The SF Giants will have a decision to make with the starting rotation

Trevor McDonald put together another quality start on Wednesday agaisnt the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has forced the SF Giants' hand, and has built a strong case to remain in the rotation.

McDonald yielded two earned runs across 6.1 frames in a 3-2 loss. He held up his end of the bargain, but the offense, which has struggled in 2026, was unable to put together a rally.

The right-handed hurler’s start included six strikeouts and two walks, along with seven ground outs. That is a healthy combination of missing bats and keeping the ball on the ground. In that sense, he is not too different from Landen Roupp.

McDonald’s overall line might have looked better if the Giants went with a reliever to start the seventh inning. He allowed two hits while recording one out in that inning, but I did not dislike Tony Vitello’s decision to try and stretch McDonald out for another inning.

Trevor McDonald could bump a veteran from the SF Giants starting rotation

Overall, McDonald has pitched to a 4.34 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 1.07 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, and a 4.50
SO/W rate across 29 innings. This includes a healthy 61.4 percent ground ball rate. He has a knack for pitching through traffic because the sinker does a good job of inducing ground-ball contact and getting double plays.

McDonald’s solid stretch in 2026 has coincided with struggles from Adrian House and Tyler Mahle. Plus, Logan Webb is due back today, so the Giants will have another decision to make.

That decision should not affect McDonald, but it could prompt a change for Houser or Mahle. Mahle might be the most likely to be affected if the Giants decide to keep McDonald in the rotation since he is on a one-year deal. Of course, Houser has not pitched much better, and his strikeout rate has plummeted this season. That said, he is on a two-year deal with an option for a third season, so his presence has longer-term implications for the rotation.

There is at least one argument for keeping Mahle in the rotation over Houser. If the Giants decide to sell in a couple of months, they would do Mahle’s trade value no favors by moving him to the bullpen.

McDonald has forced the Giants’ hand, and that is what you want to see from a young pitcher. If the season shifts to finding out who can help them in future seasons, then it would behoove the Giants to stick with McDonald.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow