Hayden Birdsong Faces Potential Injury Setback

In Scottsdale, Arizona, young pitcher Hayden Birdsong had some trouble with his pitching accuracy, but in his last spring outing, it appeared he was making headway. Unfortunately, news has surfaced that he may have sustained an injury.

The Giants announced on Sunday that an MRI showed he has a Grade 2 sprain in the ulnar collateral ligament of his elbow. Birdsong is planning to fly to Dallas to consult with Dr. Keith Meister, as this kind of diagnosis often hints at the need for Tommy John surgery.

Manager Tony Vitello expressed concern, saying, “It’s certainly not the best scenario. But we’re keeping our hopes up for the best outcome in a tough situation.”

A Grade 2 sprain typically indicates a partial tear in the ligament. Birdsong will attempt to rehabilitate his injury, with the hope of returning this season without surgical intervention. Reliever Randy Rodriguez succeeded in navigating a similar torn UCL situation before ultimately needing surgery, which adds a layer of concern.

After a brief conversation with Birdsong and the medical staff, Vitello shared that Birdsong was “in good spirits” as of Sunday morning. He anticipates it will take “probably a day or two” for Birdsong to make a final decision but expressed that he thinks the 24-year-old right-hander will aim to avoid surgery if at all possible.

Birdsong first felt discomfort in his elbow after a scoreless inning against the Guardians on Tuesday. He remarked that the issues began just after he threw a breaking ball to the last batter he faced.

This hard-throwing righty entered training camp vying for one of the final slots in the starting rotation or for a role out of the bullpen. Last spring, he secured a spot in the Opening Day bullpen, with a 4.80 ERA across 21 games, including 10 starts.

Yet, his struggle with control has been apparent, as he issued 37 walks over 65 2/3 innings. Initially sporting a 3.25 ERA, he then faced a troubling decline, walking 17 batters and conceding 16 runs in just four innings during his last appearances.

Pitching coach Justin Mecage noted that adjustments were made to Birdsong’s delivery before spring training, but the same control issues resurfaced once games began.

Meanwhile, other young pitchers on the team, such as Landen Loop and Trevor McDonald, appear to be moving ahead in the competition, especially after Birdsong’s underwhelming performance lately, which included allowing eight runs on seven hits and three walks in just two Cactus League outings. Out of 58 pitches thrown, only 33 managed to hit the strike zone.

Despite the setbacks, Birdsong had previously shown promise, containing three of the four Cleveland batters he faced while landing 15 strikes out of 21 pitches.

“His strike zone was hitting 97 to 100 mph on those four pitches,” Mecage commented, later suggesting that Birdsong felt confident about his performance before the discomfort set in.

Birdsong later expressed frustration about the timing of the injury, wishing it could have happened later in his career. “I hope it’s not as bad as we think it is,” he shared.

The depth of the Giants’ pitching lineup is under scrutiny, especially considering their only offseason acquisitions were veteran starters Tyler Mahle and Adrian Hauser, both on one-year contracts.

Director of Baseball Operations Buster Posey communicated confidence in Birdsong and the other young pitchers, including Loop and McDonald, who seem ready to join the big club. However, others like Carson Whisenhunt, Carson Seymour, and Blade Tidwell may not provide reliable options just yet.

With Birdsong’s status uncertain, the overall stability of the team’s arm lineup is suddenly in question. Vitello acknowledged this concern, affirming, “It’s a valid question about our depth in starting pitching. But as a group, I still believe we’re strong.” He noted that losing Birdsong, who could play both starter and bullpen roles, does complicate matters. “We’ll figure out who can step up in that starting role, but I feel optimistic about our competitive edge and depth,” he concluded.