DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette The Williamsport Crosscutters coaches, from left, Jesse Estrada, Kenny Thomas, and Sean Miller watch the game from the dugout during a recent game at Bowman Field.

Although just eight games going into the second half season, the Williamsport Crosscutters appear to be at a crossroads. Going into Thursday night’s affair against the West Virginia Black Bears, the Cutters find themselves 4-4 early on, good for fourth in the MLB Draft League standings which sees first and last place separated by two games.

With Williamsport requiring a second-half title to qualify for the 2025 MLB Draft League Championship, every game has an elevated sense of importance with Williamsport attempting to defend their 2024 title.

As a result, every position has come under scrutiny with no other area of the field feeling the pressure more than on the mound.

A surface level look at things may tell a different story.

Over the last six games in which the Cutters went 3-3, Williamsport ranks second in the MLB Draft League in earned run average as a team, sporting a 4.75 mark that has only been bested by by the Trenton Thunder, who’s 4.29 team ERA is the only other ballclub with a team ERA under five.

Williamsport has not blown chances in the dying embers of games either in the past week, with Williamsport recording two saves in as many opportunities, the most out of any team in the past week.

In addition, Williamsport has not allowed free bases to hitters with their 24 walks allowed across 53 innings in the past week the second best in the MLB Draft League over the last week.

So with the team progressing well at the mound, is cause for such a concern? The reality is, while individuals on the team have been producing modestly, the Cutters are running out of arms entirely.

In Wednesday’s loss against the West Virginia Black Bears, Williamsport had just four total relievers ready to pitch on the night compared to West Virginia, who brought at least eight relievers into the bullpen with as many as 10 reported.

Why so few arms? In the second half season currently, Williamsport has just 12 healthy pitchers currently on the roster. West Virginia? 14.

In fact, Williamsport’s 13 listed pitchers match only the Trenton Thunder for fewest in the MLB Draft League with every other side sporting 14 arms.

The Cutter’s pitching staff would be cut down to 12 this week, when starting pitcher Tyler Valdez got taken out of Tuesday’s loss against the Trenton Thunder due to an injury.

With the loss, not only do Williamsport lose one of their best starters, with Valdez sporting a 1.23 ERA prior to the injury, but Williamsport also goes down a pitcher in the middle of a 12 game stretch, the longest of the season for the Cutters.

“Did you see (West Virginia’s) bullpen?” asked an animated Kenny Thomas following Wednesday’s loss. “He had 10 guys in the bullpen. I had four.”

“I don’t know what we will get,” said Thomas on adding pitching. “But, you know, we need something. I’m gonna try and get a new player in here this weekend that will maybe boost us a little bit.”

A boost is vital for a Williamsport bullpen who, despite on the year performing well, gave up 10 earned runs in the last two games alone.

An early inflection point is at stake for Williamsport, who continue their 12 game in a row stretch at home against West Virginia Thursday and Friday, with the gauntlet concluding on the road against the State College Spikes.