- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,258,342
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Pitcher Blade Tidwell (46) pitches in relief during a spring training game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. The Giants won 10-5 in Tony Vitello's first win as a major league manager. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle)
PEORIA, Ariz. - Out of the bullpen in a spring game for the first time in his career, Blade Tidwell didn't get to interact much with manager Tony Vitello before the San Francisco Giants' Cactus League opener on Saturday against the Seattle Mariners.
Vitello yelled a familiar one-liner as Tidwell came set while staring down a runner at second base.
"Alright, focus on the hitter," Vitello said from his spot in the dugout.
Vitello was two innings into his first game managing the Giants, but wasted no time getting into his comfort zone. At Tennessee, he was involved, brash and intense. Tidwell played for Vitello in Knoxville, so that familiarity practically settled him in.
"He's locked in every pitch," Tidwell said. "He always says whoever locks in and has the most confidence for the most amount of pitches wins most of the time. He lives it out."
You must be registered for see images attach
Manager Tony Vitello during a spring training game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. The Giants won 10-5 in Tony Vitello's first win as a major league manager. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle)
Working a filthy slider, the new Giants righty struck out three with one walk in an inning. Mariners struck out twice swinging at the slider and once looking at his sinker as Tidwell also peppered the zone with a healthy dose of 96.5 mph fastballs.
The Giants got Tidwell from the New York Mets in part because the 24-year-old didn't quite fit the organization's pitching plans. He debuted as a starter twice, but also pitched out of the bullpen twice for the Mets in 2025.
Tidwell profiles primarily as a starter, but he hasn't been told he'll be stretched out as one this spring. He's not the only young starter in big league camp with vague plans for how they'll build up. That's because the Giants could use a few to fill out a bullpen that got little healthy reinforcements this offseason. Jason Foley will miss at least half the year and Sam Hentges is slow to get going this spring.
As it sits, the bullpen could use a few arms with punch - strikeout stuff, or guys that can get an out in a pinch. Tidwell fits the bill.
"I'm down for anything," Tidwell said.
Hayden Birdsong has the stuff required to diversify the Giants' ‘pen, too. Plus the experience.
The 24-year-old started Saturday's game and didn't escape the first inning, his old habits coming back to bite. He got one out, walked a pair and was out of the game soon after giving up a grand slam to Miles Mastrobuoni. Perhaps the outing looks a little different if Victor Robles' leadoff infield hit doesn't get by shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald.
"Overall, the ball is jumping out of his hand," Vitello said. "I think it'll be good for him to get back out there and show a little extra determination."
Birdsong said he felt generally good despite the results: He filled the strike zone with his fastball, but couldn't throw his offspeed pitches for a strike, particularly his revived cutter.
The Giants could use a confident Birdsong again. He also doesn't have a clue if he'll be stretched out to start this year. As far as he's concerned, he's still competing for a rotation spot, though the last one is Landen Roupp's to lose.
He had a chance to claim that rotation spot in 2025, but all fell apart when he moved from the bullpen to the rotation in May. He had a 2.31 ERA as a reliever over his first 23⅓ innings (11 games). Once a starter, he soon lost control of the strike zone, walked far too many batters and was sent back to Triple-A with a 6.17 ERA over 42⅓ innings as a starter (10 games).
Birdsong said last year he felt freer as a reliever because, as he explained last April, the role allowed him to throw his best stuff without worrying too much about sequencing.
"I don't have to pick and choose when I can use it; I can throw everything," Birdsong said before a game in Philadelphia last year. "Odds are, I'm going to face everyone only one time. So I'm throwing whatever it is to get them out."
Birdsong said he felt like the strike zone had a "forcefield" around it when things went poorly last season. That forcefield seems to be gone now. He spent the offseason getting out of his head. His delivery, which had become too disjointed as a result, is smoothing back into form. His stuff would serve the bullpen well, the rotation, too, if he can get it all working together.
"Obviously trying to win a job," Birdsong said. "So I want to throw all my pitches and try to punch people out and not walk people and whatever. At the same time I'm working towards the end goal of things right now. Yeah, making the team is awesome. That'd be great, but I also know if I don't make the team I have more time to work on my stuff and get stuff to where it's perfect."
This article originally published at What Giants bullpen candidates Blade Tidwell, Hayden Birdsong showed in spring debuts.
Continue reading...
