SAN FRANCISCO -- When Jordan Hicks finally hit free agency, several suitors viewed him as a starter and several as a late-innings reliever. The Giants never wavered. They told Hicks he would start in San Francisco, and he signed a four-year, $44 million deal.
"My whole life this has been the dream," Hicks said a few weeks later. "I'm fully embracing this."
In the second month of the second season, Hicks finds himself back in the bullpen. His ERA jumped to 6.55 last Wednesday, and on Saturday, manager Bob Melvin announced that Hayden Birdsong will take that rotation spot. Hicks said he understands, and he's ready to transition back.
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SIGN UP HERE "For me, I'm just going to live with it (and) take ownership," he said Sunday morning. "I didn't have the greatest start to the season as I wanted, but I'll move on and help the team in the bullpen."
Hicks will join what right now is the best group of relievers in baseball. Four pitchers got through the final four innings Saturday on just 34 pitches, lowering the group's ERA to 2.59. Initially, Hicks will serve as a sort-of long man given that he is stretched out to throw 100 pitches if needed, but over time that role will change.
Hicks said he's ready to do "whatever the team needs" and mentioned adjustments he has been working on the last few days. While he's among the league leaders in groundball rate, he is not getting as much swing-and-miss as you would expect from someone who sits in the upper nineties, and that would be one area to improve on as a reliever.
Hicks is averaging 97.2 mph with his sinker, but he's not sure if there will be the usual uptick that comes with moving to the bullpen. He spent all offseason conditioning himself to go full throttle for six or seven innings.
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"I was already up to 101 as a starter. I don't really know, to be honest -- we'll see," Hicks said when asked what his velocity might look like. "I don't think that's something I can predict if I'm going to go out there and throw 103. It's been two years since I did that. I have no idea. I'm just going to go out there and get the job done."
The job description has changed, but Hicks still has two years left on his contract, and at some point the Giants will have to make a decision on his long-term outlook. In addition to Landen Roupp and Birdsong, they have Kyle Harrison, Carson Whisenhunt and other young pitchers in the wings, and Logan Webb and Robbie Ray are signed past this season. Asked if he still wants to be a starter down the line, Hicks said right now he's focused on helping the team.
"I have not given up on myself," he said. "If the opportunity presents itself I'll happily take it, but at the same time I really don't have much control of the situation. Yeah, I want to be a starting pitcher. That's always what I've wanted to do in the big leagues. It's just not the time right now."