Birdsong shockingly made the roster as a reliever, because the Giants were so enamored with his pitching that they didn’t want him wasting away in AAA. In 23.1 innings out of the bullpen, Birdsong has been the antithesis of Hicks, with an elite whiff rate, a low groundball rate, a great ERA (2.31), and a poor FIP (4.74).

The Giants are making a big change to their pitching staff, shifting Jordan Hicks back to the bullpen and moving Hayden Birdsong into their starting rotation.

Jordan Hicks, back in the San Francisco Giants’ rotation this season after spending the second half of last year in the bullpen, is ceding his starting spot yet again. Hayden Birdsong, one of the Giants’ best pitchers the first six weeks,