diff --git a/in_game/ai_manager.py b/in_game/ai_manager.py
index 5dcff49..7e5ff72 100644
--- a/in_game/ai_manager.py
+++ b/in_game/ai_manager.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ from typing import Optional, Literal
 
 from in_game import data_cache
 from in_game.gameplay_models import Play, Session, Game, Team, Lineup
-from in_game.gameplay_queries import get_or_create_ai_card, get_player_id_from_dict, get_player_or_none
+from in_game.gameplay_queries import get_or_create_ai_card, get_player_id_from_dict, get_player_or_none, get_pitcher_scouting_or_none
+from exceptions import DatabaseError
 
 db = SqliteDatabase(
     'storage/ai-database.db',
@@ -342,11 +343,48 @@ async def get_starting_pitcher(
             sp_rank = 5
     logger.info(f'chosen rank: {sp_rank}')
 
-    sp_query = await db_get(
-        f'teams/{this_team.id}/sp/{league_name}?sp_rank={sp_rank}{this_game.cardset_param_string}'
-    )
-    this_player = await get_player_or_none(session, get_player_id_from_dict(sp_query))
-    sp_card = await get_or_create_ai_card(session, this_player, this_team)
+    # Try to get a pitcher with valid pitching data, retrying with different ranks if needed
+    original_rank = sp_rank
+    tried_ranks = set()
+    direction = 1  # 1 = incrementing, -1 = decrementing
+
+    while len(tried_ranks) < 5:
+        tried_ranks.add(sp_rank)
+        logger.info(f'Trying sp_rank: {sp_rank}')
+
+        sp_query = await db_get(
+            f'teams/{this_team.id}/sp/{league_name}?sp_rank={sp_rank}{this_game.cardset_param_string}'
+        )
+        this_player = await get_player_or_none(session, get_player_id_from_dict(sp_query))
+        sp_card = await get_or_create_ai_card(session, this_player, this_team)
+
+        # Validate pitcher has pitching data
+        try:
+            pitcher_scouting = await get_pitcher_scouting_or_none(session, sp_card)
+            if pitcher_scouting is not None:
+                sp_card.pitcherscouting = pitcher_scouting
+                session.add(sp_card)
+                session.commit()
+                session.refresh(sp_card)
+                logger.info(f'Found valid pitcher at rank {sp_rank}: {this_player.name_with_desc}')
+                break
+            else:
+                logger.warning(f'Pitcher at rank {sp_rank} ({this_player.name_with_desc}) returned None for pitcherscouting')
+        except DatabaseError:
+            logger.warning(f'Pitcher at rank {sp_rank} ({this_player.name_with_desc}) lacks pitching data, trying another')
+
+        # Adjust rank: increment first, if we hit 6, switch to decrementing from original
+        sp_rank += direction
+        if sp_rank > 5:
+            direction = -1
+            sp_rank = original_rank - 1
+        if sp_rank < 1:
+            # Find any untried rank
+            untried = [r for r in range(1, 6) if r not in tried_ranks]
+            if untried:
+                sp_rank = untried[0]
+            else:
+                break
 
     return Lineup(
         team=this_team,