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The San Francisco Giants are set to promote top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt for his Major League debut on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park. Manager Bob Melvin confirmed the move following the Giants’ 5-3 loss to the New York Mets, a defeat that was their ninth in the last 11 games and left them with a 54–52 record, three games behind the Padres for the final National League Wild Card spot.
Whisenhunt, a 24-year-old left-hander and the Giants' No. 3 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, will take the rotation spot vacated by Landen Roupp, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Hayden Birdsong was also recently demoted, forcing San Francisco to rely on bullpen games to cover innings.
Drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of East Carolina, Whisenhunt has spent the 2025 season with Triple-A Sacramento, posting an 8-5 record and a 4.42 ERA across 97 2/3 innings. He tallied 86 strikeouts to 28 walks, with a 1.33 WHIP, the second-best mark among Sacramento pitchers behind only Mason Black. He holds the best ERA in the Pacific Coast League among qualified pitchers with more than 18 starts.
Whisenhunt's arsenal includes a 92–94 mph two-seam fastball and a low-80s slider, but his standout weapon is a 70-grade changeup. In Triple-A last year, that pitch accounted for 71 of his 135 strikeouts and produced a 47% swing-and-miss rate. However, concerns remain about the inconsistency of his fastball and the developmental status of his slider. How well the latter evolves may determine whether he remains in the rotation or shifts to a bullpen role.
The Giants scratched Whisenhunt from a scheduled Triple-A start over the weekend, a clear sign of the imminent call-up. He joined the team on Sunday as part of the taxi squad. San Francisco has yet to announce the necessary roster move to place Whisenhunt on the 40-man and active rosters.
Whisenhunt has already earned two Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week honors this season and represented the Giants in the 2025 Futures Game for the second consecutive year. He’s pitched at least seven innings in three of his starts this season.
With the bullpen taxed from Sunday’s seven-reliever game, the Giants hope Whisenhunt can deliver at least five innings. Carson Seymour, who has not pitched since Tuesday, is expected to be available as a piggyback option.
