GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
If a more normal college baseball team lost a pitcher who led the team in lowest batting average allowed the year before and was 2-0 with a 2.59 ERA and four saves, alarm bells may be sounding.
Not at LSU this season, though. Coach Jay Johnson and pitching coach Nate Yeskie can likely withstand the loss of junior Gavin Guidry to a back/mid-body injury for a week, or if it lingers for more than that. Guidry suffered the injury last week just as he was preparing to start at Nicholls State on Wednesday in a game that was postponed by weather. He has not pitched this season.
“We think we really pinpointed what it was and anticipate him being ready next week,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said after the No. 2 Tigers beat Nicholls State, 13-3, in seven innings on Monday.
“Non-throwing, non-arm-related deal that just kind of crept up,” Johnson said. “He was prepared to pitch last Wednesday and woke up on Thursday no feeling great.”
GAVIN GUIDRY DID NOT CONSIDER THE PORTAL
Guidry had been working on new pitches and extending his durability to be a starter this season and had contended for the weekend rotation. He still may be a starter this season.
“Depends,” Johnson told Tiger Rag Tuesday. “Going to have to rebuild the pitch count with the amount of time off.”
Guidry will not make the trip to Texas, where the Tigers (6-1) play Dallas Baptist (6-1) on Wednesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington (7 p.m., FloSports).
Guidry was available but did not pitch during the Tigers’ first four games of the season against Purdue-Fort Wayne and Southern before the Nicholls rainout and his injury.
LSU plays Kansas State, Nebraska and Sam Houston State on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Riders Field in Frisco, Texas.
Johnson and Yeskie have used 15 pitchers this season, who have a combined 1.46 ERA with 93 strikeouts and 17 walks with a .149 batting average allowed.
Guidry struck out 36 last season with 18 walks in 24 and a third innings through 22 appearances – all relief. As a freshman in 2023, he was 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA and three saves with 42 strikeouts and 12 walks in 28 and two-thirds innings through 23 appearances, including his only start, and allowed a .209 batting average.
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