San Francisco Giants Reveal Starting Pitching Plans for Upcoming Spring Games

The San Francisco Giants have set up a rotation for their next four spring training games as they prepare for their home opener.

Matthew Postins | Feb 22, 2025

Sep 29, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong (60) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

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San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants will run out two of their starting pitchers during their home opener on Sunday against Cincinnati in Scottsdale, Ariz.

It’s part of a plan to get several of their starting pitchers some early work as they gear up for the regular season.

Per Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle, against the Reds, Logan Webb and Hayden Birdsong will piggyback in the contest. Webb has already been named the opening day starter for the fourth straight year.

Last season he made his first All-Star Game appearance in July and was sixth in National League Cy Young voting. He went 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA. He’s been baseball’s most durable pitcher the last three seasons, as he’s started 98 games with a 39-32 record, a 1.40 WAR and a 3.22 ERA.

Birdsong is fighting for a rotation spot after breaking in as a rookie in 2024. He went 5-6 with a 4.75 ERA last season, with 88 strikeouts and 43 walks in 72 innings.

On Monday, the Giants will play a split squad game. Justin Verlander will start the home game against Colorado and Mason Black will start the road game at the Los Angeles Angels.

Verlander signed a one-year contract with the Giants and is a three-time Cy Young winner. He is also coming off perhaps his worst season, as he dealt with injuries and went just 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA.

Black made his MLB debut last season and went 1-5 with a 6.44 ERA in nine games (eight starts). He struck out 31 and walked 15 in 36.1 innings.

Robbie Ray, the 2021 Cy Young winner, will start Tuesday’s game with the Athletics.

The 33-year-old returned last season from Tommy John surgery and rehab to make seven starts, as he went 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 15 walks before a hip injury ended his season.

Jordan Hicks will start for the Giants against the Athletics on Wednesday in Scottsdale. The former reliever is beginning his second year as a starting pitcher and trying to reclaim a spot in the rotation.

He ultimately lost a spot in the rotation last year, as he went 4-7 with a 4.10 ERA in 29 games (20 starts). He struck out 96 and walked 47 in 109.2 innings.

Absent from the rotation is Kyle Harrison, who is expected to be a part of the opening-day rotation. Per manager Bob Melvin, he is a week behind the rest of the starters in terms of being ready for game action.

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