Hard-throwing SF Giants reliever's injury could provide much-needed reset

After struggling this season, SF Giants pitcher Jordan Hicks is now headed to the 15-day IL with right great toe inflammation, according to NBC Sports Bay Area. This is just the latest setback in what has been a brutal year for Hicks.

It's tough news for Hicks, who has already struggled this year, but it might be for the best. Perhaps some time to recover and reset might be just what the right-handed pitcher needs. The Giants promoted reliever Sean Hjelle to take Hicks' place on the roster.

SF Giants pitcher Jordan Hicks forced to go on IL after toe injury

Hicks has a 1-5 record so far this year. He was moved to the bullpen after making nine starts. In 48.2 innings, Hicks has sported a 6.47 ERA and 1.541 WHIP, both the worst marks of his career. He began the season in the starting rotation, but after his struggles he was supplanted by Hayden Birdsong and was moved back to the bullpen.

Diving into the advanced analytics, things do not look as bad. Hicks has an expected ERA of 3.83. He's still getting good velocity on his fastball, ranking in the 93rd percentile at an average of 97.3 mph. He also ranks in the 95th percentile for ground ball percentage, at 58.7%.

However, he's been struggling to get batters to chase and whiff. He ranks in just the 8th percentile for chase rate, and that could largely be attributed to his loss of movement. In 2024, Hicks was getting 39.7 inches of vertical drop on his split-finger. In 2025, that drop is down to 33.9 inches. His sinker is also down from 25.2 inches to 22.1 inches of vertical drop. His four-seam fastball has lost 1.3 inches of vertical drop, and his sweeper has lost 0.5 inches of vertical drop.

Could a nagging injury be the culprit behind Hicks' loss of vertical movement in 2025? Could that be the reason he's struggled to get batters to swing and miss, something he excelled at with the Cardinals?

It's hard to know for certain, but Hicks might benefit from some time to reset on the injured list. There could also be a mental aspect to his struggles. Players tend to get in their head during slumps, and all things considered, Hicks should not be struggling as much as he is. His expected ERA says he should be a league-average pitcher,.

The Giants can hope that a few weeks off and some time to rehab in Triple-A will be enough for Hicks to get back his old self. If he can, he can still be a valuable contributor down the stretch.