Friday night SEC starter, and this appears to be a result of that. Darden has had some quality outings for the Aggies this year, but it's interesting to see him get the nod over Moss or Gavin Lyons.
Texas A&M baseball switching up starting lineup for weekend series with Ole Miss Rebels
Darden, a Clemson transfer, has not pitched more than 2.1 innings for the Aggies yet this year. This is a gutsy move on that front, as there are certainly other options on this team for players that have more experience this year in pitching for long stretches, unless Earley is intending upon this being a bullpen game for the Aggies.
This will reveal, too, just how much this is a Sdao issue and just how much this is a coaching issue. There have been on and off great performances from players like Weston Moss and Gavin Lyons, and Aiden Sims has been really great as well, but there's been a lot of outcry against pitching coach Jason Kelly— this roll of the dice by Earley could be educational as to where the real issue lies.
Hopefully, we'll see this move be pretty effective and the Aggies get out of this series with a win over the Rebels. It won't be easy, but it will move them into much better position to get a national seed when all is said and done.
Add us as a preferred source on Google