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Sandy Alcantara. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Three aces off to dreadful starts to the 2023 season

By Michael Carpenter | Last updated 6/2/23

2023 has been a season of adjustments so far, and there are a few staff aces who have been having a difficult time this season.

With new rules to help with the offense and make the game more exciting, no one has had a bigger time adjusting than major league pitchers.

Here are three frontline starters, who are looking for the answers as they limp through the start of the 2023 season.

Sandy Alcantara, pitcher, Miami Marlins

2022 National League Cy Young Award winner Alcantara is experiencing a horrid start to his 2023 season.

With a 2-5 record and a 4.93 ERA over 69 1/3 innings pitched, Alcantara has seen his BB/9 also known as walks per 9 innings pitched from 1.97 last season to 3.25 in 2023.

Sandy Alcantara now has more walks than strikeouts in two different starts this season. He did that just once in 32 starts last year. The 3.3 BB/9 is his highest mark since 2019.
— Frank Stampfl (@Roto_Frank) May 31, 2023

Far from his Cy Young form in 2022, Alcantara has had a few outings that gave flashbacks of last year's dominance including going 8 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts on May 7 and a complete game shutout against the Minnesota Twins on April 4.

With plenty of seasons left to chip away at his ERA, the Marlins hope he can flash some more of what they saw last year as they battle it out in the National League East.

Alek Manoah, pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

Possibly the biggest regression of them all in 2023, Manoah went from a surefire Cy Young Candidate to people wondering if he can be fixed.

Posting a 25-9 record with a 2.60 ERA with 307 strikeouts in 308 1/3 innings pitched over his first two seasons in the major leagues, Manoah has nose-dived this season.

With a 1-6 record to go along with a 5.46 ERA while surrendering 10 home runs, Manoah has not been able to fool hitters or get them out efficiently. With a whopping 6.40 BB/9, which ranks last in the major leagues among qualified pitchers.

Pair that with him allowing 9.52 H/9 and teams batting .302 against him it's no wonder that he has struggled mightily in 2023. It has left the Blue Jays scrambling and looking for answers.

“It’s been tough, obviously. I’m not doing what I’m meant to be doing. So just got to keep fighting, keep finding positives, and building off them.

Alek Manoah on the mental toll of his season so far. pic.twitter.com/ktBXGQkGUO
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 1, 2023

Toronto can only hope that they are able to find the tweaks that Manoah needs to be successful on the mound again.

Dylan Cease, pitcher, Chicago White Sox

After a breakout 2022 campaign going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA while striking out 227 batters over 184 innings pitched many thought Cease was going to be a Cy Young favorite thanks to his weak division and his ability to strikeout batters.

But that has been the total opposite in 2023, with a league-leading 12 starts Cease has gone 3-3 with a 4.88 ERA. His strikeout numbers are down drastically and it is affecting the way he attacks hitters.

Over his last seven starts, Cease has an ERA of 6.44 while allowing 57 baserunners in 36 1/3 innings pitched.

With things not improving on the mound and due for a hefty contract extension in the near future the White Sox could choose to shop Cease around if they don't believe they can compete in 2023, as well as the near future.