Explorers' starting pitching paving way for early-season success
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – The Sioux City Explorers have tallied 14 wins on the year through 22 games, tied for second-most in the American Association and just one back of league-leader Kansas City.
A key contributor: the team's pitching.
The bullpen has been stellar, but it's the starting pitching for Sioux City that has stood out for the club so far.
Just one season after earning American Association All-Star honors as a reliever, Kyle Marman is tied for the league lead with 40 strikeouts. His 2.43 ERA is just outside the top ten in the AA.
Jared Wetherbee has fanned 32 batters this season, including 17 in his last two starts combined to go with 13 innings, allowing just three runs in a pair of wins.
Austin Drury has tallied seven or more strikeouts in three of his four appearances this season.
Zach Willeman is coming off his first win of the season, following up a 12-strikeout performance at home against Gary SouthShore on May 22nd.
For an Explorers team that leads the American Association with 247 punchouts, the motivation for Sioux City's starters lie within each other.
'We work off each other so well. I think we do a great job of coming together, putting a good scouting report together, and just being able to build off of each other,' Wetherbee said.
'They've started to compete among each other. You hear the chatter among them, amd that's good when you can get the four guys that have really stepped up in the rotation to to keep competing against themselves, not competing against their starter, compete against yourselves,' Explorers manager Steve Montgomery mentioned. 'One guy goes seven, you hear the next guy the next night wanting to go eight,'
Sioux City begins its three-game road series at Sioux Falls tonight at 6:35 p.m.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sky's Kamilla Cardoso held out of practice with shoulder soreness ahead of United Center game
The Chicago Sky could face uncertainty about a key starter for Saturday's highly anticipated matchup against the Indiana Fever at the United Center. Second-year center Kamilla Cardoso has been sidelined from contact drills since Tuesday because of shoulder soreness. Coach Tyler Marsh said after practice Thursday it's a precautionary measure that he doesn't expect to jeopardize her availability Saturday. But shoulder soreness of any kind is a concern for Cardoso, who missed eight games of her rookie season with a shoulder injury. After the season she admitted the injury affected her physicality throughout the year. Saturday's matchup will mark the first women's basketball game played at the United Center. The Sky moved both of their home games against the Fever this year to the Bulls home arena. Although anticipated attendance has been dampened by the absence of Fever star Caitlin Clark — who is sidelined by a quadriceps injury — the Sky still could set a WNBA attendance record at the 20,923-capacity arena. This is a pivotal moment for the Sky, who started the season 0-4 with a 35-point blowout loss to the Fever in the opener in Indianapolis. They picked up a pair of wins over the Dallas Wings last week to improve to 2-4, while the Fever have sunk to 3-4 without Clark. A win Saturday would push the Sky above the Fever and closer to the top half of the league standings. That would be a challenge without Cardoso, who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds this season. She scored only seven points in the first matchup against the Fever but showed her ability to take over a game with a career-high 23-point performance against the Wings last week. And her defensive presence would be crucial for the Sky to slow All-Star center Aliyah Boston on the other end.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Knicks Urged to Trade Top Star Straight Up for Kevin Durant
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The NBA offseason never fails to deliver, and this summer looks like it'll be no different. Basketball, specifically the NBA, has become a year-round spectacle, and the league continues to keep fans locked in well beyond the final buzzer of the NBA Finals — and this offseason should be just as captivating. The expectation is that there will be a ton of player movement, especially regarding the stars of today's game. At the forefront of things in the coming weeks will be Phoenix Suns superstar forward and future Hall of Famer, Kevin Durant. Durant is likely to be traded from the Suns this summer, and there will be numerous teams wanting to land the 15-time All-Star. One team that could be in line to land Durant is the New York Knicks. The Knicks may not have the most enticing package for Durant, but they could offer the best player for him: Karl Anthony Towns. FS1's Nick Wright believes the Knicks should aggressively pursue Durant by offering Towns. Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns in action during the game against the New York Knicks at Footprint Center on December 15, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Knicks defeated the Suns 139-122. Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns in action during the game against the New York Knicks at Footprint Center on December 15, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Knicks defeated the Suns 139-122. Photo by"I think if you offered KAT for Durant, the Suns would say yes... if they made that trade I think they'd be the favorites in the East," said Wright. 'I think if you offered KAT for Durant the Suns would say yes… if they made that trade I think they'd be the favorites in the East.'@getnickwright says despite the age gap the Knicks should go all-in on Kevin Durant — What's Wright? with Nick Wright (@WhatsWrightShow) June 3, 2025 The Knicks had just fired their head coach of five seasons, Tom Thibodeau. New York could undergo numerous changes this offseason, as it is believed that only Jalen Brunson is safe from trade talks. Outside of that, anyone on the roster is up for grabs, especially if the Knicks have a real shot at Durant. Towns is a name that could be on the move, although his first season in New York was a success. However, a report a day after the Knicks lost to the Pacers in the playoffs revealed that the Knicks players and coaches had expressed frustration with Towns and his defensive habits. His time in the Big Apple could be winding down, and that could mean landing Durant. All signs point to Durant likely having a new home for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Only time will tell, but it appears that trade talks surrounding Durant will intensify in the coming weeks. ESPN's Shams Charania reported the news on Wednesday that in the coming weeks, many teams will call about the availability of Durant. The 36-year-old has spent the last two-plus seasons in Phoenix and New York, and could take advantage of the situation brewing in the Valley of the Sun. More NBA news: Knicks Staff Reportedly Losing Patience With Karl-Anthony Towns Kevin Durant Trade Speculation Will Reportedly Get Aggressive in Coming Weeks LeBron James' 'Mind the Game' Podcast Takes Massive Shot at Brian Windhorst For more on the Knicks, Kevin Durant and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Orioles Make Roster Announcement on Recent Yankees Failure
Orioles Make Roster Announcement on Recent Yankees Failure originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former New York Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez is one step closer to smashing his next big-league homer. Sanchez, now with the Baltimore Orioles, began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday night. The 11-year veteran went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in Norfolk's 14-10 victory over the Louisville Bats, the Cincinnati Reds' Triple-A affiliate. Sánchez hasn't played since late April because of a wrist injury. The last-place Orioles haven't missed him much, as Sánchez mustered just a .100 average, a .200 on-base percentage, and a .100 slugging percentage across 35 plate appearances. Advertisement Although Sánchez made two All-Star games in his seven years with the Yankees, he's widely considered one of the organization's biggest disappointments in recent memory. Sánchez's defense, baserunning, and effort frequently landed him on the bench before a 2022 trade to the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees haven't looked back since giving up on Sánchez. Jose Trevino earned Gold Glove honors in 2022 and quickly became a fan favorite. Austin Wells replaced Trevino last year and, while he's still a work in progress, has regularly taken advantage of Yankee Stadium's short porch. Baltimore Orioles catcher Gary SánchezJoe Camporeale-Imagn Images Now a 32-year-old journeyman catcher, Sánchez could nonetheless appeal to a team seeking a bench bat ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. He averaged 17 homers and a .711 OPS from 2021-24, and he's also played a handful of games at first base during his career. Advertisement However, don't expect teams to acquire Sánchez and make him the everyday catcher. Those days are likely long behind him, even if he remains a dangerous power threat. Sánchez is a career .223 hitter with 184 homers and a .767 OPS in nearly 850 games. Related: Yankees Make Troubling Jasson Domínguez Announcement Before Wednesday's Game Related: Former MLB GM Turns Heads With Surprising Paul Goldschmidt Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
