The Philadelphia Phillies have been tabbed as a potential trade destination for this San Francisco Giants pitcher.
The Philadelphia Phillies could definitely use some more depth in their starting rotation, but pickings are pretty slim right now.
The Phillies were in on Max Scherzer before he re-signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, and team president Dave Dombrowski has already ruled out Lucas Giolioto and Zack Littell as potential options.
Philadelphia's starting pitching has been a major strength in recent years, but it is entering 2025 full of question marks.
Ranger Suarez departed for the Boston Red Sox via free agency, and Zack Wheeler is still recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome. That leaves Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo as the Phillies' only two dependable starting pitchers.
Aaron Nola was horrendous in 2025, and I'm not sure how much Philadelphia can actually count on Taijuan Walker. Then there's top prospect Andrew Painter, who has never pitched at the big-league level.
The Phillies could always explore a trade to try and bolster their staff, and on that note, Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors has identified a rather intriguing option for the ballclub: San Francisco Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong. Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images.Birdsong is definitely a compelling arm. He made his major-league debut in 2024, making 10 starts and pitching to the tune of a 4.75 ERA. While the ERA was unimpressive, he racked up 88 strikeouts over 72 innings of work.
San Francisco moved him to the bullpen to start 2025, but then elevated him back to the starting rotation later in the year. Birdsong excelled as a reliever (2.31 ERA) but labored in a starting role, posting a 6.17 ERA in 10 starts.
Due to the 24-year-old's penchant for fanning hitters, however, he is absolutely an interesting candidate for the Phillies to consider.
Birdsong averaged 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings in the minor leagues, and he has already shown that he can make hitters swing and miss in the majors.
Of course, the righty's control is an issue, as he owns a lifetime 5.2 BB/9 across 137.2 big-league frames, but there's no question that he is talented.
Deeds noted that Birdsong seems likely to be squeezed out of the Giants' rotation heading into 2026, so perhaps Philadelphia can attempt to swing a trade for the former sixth-round pick.
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