A pair of young SF Giants starters will compete for No. 5 spot in the rotation

The SF Giants will have some competition for the back-end of the rotation to start the year. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong will be among the pitchers vying for the final rotation spot.

A pair of young SF Giants starters will compete for No. 5 spot in the rotation

This does also shed light on what the rest of the rotation will look like. Assuming full health, Logan Webb, Justin Verlander, Robbie Ray, and Jordan Hicks will round out the first four spots.

Perhaps, there was some question as to whether Hicks would stick in the rotation. The Giants signed him to be a starter last offseason after spending much of his career in the bullpen. However, that was the prior regime that completed that deal.

The current regime still views him as a starter and they have conveyed that all offseason. Hicks was a regular visitor at Oracle Park this offseason and has set a lofty goal for himself this year.

Harrison and Birdsong will be competing for the final spot. Both pitchers had some bright moments but it was clear they have some development left to realize, especially in terms of control. From everything I have heard and read this offseason, the general impression I get is that Harrison has a slight edge but all bets are off once the games start.

Harrison is coming off of a quality first full season in the majors. He pitched to a 4.56 ERA, 4.33 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, 8.5 K/9, and 2.81 SO/W rate in 24 starts. The good news is that he was able to build up his arm strength while showing some modest improvement in his control. The bad news is that his strikeout rate has declined sharply from his time in the minors and his fastball velocity dipped as the season progressed. That last part was likely due to fatigue and injury.

On the other hand, Birdsong posted a 4.76 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 1.38 WHIP, 11.0 K/9, and 2.05 SO/W rate in 16 starts for San Francisco. He began the season in Double-A but moved quickly through the upper minors. Similar to Harrison, he was able to build up his arm strength. Plus, he recorded impressive strikeout totals. The bad was the below-average command. That will need to show improvement.

The Giants hope that both Harrison and Birdsong become staples in the rotation for years to come. Regardless of who does not win the competition, there should be quite a few starts available later on in the year. The Giants will need to rely on their depth.