Giants notes: Birdsong, Webb impress in spring debuts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Managers tend to get a bit squeamish when they see impressive velocity numbers pop up early in camp. They don’t want their pitchers peaking too early, and they certainly don’t want to see anyone throw so hard in February that they might get hurt.
But Hayden Birdsong only knows one way to get ready, and, potentially, to win a job.
“To throw hard, you’ve got to throw hard,” he said Sunday afternoon.
Birdsong threw very, very hard in his 2025 debut. The 23-year-old topped out at 98.8 mph in his first inning of work, edging the hardest pitch he threw in the big leagues last season. Birdsong hit 99 mph in his Triple-A debut in 2024 but maxed out at 98.4 at the MLB level.
Velocity is not everything, but for the young pitcher hoping to win the fifth starter job, that certainly was a promising debut. Birdsong followed Logan Webb in the first home game of the spring and struck out three over two innings. He allowed a run on a triple and a balk, a sequence that included some sloppy outfield defense and then a miscommunication about how to handle the runner at third.
Birdsong is part of a competition for the fifth spot that likely will come down to the second-year right-hander and young left-hander Kyle Harrison. In an effort to win the job, Birdsong has made a big adjustment in bullpen sessions, moving over to the third-base side of the rubber after a suggestion from Justin Verlander and pitching coach J.P. Martinez. That has made his slider tougher to pick up, adding to a repertoire that already was impressive.
Birdsong piled up the strikeouts as a rookie while leaning primarily on his big four-seamer, which averaged about 96 mph. He was mostly 96-97 on Sunday, with a few 98s mixed in.
“I felt good. I wasn’t expecting it to be as hard as it was,” he said. “It was coming out good. I can’t complain.”
They May Never Lose Again
The Giants are 2-0 in the Buster Posey Era after beating the visiting Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Sunday. The home (spring) opener was a smooth one for Webb, who got rocked last February and March but pitched two perfect innings Sunday.
“I don’t know the last time I had a clean outing in the spring,” he said, smiling.
The Opening Day starter was pleased with a slight tweak to his windup, which involves different positioning of his right foot. He has tried it off and on over the years and didn’t feel comfortable in the bullpen, but he made the swap in the second inning and liked the way he was getting down the mound.
Willy Adames made his Giants debut and singled to left in his first at-bat. Patrick Bailey hit a homer, and Bryce Eldridge softly singled to left on the only pitch he saw after coming on in the seventh.
Trainer’s Room
The Giants are splitting up their regulars during the early spring games, but there were a couple of guys who didn’t play in either weekend game. Matt Chapman will make his spring debut on Monday, but it might be a week or more before Heliot Ramos is on the field.
Ramos has a mild oblique strain and the Giants are being cautious with their left fielder since he has dealt with oblique issues in the past. Melvin said he wasn’t sure exactly when Ramos would make his spring debut, but the tightness hasn’t sent him for an MRI thus far, which is good news.
There is probably a bit more concern with lefty Erik Miller, who has been sidelined by finger numbness. Miller will face hitters on Monday and if all goes well he should get back into games. The Giants really need all to go well, because Miller is currently the only left-hander in their bullpen.
Backup catcher Tom Murphy (oblique) has been sidelined since the second day of camp and is awaiting a second opinion on what the next steps should be.
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