Hayden Birdsong began the season as a long reliever. The San Francisco Giants right-hander was so effective in that role, he earned an opportunity to join the starting rotation.
Birdsong will make his second start of the season in the opener of a three-game series at Detroit on Monday afternoon.
In his first start, Birdsong limited Kansas City to one unearned run in five innings on Tuesday. He didn’t walk a batter while striking out four during an 80-pitch outing.
“Not really a surprise,” manager Bob Melvin said. “There were some misses from him (on Tuesday) that were kind of big, but when he needs to make a pitch, he does. His velo was up. His breaking stuff was good. I thought he pitched well.”
Birdsong (2-0, 1.91 ERA) replaced ineffective right-hander Jordan Hicks (1-5, 6.46) in the rotation.
“I felt good,” Birdsong said. “I had more energy in the fourth, fifth than I thought I would. Obviously, I’m still ramping up. They’re probably going to keep me somewhat at a pitch count for now and build me up again, but I felt good.”
While Birdsong was glad just to make the Opening Day roster, he was in an unfamiliar role. In his first taste of the major leagues last season, Birdsong started 16 games and posted a 5-6 record and 4.75 ERA.
He doesn’t want to go back to the bullpen.
“I plan on it,” Birdsong said of remaining a starter. “I’ll do what the team needs, but I plan on starting.”
Birdsong gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings in a 5-4 home loss to Detroit last August.
He could face his former Eastern Illinois teammate Trey Sweeney, who is now the Tigers’ starting shortstop.
“It will be cool, just coming from where we came from,” Sweeney told the Detroit News. “It will be cool for us two, for sure, but obviously for everyone who is part of that school and the Eastern Illinois community. It’s kind of rare for that to happen at a smaller D-1 school. It’s going to be cool for everybody.”
Keider Montero may not start but will likely pitch the bulk of the game for Detroit. Montero (1-1, 5.28) had a rough outing in St. Louis last Monday, surrendering five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of an 11-4 loss.
“This is a business where you have good days and you have bad days,” Montero said through interpreter Carlos Guillen. “(Monday) was not a good one. But from every error and every mistake you learn.”
Montero has been used as a spot starter this season, pitching in doubleheaders and then filling in when injuries struck the rotation. Reese Olson is currently on the injured list due to a finger issue.
Montero faced San Francisco once last season, allowing four runs in five innings of a 5-4 road victory last August.
Detroit salvaged the finale of a four-game series with Cleveland on Sunday behind an overwhelming performance from ace Tarik Skubal. He tossed the first complete-game shutout of his career and struck out 13 in the 5-0 victory.
“It’s hard to top what he did,” manager AJ Hinch said. “What an incredible performance when a team needed it the most.”
San Francisco took two of three from Washington over the weekend, including a 3-2 win on Sunday.
–Field Level Media
