Giants Adjust Pitching Rotation: Hicks to Bullpen, Birdsong to Rotation

Jordan Hicks' transition back to the bullpen comes after the Giants signed him with the intention of him being a starter. Despite bulking up in the offseason to improve stamina, his ERA reached a high 6.55, leading to the change. Manager Bob Melvin emphasized the team is making adjustments to improve.

Hayden Birdsong gets the opportunity to start after a strong performance as a reliever, posting a 2.31 ERA in 11 appearances. The Giants have a surplus of young pitching talent, including Kyle Harrison, who will remain in the bullpen for now.

Hicks' peripheral numbers suggested he performed better than his ERA indicated, with a high ground ball rate and low hard contact rate. However, a high BABIP and low strand rate contributed to his struggles. Some speculate that Hicks may have been tipping his pitches.

Despite expressing a desire to remain a starter long-term, Hicks is willing to help the team in any role. He aims to improve his swing-and-miss rate as a reliever, an area where he underperformed as a starter.

His ERA was too high, and the Giants wanted to explore other options.

Birdsong has a 2.31 ERA in 11 relief appearances this year and started 16 games last year as a rookie.

What do you think of the Giants' decision to move Hicks to the bullpen? Share this article with others who need to stay ahead of this trend!