SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants provided some roster clarity on their final day in Arizona as a couple of young pitchers got sent back to Triple-A.
Left-hander Kyle Harrison was optioned along with right-hander Keaton Winn, leaving Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp in the mix for the fifth spot in the rotation. They also reassigned left-hander Joey Lucchesi to minor league camp, so Erik Miller is the only left-handed reliever left in camp.
The Giants optioned Kyle Harrison and Keaton Winn to Triple-A. It’s Landen Roupp or Hayden Birdsong for the final rotation spot. Harrison was behind all spring after losing about 13 pounds from a virus right before the start of camp.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) March 22, 2025
Harrison spent all of last season on the big league roster, but his offseason was taken up by rehab for shoulder inflammation that he suffered after returning too soon from an ankle injury last summer. As camp was starting, a virus cost Harrison about 13 pounds, and he was behind all spring.
Harrison threw three relief innings last weekend after Birdsong and Roupp had both gone five, and afterward, manager Bob Melvin admitted that there probably wasn’t enough time left in camp for Harrison to get fully up to speed. The 23-year-old will start 2025 in the Triple-A rotation as he gets his pitch count up.
Birdsong has a 0.75 ERA this spring and has yet to walk a batter, showing improved command to go along with a repertoire that’s led by a fastball that repeatedly hit 98 mph this spring. In 12 innings, he has 18 strikeouts.
Roupp pitched his way onto the Opening Day roster last spring and is doing it again. He has 14 strikeouts and one walk in 12 Cactus League innings and struck out 13 in five innings of a minor league game. If Roupp does not get the rotation spot, he’s a strong candidate to fill out the bullpen.
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