A lot went wrong for the UCLA Bruins baseball team in 2024. Finishing their season at 19-33 and a dead-last 9-21 in the Pac-12, the Bruins were always chasing throughout the season.
However, pinpointing exactly what went wrong for UCLA can hopefully lead to future success down the road.
To start, the Bruins struggled mightly in Pac-12 play. Their aforementioned 9-21 record in conference tied with Washington State and lagged behind the competition. To have a chance at the NCAA Baseball post-season, the Bruins must be able to compete in their division.
Second, the Bruins’ starting pitching was not terrible but lacked consistency. In 11 games in 2024, the Bruins allowed more than ten runs, hardly a recipe for success. If UCLA can improve their rotation going forward, they will give their offense a chance to compete.
Lastly, the Bruins had a nasty habit of losing streaks. Good teams can shake off a loss or two. UCLA let the losses pour in. The Bruins had a whopping six losing streaks of three games and two of seven or more. To compete, the Bruins need to find a way to stop the bleeding and reset.