On Tuesday, Florida Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan announced that left-handed reliever Frank Menendez will be out for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Menendez had been dealing with an elbow injury that will now keep him sidelined. He had pitched just seven innings so far this season, striking out 12 batters with just three walks and gave up one earned run.
His season ended with a 1-0 record, his lone decision came back on Feb. 22 against the Dayton Flyers, when he pitched three innings and had five strikeouts.
Menendez finished the 2025 season with an ERA of 1.29, one of the best marks on the team, putting him in the company of Florida’s big starters Liam Peterson, Aidan King, and Pierce Coppola.
This high-end reliever must be replaced by other Gator relievers stepping up. Some candidates include Caden McDonald, Christian Rodriguez, and Niko Janssens, all bullpen pitchers for Florida who have pitched less than or around the same number of innings as Menendez.
Up Next – Everyone will see how the Gators’ pitching staff responds to the Menendez injury tonight and this weekend.
On Wednesday, Mar. 19, they will play the Florida A&M Rattlers at home in Condron Family Ballpark. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.
Then, Florida will have their first home SEC series of the season in Gainesville against the Georgia Bulldogs. It will be a three-game weekend series. The first pitch for the game on Friday, Mar. 21, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
