SAN FRANCISCO — On Monday, supervisor Bob Melvin shook up his beginning lineup. Now, he’s altering his beginning rotation.
Melvin introduced previous to Saturday’s recreation in opposition to the Athletics that Jordan Hicks will transfer into the bullpen and Hayden Birdsong will be a part of the rotation and make his first begin of the season on Tuesday.
“We’re just trying to get it right at a particular time,” Melvin stated. “Jordan came in last year and signed here as a starter. Came in here this year expecting to be a starter and he was, but we’re just making adjustments … a month-and-a-half into the season. We think it’s potentially going to make us better.”
Regardless of throwing six shutout innings in his season debut, Hicks has a 6.55 ERA over 9 begins with 41 strikeouts over 45 1/3 innings. In his final outing, the 28-year-old went two-plus innings and allowed 5 earned runs, his shortest — and worst — begin of the season. The floor stats aren’t nice, however Melvin stated Hicks’ numbers aren’t as unhealthy as they might seem.
Melvin pointed to Hicks’ 3.48 FIP, or fielding impartial pitching, which signifies that Hicks has been unfortunate regardless of minimizing walks and residential runs. In reality, the distinction of three.07 between Hicks’ ERA and FIP is the very best in all of baseball. Final yr, against this, Washington’s Patrick Corbin had the biggest discrepancy at 1.20. Together with FIP, Hicks has an anticipated ERA of three.75.
“If you look at a lot of the internal numbers — FIP and so forth — he’s pitched a lot better than maybe his ERA and some numbers would suggest,” Melvin stated. “But at this point, that’s what we’re going to do starting on Tuesday.”
It’s at the moment unclear how Melvin will use Hicks out of the bullpen. Hicks has expertise as a more in-depth (33 profession saves) however Ryan Walker, Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval at the moment represent Melvin’s typical high-leverage choices. Birdsong, against this, was a multi-inning reliever in low-to-medium leverage conditions.
Melvin maintained the Giants “haven’t figured out exactly where he’s going to fit” however given Hicks’ expertise as each a starter and reliever, he may doubtlessly fill both function relying on the wants of a selected recreation.
Kyle Harrison, a fellow starter-temporarily-turned-reliever like Birdsong, was not in consideration for the rotation.
“He was great about it. He really was,” Melvin stated of Hicks. “He said, ‘I want our team to win. I want to do whatever I can to help the team win.’ He thought the way he’s pitched is better than his numbers — and I agree with him. But again, we have a lot of quality. We have a lot of good young arms. We have a lot of starters and we’re just trying to get it right for a particular time.”
San Francisco moved Hicks from the rotation to the bullpen final yr as effectively, albeit beneath completely different circumstances.
Hicks signed a four-year, $44 million cope with the Giants in January 2024 to affix the group as a starter after spending years with the St. Louis Cardinals as a reliever. The suitable-hander began scorching (1.59 ERA in April) however transitioned to the bullpen by late July because the innings added up and fatigue set in.
Birdsong, 23, cracked the Opening Day roster for the primary time in his profession and took the short-term transition to the bullpen in stride, posting a 2.31 ERA over 23 1/3 innings with 25 strikeouts. Apparently sufficient, Birdsong has the alternative problem as Hicks in that he has a 4.74 FIP.
The suitable-hander isn’t totally constructed up for a starter’s workload in comparison with his rotation mates, however Melvin stated it’s cheap he may throw someplace within the vary of 5 innings and 75 pitches in his first begin of the season. On Wednesday, Birdsong threw a season-high 65 pitches over three innings.
Encarnacion’s rehab reset
Together with Hicks’ demotion, Melvin introduced that the Giants are going to restart infielder/outfielder Jerar Encarnacion’s rehab task “just to be safe” as he recovers from a left hand fracture.
Melvin stated there’s “a little soreness” together with his hand and the group expects him to play early subsequent week. Melvin additionally stated the Giants count on Encarnacion, who’s on the 60-day injured checklist, to be prepared by Could 26, the day he’s eligible to return.
Encarnacion started his rehab task with Triple-A Sacramento on Could 10 however has solely performed two video games. The 27-year-old was set to make the Giants’ Opening Day roster earlier than struggling a left hand fracture within the closing days of spring coaching.
Initially Printed: Could 17, 2025 at 5:09 PM PDT
