Why forgotten SF Giants pitcher was passed over for another shot in rotation

SF Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong has been somewhat forgotten after he was demoted to Triple-A due to his intense struggles. He was passed over for another shot in the rotation by Carson Whisenhunt and it is pretty clear why.

In five starts with the Sacramento River Cats since he was demoted, Birdsong has just not looked right at all. He has a 5.59 ERA in 19 and 1/3 innings pitched. In that span he has struck out 22 batters and walked 12 and has a WHIP of 1.76 while giving up five home runs.

Forgotten SF Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong still struggling in minors

His most recent start in Triple-A saw him pitch just three innings and walk five batters while allowing three earned runs. It seems clear the command issues that led to struggles at the big league level have not gotten much better since the demotion. Some have bluntly stated that Birdsong is a mess right now.

It is an absolute shame to see Birdsong's fall this season. He started off so strong in the bullpen, coming in and consistently delivering multiple solid innings for the Giants. Manager Bob Melvin was utilizing him as a sort of super-reliever and he was clearly a valuable tool to have in the bullpen.

With Jordan Hicks struggling in the rotation to start the year, it seemed obvious that Birdsong would eventually replace him which is exactly what happened. Unfortunately, the success Birdsong had as a reliever did not translate to the rotation.

His first start against Kansas City late in May was solid as he went five innings without allowing any earned runs, but the wheels slowly started to come off after that. He had a 6.38 ERA in the month of June and things only got worse July.

It all culminated in a nightmare outing against the Atlanta Braves in which Birdsong did not record a single out and gave up five earned runs. He walked four batters and simply could not find the strike zone.

The walks and lack of command have been a huge issue for the young, hard-throwing right-hander. In his first two months in the big leagues in 2025 he gave up 12 walks in 32 and 2/3 innings and in his last two months he surrendered 25 walks in 33 innings pitched.

That lack of command is just not going to cut it in the big leagues.

It would be premature to say the Giants need to pull the plug on Birdsong or that he is a lost cause. He is still just 23 years old and has time to figure things out. But do not expect a promotion anytime soon given the fact his command issues have persisted in Triple-A.

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