SF Giants have perfect blueprint for how to use Kyle Harrison out of the bullpen

The SF Giants just called up their young left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison from Triple-A Sacramento. The Giants are going to use him out of the bullpen initially and they already have a perfect blueprint for how to utilize their young pitcher.

Harrison entered spring training as the presumptive favorite to be the team's fifth starter in the rotation. However, he got sick and got a late start in camp which allowed both Landen Roupp and Hayden Birdsong to pass him on the depth chart.

SF Giants have perfect blueprint for Kyle Harrison as a reliever

Yet, he did not let that setback get the best of him as he went to Triple-A and pitched really well while also re-establishing his velocity. Now he is back in the majors but is going to have to adjust to a new role as a reliever initially.

The Giants have already had great success with using Hayden Birdsong, a guy who has been a starter for most of his career, in the bullpen. Ignoring Monday's rough outing against the Chicago Cubs, he has been incredibly effective coming out of the bullpen and has become a sort of super-reliever weapon for manager Bob Melvin to rely upon to deliver him multiple quality innings.

Perhaps the Giants can use Harrison in a similar fashion. If he can ensure his fastball velocity remains in the mid-to-high 90's then he is going to be a legitimate threat coming out of the bullpen the same way that Birdsong is with his high-velocity fastball.

Harrison also has two solid secondary pitches with a slurve and a changeup. Yet, we know his bread and butter is getting opponents to swing and miss at that fastball up in the zone so if he can get that going with his deceptive delivery then he could be a nightmare for opposing hitters.

Of course, just because Birdsong has made the transition from starting to coming out of the bullpen so seamlessly does not mean Harrison will be able to do so just as easily. It is a completely different mindset between starting and pitching as a reliever so we will have to see how Harrison rolls with this new challenge.

Harrison showed a lot of resolve by pitching well in the minor leagues after the disappointment of not making the Opening Day roster. Let's hope that he shows that same resolve adjusting to this new role and can follow in the footsteps of Hayden Birdsong.