Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks made his eighth start of the season on Friday, posting six innings of three-run ball against the Twins. He struck out six while issuing zero walks in the quality effort, but even after that outing his season ERA sits at a lackluster 5.82. The right-hander’s difficult start to the season has led to questions about whether or not he’ll continue to get starts in the San Francisco rotation, but Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle notes that manager Bob Melvin stood by the 28-year-old in his comments after Friday’s game.
While Melvin acknowledged that the possibility of a return to the bullpen is “always potentially there” due the hard-throwing righty’s years of success in a relief role with the Cardinals, he added that the Giants are “not talking about that at this point.” The presence of Hicks in the rotation alongside veterans Logan Webb, Justin Verlander, and Robbie Ray leaves just one spot in the club’s starting mix for a young arm. That spot is currently being occupied by Landen Roupp, who has a lackluster 4.89 ERA in seven starts this year but strong peripherals, including a 3.95 FIP.
The inclusion of Roupp and Hicks in the rotation leaves right-hander Hayden Birdsong and southpaw Kyle Harrison both limited to bullpen roles for the time being. Both have taken to their new jobs quite well, with Birdsong posting a 1.47 ERA in 18 1/3 innings of work out of the bullpen this season while Harrison has five strikeouts in three hitless innings since being called up to the majors last week. Both hurlers clearly have the arsenals necessary to start, but it’s unclear when an opportunity for either player will arise barring injuries within the current starting five.
Moving on to the lineup, the club has been without slugger Jerar Encarnacion all season after suffering a fracture in his hand just before Opening Day and undergoing surgery shortly thereafter. Encarnacion slashed .248/.277/.425 in 35 games for the Giants last year and a strong camp with San Francisco earned him the opportunity to serve as their everyday DH this year before his injury changed things. Since then, veteran Wilmer Flores has taken over as the club’s primary DH and has bounced back from a lackluster 2024 season to hit a solid .245/.295/.410 in 149 trips to the plate so far this year.
Slusser writes that the Giants like the idea of keeping Flores in that primary DH role in order to keep the 33-year-old healthier throughout the season. That might seem as though it leaves Encarnacion, primarily an outfielder and DH, without a spot in the lineup as he gears up for a rehab assignment, but Slusser notes that Melvin told reporters Encarnacion will be seeing time at first base during his rehab assignment. LaMonte Wade Jr. has hit a paltry .150./246/.252 in 123 plate appearances as the club’s primary first baseman this year, and Encarnacion could potentially take over the position for the time being, or at least provide a possible offensive upgrade over David Villar as a platoon partner for Wade. Whoever gets reps at first base will be feeling pressure from the minor leagues given the presence of consensus top-25 prospect Bryce Eldridge in the minors, but the 20-year-old has just 15 games at the Double-A level this year and is unlikely to be considered for a promotion to the majors until later in the year if he’s even on the radar to debut this year at all.
