Giants Shift Jordan Hicks to Bullpen, Birdsong to Rotation

The San Francisco Giants have moved right-hander Jordan Hicks from their starting rotation back to the bullpen after struggles in his second season as a starter. Hicks, who signed a four-year, $44 million deal last January, began the previous season strong but faded as the workload increased, leading to a 6.55 ERA over his first nine starts this year despite underlying metrics suggesting he was unlucky. Manager Bob Melvin cited the need to 'get it right' and improve the team by making this adjustment, which Hicks accepted willingly, emphasizing his commitment to helping the team win. Hicks' return to the bullpen leverages his prior success as a flamethrowing reliever, potentially bolstering the Giants' bullpen, which is among the best in Major League Baseball with a 2.66 ERA. His rotation spot will be filled by right-hander Hayden Birdsong, who is set to start against the Kansas City Royals, as the Giants seek to stabilize their starting pitching behind established arms like Logan Webb and Justin Verlander.