The MLB season is long and hard.
For 162 games, players have to overcome injuries, illnesses, excessive traveling, time away from their families, and other unwanted situations.
Many players start working out in November, and if they make it to the World Series, they will find themselves being active all year round or close to it.
It’s common to see position players and pitchers alike hitting a wall in a given season, going through extended slumps, or just showing physical and mental wear and tear.
That appears to be the case with righty Jakob Junis.
On April 17th, he had a 0.00 ERA in nine innings with his new organization, the Cleveland Guardians.
His last six outings have been rather messy, though.
On Friday, he took the loss against the Toronto Blue Jays after conceding two runs on two hits and a walk, getting just a couple of outs.
His overall ERA increased to 4.11, which doesn’t seem too bad at first sight.
However, context is important: in his last six games, Junis is sporting a 9.45 ERA dating back to April 18th.
He has covered 6.2 innings since that date, striking out just three and conceding seven earned runs.
His shocking slide started in Pittsburgh and has continued to this date.
Right now, all he is doing is limiting walks:
Jakob Junis! pic.twitter.com/pwx7mILoCE
— ClaseInSession (@ClaseInSession) May 3, 2025
Junis should be able to improve if he is fully healthy because he is a solid pitcher.
However, it’s fair to wonder if he can fend off more talented pitchers returning from injury in the upcoming weeks.
To do that, he needs to perform, and he is not doing it right now.
NEXT: Guardians Call Up Recently Acquired Pitcher
