SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In the end, the competition for the fifth spot in the Giants’ rotation was always going to come down to Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp. And Kyle Harrison, due to circumstances he couldn’t control, was always on the outside looking in.
The Giants announced on Saturday morning that they optioned Harrison, leaving Birdsong and Roupp as the two finalists to round out San Francisco’s starting rotation.
“When you talk about the competition for the five spot, he was never really in it based on his starting point and where he is right now,” said manager Bob Melvin. “We just need to get him up to speed and get him more innings and get him stretched out longer in games. It was always more between Roupp and Birdsong. I think Kyle was kind of lumped into that, but kind of unfairly because he was behind in his progression.”
Harrison, on paper, was the favorite to win the fifth spot in the rotation entering camp after making 24 starts and tossing 124 1/3 innings last season, both of which were second only to Logan Webb. Despite his incumbent status, Harrison was behind in his progression compared to his fellow starters after losing 10 to 15 pounds due to an illness right before the start of camp.
Roupp and Birdsong made their Cactus League debuts on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23, respectively, but Harrison didn’t appear in his first spring training game until Feb. 28. Additionally, Birdsong and Roupp have each thrown 12 innings this spring, their longest outings each being five innings. Harrison, by comparison, has only thrown 6 2/3 innings, his longest appearance being three innings. Birdsong, Harrison and Roupp will all pitch in the Giants’ exhibition against the Sacramento River Cats on Sunday; Roupp will start for the Giants and be followed by Birdsong while Harrison will start for the River Cats.
At this juncture, the Giants’ decision to start Harrison in the minors — presumably with Triple-A Sacramento — does not come as much of a surprise. Following Harrison’s last outing, Melvin said it “might be hard” for Harrison to get fully stretched out in time for the season.
“We’ll see where we are with him,” Melvin said on March 16 after Harrison allowed three earned runs over three innings. “He’s a little bit behind everybody. Today, getting him three innings and it seemed like there was a little bit more life in his arm. Like I said, it was a step in the right direction.”
When asked about what the Giants will do once Harrison is stretched out, Melvin said the team will focus on setting the Opening Day roster and go from there.
With Harrison officially out of the race, San Francisco will have to determine whether Birdsong or Roupp gets the final spot in the rotation. Of the two, Birdsong appears to have the advantage.
In four Cactus League appearances, the 23-year-old Birdsong has allowed one earned run across 12 innings (0.75 ERA) with 18 strikeouts. Arguably the most impressive part of Birdsong’s spring is that he hasn’t walked a single batter, no small feat given he walked 13.7% of the batters he faced as a rookie.
Roupp, 26, has enjoyed an impressive spring in his own right. Along with a 3.75 ERA with 14 strikeouts to two walks during Cactus League play, Roupp struck out 13 batters over five scoreless innings. But as the Giants prepare to travel back to California, the advantage likely belongs to Birdsong.
Melvin confirmed on Saturday that Birdsong and Roupp could both make the Opening Day roster — one starting, one relieving. If Birdsong gets the rotation spot, Roupp could round out the bullpen. Roupp starting for the Giants on Sunday likely isn’t an indication that the Giants favor him over Birdsong for the final rotation spot.
“Both of them have pitched really well,” Melvin said. “It’s been pretty difficult to figure out if one of them’s in the bullpen, one of them’s in the (rotation) and who’s it going to be. I’m not saying that’s the way it’s going to be — that option is there. But it’s been very difficult because of them have pitched really well and you love seeing that.”
Said Webb of the battle on Friday: “I think the world of all three of those guys. … They’ve all done really well during spring. It’s been awesome to see. I’ve been around all three of those guys for a while now. … I know there will be an odd guy out. That’s kind of the (unfortunate) part of baseball, but for those guys, they just have to keep working, keep doing things. Throughout a baseball season, every guy counts. I know those guys are going to throw very meaningful innings.”
Winn, Lucchesi also part of cuts
Along with Harrison, right-hander Keaton Winn was optioned and left-hander Joey Lucchesi, a non-roster invitee, was re-assigned to minor league camp.
With Lucchesi out of the running for the Opening Day roster, the Giants will open the season with Erik Miller as the only left-handed reliever in the bullpen. Lucchesi has an out in his contract, but not until July.
“He’s a starter trying to acclimate to that role,” Melvin said. “His clean innings were clean and he pitched well. It’s just about trying to keep as many options open as we can. Which, a lot of times at the beginning of the season, you look to do, but there’s also some other guys that have performed really well that are going to be on the team.”
Source: Paradise Post
