The San Francisco Giants have summoned left-handed pitcher Carson Whisenhunt, who is set to start on Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. This development follows a knee sprain suffered by starting pitcher Landen Roupp in his latest outing, which will likely place him on the injured list, opening an opportunity for Whisenhunt to prove himself.
Whisenhunt Aims to Improve After Initial Struggles With Giants
In his previous three starts with the Giants before being sent back to the minors, Carson Whisenhunt posted a 5.02 ERA over 14 1/3 innings, striking out 12 while walking seven. However, he gave up five home runs in that span, indicating difficulties in adjusting to major-league hitters.
A significant factor behind these struggles was Whisenhunt’s changeup, which had been his best pitch in the minors but failed to deceive big-league batters, who managed to hit it hard. Despite this, Whisenhunt showed promise in one outing against the New York Mets, pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing only one earned run against a strong lineup.
Performance in Minors and Prospects for the Future
After being demoted in favor of Tyler Fitzgerald, who filled a newly created right field role, Whisenhunt made a strong start with the Sacramento River Cats. He allowed just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six while issuing four walks.
Whisenhunt remains the Giants’ top pitching prospect, and the organization has high expectations for his development. Ideally, the Giants hope he can perform well enough in the season’s final weeks to secure a spot in the 2026 rotation. While that may be optimistic, improving his changeup and gaining experience at the major league level would be valuable progress.
Opportunity Arises Amid Roupp’s Injury
Although the chance to pitch again with the Giants comes under unfortunate circumstances due to Landen Roupp’s injury, it gives Whisenhunt an important opportunity to make a positive second impression and advance his role with the team.