SF Giants World Series champion serves as pitching coach for NL in Futures Game

The SF Giants had two representatives in the Futures Game on Saturday, with Carson Whisenhunt and Trent Harris. There was another familiar face in the game, as 2014 World Series champion Tim Hudson served as the pitching coach for the NL.

SF Giants World Series champion serves as pitching coach for NL in Futures Game

Hudson told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he talked with Buster Posey about both pitchers earlier in the week. Whisenhunt, along with Bryce Eldridge, was originally selected to represent the organization in the Futures Game.

However, Eldridge is not able to partake, as he is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain. The injury took place at the end of June, and he could miss up to a month of game action.

Whisenhunt has a 4.50 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 28 walks across 94 frames in his second turn with the Sacramento River Cats. He has shown improvement in terms of control with a 2.7 BB/9 rate, down from a 4.6 BB/9 rate last season. However, he continues to show some extreme splits on the road.

On the other hand, Trent Harris was just added to the roster a couple of days ago. He pitched well at every level before getting to Triple-A, but he has struggled to adjust to the hitters in the Pacific Coast League so far. That said, he has only made 11 appearances with the River Cats, so that could turn quickly.

They will both share the same dugout with Tim Hudson. Hudson has not veered away from baseball since his playing career came to an end after the 2015 season. He has served as a guest instructor in spring training for both the Giants and Atlanta Braves while working in various coaching roles. He also has served as a part-time broadcaster for the Braves.

The former pitcher spent 17 seasons on a major league mound, with the last two coming in a Giants uniform. He was excellent during his first season with San Francisco, posting a 3.57 ERA in 31 starts while earning an NL All-Star nod. Of course, Hudson helped the Giants win the World Series that same season.

Hudson pitched for the Giants, Braves, and Oakland A's during his career. He registered a 3.49 ERA with 222 career wins. While he fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after just his second year, it does not take away from an exceptional career. Pitcher wins do not hold the same weight that they once did, but there are not many pitchers who are going to surpass the 200 wins these days.

The veteran hurler has a lot to offer the game, and it is cool that a pair of Giants pitching prospects get to work with him for a day.