The one big roster question that hung over the San Francisco Giants all Spring Training has finally been answered, as the team has finalized and formalized the plan for their trio of exciting young starting pitchers. On Monday, a few hours before their exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers, Giants manager Bob Melvin announced that right-hander Landen Roupp had won the competition and will be the Giants fifth starter. In slightly more surprising news, Melvin also announced that fellow right-hander Hayden Birdsong will begin the year on the roster, working out of the bullpen.
This all comes a few days after lefty Kyle Harrison was optioned to AAA Sacramento, with Melvin saying that Harrison was never really in the race for the fifth starter given how behind he started following offseason shoulder rehab and an illness that wiped him out at the beginning of camp.