Hayden Birdsong’s demotion combined with Justin Verlander’s inconsistency highlight the team’s need for major-league rotation depth as the July 31 trade deadline looms. It’s an issue that has been brewing since the team sent Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Rafael Devers.

Birdsong’s demotion now leaves the rotation as Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Justin Verlander, Landen Roupp and others. Webb and Ray were both All-Stars, but they’re both coming off nightmare starts, and they’ve struggled more recently than they previously had all season.

Young Giants starter Hayden Birdsong had a disastrous outing in San Francisco's 9-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday at Truist Park.

It just makes too much sense for the Giants to cut ties with Sean Hjelle amidst an imminent pitching staff move.

Giants starter Hayden Birdsong speaks to reporters after San Francisco’s 9-5 series-opening loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday night at Truist Park.Hayden Birdsong dissects his inability to record o

Instead, Birdsong hit his nadir. He faced six batters and recorded no outs. He threw 25 pitches but landed only six strikes. He surrendered one hit but allowed five runs due to four walks and a hit-by-pitch.

It's for the best that I don't remember any of my preseason predictions. What I do remember are the educated guesses and half-baked hunches.

Rookie Drake Baldwin drove in six runs, Ronald Acuña Jr. scored three times and the Atlanta Braves beat San Francisco 9-5, handing the Giants their season-high sixth straight loss.

The San Francisco Giants need a starting pitcher. Or two. An Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher fits their needs perfectly.