Young SF Giants starter earned another start after clutch outing in doubleheader

On Wednesday, the SF Giants faced off against the Atlanta Braves in a doubleheader, allowing them to carry a 27th player. Carson Whisenhunt was tabbed as that player and earned another start after a clutch outing.

Whisenhunt was optioned back to Triple-A following the game. When he will be back remains to be seen.

The Giants’ rotation is already full. The offseason additions of Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle have struggled, with the latter set to return from the injured list.

The Giants may be motivated to slot Mahle back into the rotation. He joined the club on a one-year deal, and has a solid track record of success.

It would behoove the SF Giants to give southpaw pitching prospect another look

Of course, that has not played out this season. The veteran pitcher has recorded a 6.04 ERA in 11 outings.

Mahle likely does not have much trade value today. If the Giants can shed some salary and open up a rotation spot, that might be all the value they need to make a move.

However, there is usually a magnifying glass on performance in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Mahle’s value may not change much during that time, but if he throws well, that could inspire a team to make a move.

On the other hand, Carson Whisenhunt could be a beneficiary if the Giants trade from the rotation. The southpaw pitching prospect has spent more time in Triple-A than most over the past few seasons.

The overall results have been mixed, but he has been better this season. Whisenhunt has recorded a 3.65 ERA in 14 appearances, including 13 starts. He has been leaning on his fastball more, throwing it 52.8 percent of the time. That pitch has more velocity and carry than it has had in the past.

The changeup remains Whisenhunt’s go-to secondary. At times, his mid 80’s slider flashes as passable and has a bit more tilt than it did previously.

It was more of the same for Whisenhunt on Wednesday against Atlanta. He completed five innings while allowing two earned runs on two strikeouts and two walks. Whisenhunt induced more fly outs (seven) than he did ground outs (five), so he will need to miss more bats to remain successful.

It was a clutch outing after Tuesday’s game was postponed. The next time the Giants need a starter, Whisenhunt will likely be the first name called.

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