Florida baseball will adjust its weekend rotation, with sophomore right-hander Aidan King moving into the Friday night role, while junior Liam Peterson shifts to Saturday, according to a source close to the program.
Junior Russell Sandefer will remain the Sunday starter.
The move comes after Peterson failed to get past the fourth inning in each of his last two starts. He has reached six innings just once in eight starts this season, while King has done so four times, including seven shutout innings against Ole Miss in his most recent outing.
“It’s something we’ve thought about,” head coach O’Sullivan said last weekend. “It’s a very hard decision to make, because at some point, if we’re gonna get to the World Series, Liam is a big part of this thing. The guy is a first round pick. He knows that he has to get extended during games, and at some point, if he doesn’t, then obviously we have some tough decisions to make.”
“If in fact we ever have to do that, we will. It’s certainly something we’ve discussed,” O’Sullivan added.
King and Peterson have a strong relationship on and off the field. The duo has anchored Florida’s rotation over the past two seasons.
“To us it doesn’t matter,” King said on the potential switch. “It’s a 1-2 punch. He deserves the Friday spot as much as he does. He goes out there and throws the ball well. Everyone knows he’s a top guy in the draft this year.”
King’s stability should help Florida work deeper into the series opener without turning to its bullpen early—a challenge the Gators have faced too often this season.
For Peterson, the move doesn’t change his goal of working deeper into games. Whether he’s starting Game 1 or Game 2, he still needs to find a way to provide length, especially with injuries in Florida’s bullpen.
“His preparation in between his starts has been outstanding. He knows the lineup. He’s doing his homework. His pens have been outstanding. He’s just got to perform better,” O’Sullivan said. “Liam knows. He’s bright.”
Florida is set to face the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend in Athens, owners of the most dangerous offense in college baseball with an NCAA-leading 98 home runs—25 more than second-ranked Vanderbilt.