The early returns from the Giants’ recent rotation swap certainly seem promising. Hayden Birdsong, who made his first start of the season after replacing Jordan Hicks in the starting five, allowed onl

And now, Melvin’s list of options includes one more high-leverage reliever: Jordan Hicks, who struggled in his time as a starter but has a long track record as one of the game’s best short-burst pitchers, racking up 33 career saves and a 3.73 ERA out of the bullpen.

Hicks signed a four-year, $44 million deal with the Giants in January 2024 to join the team as a starter after spending years with the St. Louis Cardinals as a reliever. The right-hander started hot (1.59 ERA in April) but transitioned to the bullpen by late July as the innings added up and fatigue set in.

The San Francisco Giants evened their three-game set with the Kansas City Royals behind strong Hayden Birdsong and Patrick Bailey performances.

The San Francisco Giants are shaking up their starting rotation by replacing Jordan Hicks with Hayden Birdsong, and Eric Samulski examines what to expect from the 23-year-old starter in fantasy baseball.

SAN FRANCISCO — Hayden Birdsong of the Giants came to Oracle Park Sunday knowing he wasn’t going to pitch in the final game of a three-game series against the Athletics. And he’s fine with that. Things are more uncertain with Jordan Hicks. While going back to the bullpen isn’t something Hicks wanted, he’s not going to make any waves.

The Giants are making a big change to their pitching staff, shifting Jordan Hicks back to the bullpen and moving Hayden Birdsong into their starting rotation.