Amid rotation instability, flame-throwing right-hander Blade Tidwell is seizing his audition with the San Francisco Giants.
As the San Francisco Giants begin considering what their roster could look like in 2027, the starting rotation remains filled with uncertainty.
The Giants have used 25 different pitchers on their MLB roster from Opening Day on March 25 through Aug. 10. Injuries, inconsistency and recent trades have turned the rotation into a mix-and-match group and significantly reduced its depth.
One young pitcher who should receive every opportunity to enter that mix during Spring Training next year is Blade Tidwell.
The 25-year-old power pitcher is receiving more MLB experience and has handled being thrown into the fire well.
Tidwell has a 2.78 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with a save and a hold in 22.2 innings over 10 games (two starts) with the Giants this season.
He went 2-3 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 72 innings across 16 games (15 starts) in Triple-A Sacramento this season.
Originally selected by the New York Mets in the second round with the 52nd overall pick, Tidwell joined San Francisco as part of the Tyler Rogers trade on July 30, 2025.
What’s next for Tidwell?
Tidwell will likely remain part of the Giants’ pitching staff for the remainder of the 2026 season.
More importantly, he should enter Spring Training in 2027 as one of the organization’s most important pitchers because establishing himself in the rotation would allow San Francisco to fill an expensive need with an inexpensive internal option.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area, Tidwell expressed excitement about the opportunity and said he is embracing it. He also explained that his time with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats was focused on commanding the arsenal he has possessed since joining the Giants.
Manager Tony Vitello already knows Tidwell particularly well after coaching him with the Tennessee Volunteers.
Vitello made clear there is plenty he likes about his former player.
The Giants manager described Tidwell as someone who can appear rough externally but has a softer personality than people might realize.
Vitello highlighted his big heart and strong relationships with people throughout his career while emphasizing that the Giants believe there is considerably more potential to unlock.
“Blade is a little bit of a Skittle,” Vitello said.
“He’s rough on the exterior but a little softer than people realize on the inside. He’s got a big heart, and I think he’s got strong relationships with everybody that’s been involved with his career, and I think it helps that we know him because there’s more there ... I think there’s more there, and I really do feel pressure on (our staff) to bring it out of him.”
That familiarity could become particularly valuable during Tidwell’s development.
None of it guarantees the former Mets prospect a rotation spot in 2027.
However, he should be pushed toward the forefront of the competition when next season begins as San Francisco attempts to transition back toward contention.
Tidwell’s upside
Tidwell’s power arsenal gives him the ability to challenge hitters aggressively, while his physical stature provides the foundation teams traditionally value in starting pitchers.
His willingness to embrace opportunity is equally important. Young pitchers entering uncertain rotations must demonstrate confidence without assuming anything has been guaranteed, and Tidwell appears prepared to compete for his place.
The relationship with Vitello also gives San Francisco valuable insight into what motivates him and where further development may be possible.
Most importantly, Tidwell represents a potentially inexpensive alternative to pursuing costly free agent pitching.
If the Giants can help him command his arsenal consistently and unlock the additional potential Vitello believes exists, he could eventually develop into an ace-level starter.
