Farhan Zaidi confirms that SF Giants rookie will get a few more looks out of the rotation

SF Giants rookie pitcher Landen Roupp looked good in a spot start against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this week. Has he earned himself a chance to finish the season in the rotation?

Farhan Zaidi confirms that SF Giants rookie will get a few more looks out of the rotation

Farhan Zaidi joined the Tolbert and Copes show on KNBR on Thursday to discuss a host of Giants topics, including the Matt Chapman extension. Zaidi confirmed that the Giants are, "going to see a couple more starts from Landen Roupp." A couple could translate to finishing the year in the rotation given that there are only two weeks left in the season.

This is an encouraging sign for the rookie pitcher. The rotation currently has some holes with Robbie Ray on the injured list and Kyle Harrison likely shut down for the remainder of the year. The Giants will need to fill those spots and Roupp is one of the pitchers who are poised to get a look.

It has been a whirlwind of a season for Roupp. He came into camp as a non-roster invitee and impressed the coaching staff so much that he made the Opening Day roster despite not pitching above Double-A at that point in time.

Perhaps, my disappointment from Roupp's season is how the Giants used him in the bullpen. I would have liked to see him get stretched out more in the rotation whether that be in the majors or with Sacramento. However, when a player is on the 40-man roster, they are often called upon when the need arises.

To Roupp's credit, he has been ready when his name has been called despite not having a defined role in the bullpen. The preparation is tough in that capacity, but he has made a favorable impression each time out.

In 20 appearances, the right-handed hurler has posted a 3.44 ERA with 36 strikeouts, 19 walks, and only one home run allowed in 36.2 frames with San Francisco. This includes a start against a tough Brewers lineup where he yielded two earned runs across five innings.

The control does need to take a step forward as is the case with Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong. However, the usage of his changeup has been a nice development in 2024. He has used the pitch primarily against lefties but opposing hitters have just a .167 batting average against it.

The development of that pitch along with his sinker-curveball combination has the makings of a potential rotation arm. For the time being, Roupp has earned a few more starts to prove whether he can stick in the rotation for next season.