The San Francisco Giants have a stable of young arms, both at the big league level and knocking on the door, who could be the faces of their starting rotation for years to come.
One of those names -- and perhaps the most prominent one right now -- did not begin in the rotation this season, though, as he was instead was relegated to the bullpen.
It was not a punishment for 23-year-old right-hander Hayden Birdsong.
Quite the opposite in fact.
Birdsong entered spring training on the roster bubble and responded by having a massive camp. Though he could not crack the rotation right out of the gate, he proved himself too good to be left off the roster, and as a result, he became a long reliever just to have his arm on the team.
It went without saying that when a spot was needed to be filled, as long as Birdsong held up his end of the bargain in the bullpen, he would get a shot in the rotation.
That he did, and when it became clear the Jordan Hicks experiment had failed, it was Birdsong's time to shine.
Sunday was another gem for the youngster in a victory over the Miami Marlins during his third start since stepping back into the rotation.
With just one run allowed in 5.1 innings of work and no walks, San Francisco was able to hold on to grab a much-needed victory.
It's the second start where Birdsong has gone at least five innings and not allowed more than a run, and the second time he has done the same without a walk to his name.
On the season as a whole, his ERA is down to 2.37 with 40 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched compared to just 12 walks.
If Birdsong can really start to come along here over the next few months, it's going to be a massive development for a Giants staff that entered the season looking thin at best.
Birdsong came into the 2025 campaign as a relative afterthought, but he's now proven himself to be not only be a critical piece of the current rotation, but potentially the ace of the future that San Francisco has been waiting for.
If he can keep getting better, it will be a scary thought for the rest of Major League Baseball, and especially the National League West.
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After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
According to some, throw out the idea that the Edmonton Oilers should pursue Max Pacioretty. A veteran forward who has earned over $63 million over the course of his NHL career has yet to sign an NHL contract and was recently mentioned in a post by David Staples as a possible fit. In a recent post, the Journal noted, “All of the top NHL unrestricted free agents have already signed contracts, but there’s one big name player still available that makes good sense for the Edmonton Oilers to pursue.” Responses have been varied, with a few quite vocal about the Oilers not following Staples’ advice. “In what world does this make sense?????” writes a commenter on a recent post for The Hockey Writers. Another commenter wrote, “Pacioretty is a good journeyman player but he is injury prone now, late in his career. Oilers might be lucky to get 40 games out of him. They should look elsewhere instead of taking a chance on Patches.” Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation chimed in and said, “He scored five goals in 37 games last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Can’t stay healthy, very old, very slow.” Yaremchuk then went on a rant, listing several Oilers forwards who would be better than Pacioretty. What About Pacioretty on a PTO? Is there any reason that a team that is looking to get younger and faster, and move out depth pieces that were older and less productive than expected, would revert back to last summer’s strategy? It seems like an odd choice on the surface. Something would have to happen that would make giving Pacioretty a look risk-free. That means only a PTO. Even at that point, should he agree, it would require him to be willing to sign a two-way contract for the league minimum.
Following the shocking news of Hulk Hogan’s passing, wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, known to millions as Goldust in WWE, took to social media to share a deeply personal and provocative reaction: “Hospitals truly kill people. I really do mean that.” Rhodes’ blunt statement stunned many fans, but those who know his story saw the pain behind the words. His father, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, passed away in 2015, aged 69, after a fall at home led to hospitalization for kidney failure. After his father's passing, Dustin shared a contemplative response on WWE's YouTube channel to discuss the legacy his father left behind. The news of Hogan's death comes just a month after reports suggested he was on his "deathbed" after undergoing a neck procedure back in May. Hogan's reps denied that was the case. In June, US Weekly reported that Hogan had also undergone a "pretty serious heart surgery and was doing well afterward." Dustin’s connection to his brother Cody Rhodes, now a top WWE superstar and face of the company’s next generation, is unbreakable. The Rhodes family legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of pro wrestling history, and seeing another legend like Hogan pass has clearly hit close to home. While Goldust and Hulk Hogan never had a headline-grabbing rivalry, they did share the ring once. It occurred in WCW in 2000 when Dustin Rhodes matched up against Hogan. Although their paths didn’t often cross in the squared circle, Hogan and the Rhodes family were part of the same larger-than-life era that helped define pro wrestling for decades and catapult the sport into society's zeitgeist. Rhodes’ comment about hospitals might not sit well with everyone, but it speaks to a raw and honest pain felt by someone who has seen too many legends, both personal and professional, fade away in similar fashion. The sport of wrestling has endured more than its fair share of lives cut short. As tributes continue to pour in for Hogan, Rhodes’ reaction serves as a powerful, if somber, reminder of the real human emotions behind the wrestling personas.
Talen Horton-Tucker spent the 2024-25 season playing for the Chicago Bulls. He finished the year with averages of 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest while shooting 45.7% from the field and 33.6% from the three-point range in 58 games. This summer, Horton-Tucker became a free agent who is available to sign with any team in the league. On July 26, he still remains unsigned. Horton-Tucker was the 46th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Iowa State. He spent the first three years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. During that span, Horton-Tucker became a fan-favorite. Via Ballislife.com (on December 14, 2020): "20-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker put on a show in the Lakers win over the Clippers! 33 PTS 11/17 FG 4/5 3PT 10 REB 4 AST 4 STL" Horton-Tucker has also spent time with the Utah Jazz (in addition to the Bulls and Lakers) over six seasons. The 24-year-old has career averages of 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest while shooting 42.7% from the field and 29.9% from the three-point range in 305 games. Via Legion Hoops (on April 8, 2022): "Talen Horton-Tucker as the Lakers’ first option tonight: 40 (!!!) points 54% FG 4 steals 3 assists 3 rebounds" As for the Bulls, they finished the 2024-25 season as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 39-43 record. They missed the NBA playoffs for the third straight season.
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