San Francisco Giants Rising Star Makes Opening Day Roster After Elite Spring

The San Francisco Giants have made a massive roster decision official as they appear to have their final rotation starter.

Feb 13, 2025; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong (60) warms up during spring training camp. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants have made a major roster decision on Sunday afternoon which many have been expecting.

As first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post on X, the team has informed right-hander Hayden Birdsong that he has made the Opening Day roster.

Presumably, Birdsong is going to join the starting rotation after he was in a battle throughout spring training for the final spot.

With four of the spots locked in entering camp between Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Justin Verlander and Jordan Hicks, it was largely a battle between Birdsong and left-hander Kyle Harrison for the No. 5 role.

As things went on however, it became very apparent that Birdsong was the clear choice between the two after a completely dominant spring. In 12 innings over four appearances, the 23-year-old pitched to a blazing 0.75 ERA with a 0.500 WHIP and 18 strikeouts.

Harrison on the other hand was optioned to Triple-A over the weekend after he struggled his way to a 10.80 ERA and 2.100 WHIP in just three appearances and 6.2 innings pitched while dealing with concerning velocity issues.

Ultimately, the upside of Birdsong is what convinced the Giants he should be on the roster from the start of the season.

The righty made his debut last season and while he was inconsistent with a 4.75 ERA in 16 starts, he also showed some of the potential which made him such a high profile prospect.

Now getting the biggest opportunity of his lifetime, Birdsong taking the next step would go a long way towards solving San Francisco's questionable pitching depth.