Birdsong delivers badly needed performance despite tough loss to Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Rookie starting pitcher Hayden’s Birdsong got the start he sorely needed in the Giants‘ Disappointing 3-0 defeat At Milwaukee Brewers Thursday night at Oracle Park.
The right-hander had four strikeouts in five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits and one walk.
Birdsong made up for his last start against the Brewers, in which he allowed five earned runs in a 6-0 loss to the Giants on Aug. 29, and San Francisco manager Bob Melvin was happy to see his 23-year-old get some closure.
“Yeah, it was great. I mean, he really needed it,” Melvin said after the game. “You could see from the first pitch he was throwing his fastball deep, in the zone, with good velocity. As he went on, he got more confident. So, it was a huge outing for him to give us five like that.”
Thursday’s loss also marked the third scoreless outing of Birdsong’s career.
He looked comfortable from the first pitch at 6:45 p.m. PT and needed 68 effective pitches to lower his opening ERA from 5.19 to 4.74.
Birdsong also led the game despite having zero support in terms of runs and hits, in his 12th career performance.
“It was nice to be in the zone from first pitch to last pitch,” Birdsong said of his night. “Obviously I got a walk, but it didn’t bother me at that point because I was in the zone the whole game, and that’s all I really wanted to do.”
“I want to keep doing this and keep showing that I can throw to five and beyond. Today I was really happy… I have to keep doing this.”
Birdsong, still 3-5 in the 2024 MLB season, improved his WHIP to 1.42 and had 68 strikeouts.
It was his fastball that carried Birdsong Thursday night – a consistent target of his – but the rookie had it all and he knew it.
“It helps me a lot, always,” Birdsong said of his success with his fastball. “I haven’t had my heater on very often since I’ve been here. So it was nice to have that, and I could just throw it whenever I wanted in the zone today. Hopefully we can keep that going.”
The 72-75 Giants would like to keep Birdsong rolling.
After all, there’s no reason Birdsong can’t remain special. He has the tools to compete with the best — as he did against the National League Central-leading Brewers — and understands he belongs in the big leagues.
But baseball, more than any other sport, is a mental game. Fortunately, Birdsong is a pro’s pro.
“Not really. It’s my own brain that’s bothering me,” Birdsong said of the mechanical adjustments. “That’s the way it usually goes (and) that’s the way most pitchers are. You know, obviously there’s little things I can tweak, but it’s midseason, I’m pitching every five to six days, whatever it is.”
“It’s very difficult to change one thing and then something else goes wrong. So you have to adapt as you go.”
It would be difficult for Birdsong to change anything with 15 games remaining on San Francisco’s schedule.
But the Giants are almost eliminated of the National League playoff raceso don’t be surprised if Birdsong eventually becomes experimental.
Regardless, Birdsong proved he’s on an upward trajectory in his rematch against the Brewers.
Now the right-hander must finish the year strong.
