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).

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,

Hicks signed a four-year, $44 million deal with the Giants in January 2024 to join the team as a starter after spending years with the St. Louis Cardinals as a reliever. The right-hander started hot (1.59 ERA in April) but transitioned to the bullpen by late July as the innings added up and fatigue set in.