Giants pitching prospect Birdsong to make MLB debut Wednesday

SAN FRANCISCO – Still missing several key pieces to their starting rotation, the Giants plan to call up rookie Hayden Birdsong to make his MLB debut on Wednesday.

Manager Bob Melvin made the announcement prior to Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park and said that the team has high expectations for the 22-year-old right-hander.

“We’re excited about it,” Melvin said. “In my opinion, he’s going to have a long big-league career. It’s probably coming, the start of it, a little sooner than we anticipated because of the need and probably pitching the best down there. I think that was why the decision was made.”

The Giants haven’t had a fully healthy rotation for much of the season. Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and newcomer Robbie Ray, along with holdovers Alex Cobb and Keaton Winn, have been sidelined at various times with a variety of injuries.

Birdsong, a sixth-round pick in 2022, is one of the Giants’ top pitching prospects. He began the season in Double-A Richmond where he went 4-2 with a 2.05 ERA. With an expansive repertoire of pitches, Birdsong notched 61 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings.

He was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento on June 15 and continued to impress, recording 14 strikeouts in nine innings over two starts. Birdsong threw 91 pitches in his last start with the River Cats, so he has the ability to go deep into games.

“The two starts that he’s had with Triple-A have been good,” Melvin said. “He can throw upwards of what you would think a starter would throws as far as pitches go. Look, there’s some risk with a guy that was just in Triple-A. He’s a young kid, he’s very talented.”

Birdsong spent time with the Giants during spring training, so Melvin and the staff already were familiar with him before watching his work in the minors.

“You watch his bullpens, it’s true starter stuff and it’s talent,” Melvin said. “He’s young but it’s pretty exciting to think that he’s going to get a chance to start, especially here at home.”

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