SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — After his struggles to search out the strike zone, Hayden Birdsong appeared to discover a breakthrough in his final spring outing. Now, the promising younger starter may be damaged.
An MRI revealed a Grade 2 sprain within the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, the Giants introduced Sunday. Birdsong will fly to Dallas to hunt a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, however the analysis is a typical precursor to Tommy John surgical procedure.
“Definitely not the best-case state of affairs,” supervisor Tony Vitello mentioned. “However hopefully we will get the best-case state of affairs of the unlucky circumstances.”
A Grade 2 pressure sometimes means there’s a minimum of a partial tear within the ligament. Birdsong may try and rehab the harm and return this season with out surgical procedure. Reliever Randy Rodriguez pitched by a torn UCL however finally wanted to have it surgically repaired.
Birdsong was nonetheless round Sunday morning and “in good spirits,” in line with Vitello, who had a quick dialog with him and the Giants’ medical workers. He mentioned it will “in all probability be a day or two” earlier than Birdsong decides by some means however added that “I’d assume” the 24-year-old right-hander would try and keep away from surgical procedure if potential.
Birdsong first reported discomfort in his elbow after throwing a scoreless inning Tuesday in opposition to the Guardians. He informed reporters that it started to behave up after a curveball to the final batter he confronted.
The hard-throwing right-hander entered camp in competitors for one of many closing spots within the beginning rotation or as a swingman out of the bullpen. He received a job within the Opening Day bullpen final spring and went on to publish a 4.80 ERA over 21 appearances, together with 10 begins.
However he struggled to command his electrical arsenal, issuing 37 walks in 65 2/3 innings. He had a 3.25 ERA earlier than strolling 17 batters and surrendering 16 runs the ultimate 4 instances he took the mound.
Pitching coach Justin Meccage mentioned they made an adjustment to Birdsong’s supply earlier than spring, however the identical points cropped up when exhibitions started.
Birdsong had probably already been lapped by a few the Giants’ different younger pitchers — Landen Roupp for the fifth rotation spot, Trevor McDonald within the bullpen — after surrendering eight runs on seven hits and three walks whereas recording 4 whole outs in his first two Cactus League appearances. Solely 33 of his 58 pitches throughout the 2 outings landed for strikes.
However after Birdsong’s final day out, Meccage mentioned, “We have been actually inspired about the place he’s at [and] the progress that he’s made.”
Birdsong retired three of the 4 Cleveland batters he confronted and threw 15 of his 21 pitches for strikes.
“It was 97 to 100 (mph) within the strike zone with 4 pitches,” Meccage mentioned, later including, “I believe we’re to some extent now the place he’s feeling like, ‘OK, I can go on the market and really feel fairly good about what’s popping out of my hand.”
Then the discomfort began.
Straight from the division of dangerous timing.
“I don’t assume the timing is ever good,” Vitello mentioned earlier than placing a constructive spin on the information. “You possibly can attempt to spin it [to him] as, ‘Now I can work on this’ … or ‘A minimum of I’ve it behind me.’ He’s a reasonably constructive child. … I believe he’ll strategy the entire deal the suitable approach no matter what it’s.”
The Giants’ pitching depth was already a query after the one additions the group revamped the winter have been a pair of veteran starters on one-year offers, Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey indicated the group was comfy leaning on its assortment of younger arms, starting with Birdsong. The group additionally contains Roupp and McDonald, who seem primed to interrupt camp with the massive membership, but in addition Carson Whisenhunt, Carson Seymour and Blade Tidwell, who haven’t essentially regarded like dependable depth choices up to now by spring.
The secure of arms unexpectedly doesn’t look so secure.
“Yeah, I believe a good query of is there any doubt, or in case you guys have been going to throw out criticism, is: Is there the depth with the beginning pitching if you take away a man,” Vitello mentioned. “However I believe the depth, in case you’re speaking about the entire group, continues to be robust. …
“I’d like to have Birdie be part of that group as a result of he does have slightly little bit of means to swing backwards and forwards between beginning and bullpen. We’ll dive into who supplies that depth on the beginning roles however … I do be ok with the competitiveness and the depth.”
