The San Francisco Giants entered spring training with four rotation spots already locked up — Logan Webb, Justin Verlander, Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks — and their three young starters vying for the fifth spot in left-hander Kyle Harrison and right-handers Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp.
Spring training is spring training, and most teams don’t worry too much about performance and stats over how each pitcher’s command is looking. But as two of the three youngsters shine, and a third is bouncing back, one of their supposed stalwarts is struggling. It all could cause some serious headaches for Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey.