Kansas City Giants Update
KANSAS CITY — The Giants are looking to use the latter half of the season to assess who might be valuable for the upcoming year, particularly in their starting rotation.
It’s a bit of a puzzle, one that Trevor McDonald is trying to piece together.
However, things have taken a turn for the complicated. The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher left the mound during Monday night’s 4-3 defeat to the Royals, needing assistance from a trainer between the fourth and fifth innings.
On Tuesday, McDonald was placed on the 15-day injured list, and in his place, Tristan Beck was brought up to the roster. But the situation is somewhat unclear now. McDonald returned to San Francisco, where he’s expected to undergo further evaluation. As of now, he has been diagnosed with elbow tightness.
The Giants hope to have more information by Wednesday morning.
Manager Tony Vitello noted, “You don’t want to say it’s part of the game. We’re planning on him taking a bit of time off. We’ll see what coverage we can find and go from there.”
Currently, it looks like Logan Webb and Landen Roop are the only two locks for next year’s rotation. Adrian Hauser is under contract until 2027 but has been moved to the bullpen. Meanwhile, Robbie Ray and Tyler Marr are set to hit free agency and could be traded ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline.
Trevor McDonald’s Future with the Giants: A Question Mark
McDonald debuted in late 2023 with brief appearances but impressed with two solid starts last September, seemingly securing a position in the major league rotation this season.
According to Vitello, “At his best, it felt like he literally won the game for us.” That said, his 14-game run before the injury raised doubts about his reliability for the long haul.
That’s an area I thought McDonald could have really strengthened in the second half.
“I think he’s searching for more consistency,” Vitello commented. “I’m confident he’ll find ways to grow regardless of the hurdles.”
McDonald hit the ground running when he joined the rotation against the Padres on May 4, racking up eight strikeouts with no walks over seven innings. He made four starts, allowing one run or fewer in those games. But he struggled to complete games on four other occasions, including two outings where he yielded seven or more runs.
Overall, before landing on the IL, McDonald pitched 70 1/3 innings, finishing with a 3-7 record, a 5.12 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 57 strikeouts, and 35 walks/hit-by-pitch.
Vitello mentioned, “I talked to hitters in the league, and they say he’s tough to face. He gets a lot of ground balls, which minimizes damage against him.”
Yet, it seems Vitello feels McDonald hasn’t done enough to earn a guaranteed spot in the rotation for next season. With the MRI results pending, the combination of elbow issues is particularly concerning for any pitcher.
While McDonald has made 16 of his 18 career appearances as a starter, he might also be considered for a bullpen role, a possibility the Giants explored during spring training.
“Some of the staff feels he has valuable versatility,” said Vitello. “We’re still a long way from final decisions, and there are many factors involved. The important thing is that he’ll pitch the way we need him to. He can offer us a lot.”
In the meantime, this injury gives the Giants an opportunity to evaluate another emerging talent. Carson Whisenhunt has only seen limited action in the big leagues, but he is already in line for a more significant role in the second half, especially if Ray or Marr are traded.
Vitello informed Whisenhunt this past weekend that his next chance would come “very soon.” This timeline may become more immediate with McDonald moving to the injured list.
