Issac Newton’s third law states that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” 

That law can be directly applied to Kentucky baseball in 2025, which makes it nearly impossible to predict how it will fare in SEC play.

Last season, Kentucky finished 22-8 in conference play, and while it can be rightfully assumed that regression is likely, it’s a matter of how much that is now on the forefront in 2025.

Kentucky has stuck to its DNA offensively through 15 games thus far as it is tied for leads in categories you’d expect like steals and bunts. Another positive sign for Kentucky is that it is last in the SEC in strikeouts. 

The negative side of the offense so far is inconsistency and shuffling lineups. 

The Wildcats have already had five run-rule victories this season, which is more than they had this time last season, but it’s been the encores to those performances that has raised questions. 

After its first run-rule against Lipscomb, the Bat Cats only put up three hits and lost 2–1. The bats remained in the slump a week later in a 2-1 win over Belmont that produced another three-hit effort. 

The bats woke back up the following day with a 12-run outburst and went on to score 45 runs in the next three games. 

In the next week of action, the Bat Cats seemed to be settled in as it went on a winning streak and scored six or more runs in each game, but did not really dominate opponents. 

Back-to-back run-rule wins made it look like the offense was back in a groove, but then it slowed back down only scoring six runs over the next two games. 

In its last outing, the offense put up nine runs in a win over Northern Illinois. 

All in all, the offense has been peaks and valleys so far, which has not proven to be a great recipe in the SEC. 

That being said, the team’s ability to win games in multiple ways will be a critical asset to its success. 

When it comes to the lineup, only four players have started every game and that’s Luke Lawrence, Cole Hage, Shaun Montoya and Tyler Bell. What should come as no surprise is that those four make up the top four spots in the lineup. 

As for the rest of the lineup, it’s been a shuffling of sorts to try and find that model of consistency that can result in sustained offense. 

The issue is that the landing pad games have ran out and the gauntlet of SEC baseball has begun, which means the lineup needs to be set sooner than later or it could get ugly. 

Right now, the Bat Cats are very one dimensional at the plate and have not quite found the balance of small ball along with power that last year’s team excelled at, which made them nearly impossible to pitch to. 

The feeling with this offense is that a good-sized lead is safe because the firepower just is not there since they are 14th in the SEC in homeruns, 13th in doubles and 12th in slugging percentage. 

To keep up with the powerhouses of SEC baseball that Kentucky will play in 2025, it is going to need the ability to hang around in slugfest types of games that look like football scores by the end.

Moving over to the mound, it cannot be understated how good the starting rotation has been with the trio of Nic McCay, Ben Cleaver and Ethan Walker. 

Furthermore, the bullpen has had a trio of its own emerge in Jackson Nove, Evan Byers and Scott Rouse. 

The early glaring issue with the bullpen is late relief. 

Last season, Johnny “Lightning” Hummel was electric, and it felt like when he came in, the game was over. 

Even when he faltered a bit, Robert Hogan was right there to pick up the slack. 

Simon Gregersen was brought in from Indiana State to fill that closer role along with Hogan. However, neither of the two have pitched well this season.

Hogan has struggled mightily as he’s pitched just two and a third innings and has given up two runs. Control has been the right-hander’s kryptonite this season as he’s given up three walks, four wild pitches and two hit batsmen. 

For Gregersen, the righty has not been able to stop inherited runners from scoring and it’s not a guarantee he won’t allow some runs himself. 

So far in five outings, Gregersen has given up three earned runs in just five and third innings. 

The problem could reach a boiling point when the issue of offensive inconsistency is complemented with the late-inning bullpen troubles. This could be very problematic when the margin of error only gets slimmer in the SEC. 

Also, the bullpen depth has not really been tested yet because the starters have been great, so for now it’s just another unanswered question. 

Now, the bright side to each of these problems is that the talent is there, but no one has ever won a National Championship trophy on paper. 

Another thing working against the Bat Cats is that the SEC got even better this offseason with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma who are 13-1 and 14-1 respectively along with being ranked No. 11 and No. 12.

If the Bat Cats can find their groove at the plate and the late bullpen arms materialize as advertised, then success could be on the horizon, but the current cracks in the foundation could make it a long spring in Lexington. 

Kentucky will get the first chance to address some of the questions when it makes its 2025 SEC debut against No. 4 Georgia on Friday, March. 13, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. ET.