Amid a 5-game skid in July 2025, the Giants optioned Birdsong & Beck, recalling Hjelle & Seymour to fix a struggling bullpen. Can they stop the slide?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The San Francisco Giants are sending a clear message: the status quo isn't working. Reeling from a five-game losing streak that has jeopardized their postseason standing, the front office made a significant move Tuesday, optioning struggling right-handers Hayden Birdsong and Tristan Beck to Triple-A Sacramento. The hope is that recalling Sean Hjelle and Carson Seymour can provide a much-needed jolt to a pitching staff that has been at the center of the team's recent collapse.
Hayden Birdsong struggled mightily in his last start, allowing five earned runs and four walks without recording a single out.
The decision to shake up the pitching staff comes after a brutal stretch for the Giants. The bullpen has been a major contributor to the recent five-game slide, and Hayden Birdsong's last performance was the breaking point. The rookie, who showed promise earlier in the year, imploded by allowing five runs and four walks without getting an out. Tristan Beck also struggled to find his footing, posting a 5.68 ERA in his 19 innings. The Giants are turning to familiar faces in Sean Hjelle (1-1, 6.75 ERA) and Carson Seymour (4.50 ERA in 4 IP) for stability. While their own MLB numbers aren't dazzling, the team is desperate for fresh arms who can simply get outs and stop the bleeding.
These roster moves aren't happening in a vacuum. The recent skid, including a demoralizing sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays, has put the Giants in a precarious position. At 53-49, they've fallen 6.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. More critically, they are now 3.5 games adrift of the final NL Wild Card spot held by the Padres. What once looked like a secure path to October baseball now requires an immediate and sustained turnaround. Every game, every series, has taken on heightened importance.
The immediate test begins today in Atlanta. The Giants face the Braves in the rubber match of their series, a game that feels like more than just a single notch in the win-loss column. It's a chance to halt the negative momentum and prove the team still has fight. They'll need their offensive leaders like Willy Adames (15 HR), the consistent Heliot Ramos (.339 OBP), and the clutch Wilmer Flores (59 RBI) to step up and provide run support. After a 9-5 loss to open the series, the Giants need to find a way to win on the road (25-29) and build some confidence before they fall too far behind to catch up.
Today's roster shuffle is a clear sign of urgency from the Giants' front office. But moves on paper don't win games. The pressure now shifts to the clubhouse to respond, starting with today's crucial morning matchup against the Braves. With the season hanging in the balance, the Giants need to prove this shake-up is the catalyst for a much-needed second-half surge, not just a rearrangement of deck chairs on a sinking ship.
