The Royals manage just seven hits.

Hayden Birdsong threw five sharp innings in his first start of the season and the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Tuesday night. Birdsong (2-0) was moved from the bullpen to the rotation in place of Jordan Hicks and provided just what manager Bob Melvin hoped he would deliver when he made the move. Birdsong allowed one unearned run, five hits and no walks to give the Giants their fourth win in the last five games.

It's almost Memorial Day, and Hayden Birdsong became only the sixth pitcher to start a game for the Giants when he toed the rubber at Oracle Park on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old right-hander never planned to work in relief but took the opportunity that was given to him out of spring training, pitched well enough to merit a promotion to the rotation and kept it up in his first start, leading the way to a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. Birdsong has only himself to blame for the one unearned run he allowed but otherwise breezed through five innings, scattering five hits while striking out four and walking none, to earn the win. Birdsong handed a 3-1 lead over to Randy Rodríguez, Kyle Harrison and Camilo Doval, who bridged the gap to the ninth inning, which Ryan Walker retired in order to earn his ninth save of the season with his third straight 1-2-3 outing.

It's almost Memorial Day, and Hayden Birdsong became only the sixth pitcher to start a game for the Giants when he toed the rubber at Oracle Park on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old right-hander never planned to work in relief but took the opportunity that was given to him out of spring training, pitched well enough to merit a promotion to the rotation and kept it up in his first start, leading the way to a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. Birdsong has only himself to blame for the one unearned run he allowed but otherwise breezed through five innings, scattering five hits while striking out four and walking none, to earn the win. Birdsong handed a 3-1 lead over to Randy Rodríguez, Kyle Harrison and Camilo Doval, who bridged the gap to the ninth inning, which Ryan Walker retired in order to earn his ninth save of the season with his third straight 1-2-3 outing.

All Times EDT East Division W L Pct GB Philadelphia 30 18 .625 — New York 29 20 .592 1½ Atlanta 24 24 .500 6 Washington 22 27 .449 8½ Miami 19 28 .404 10½ Central Division W L Pct GB Chicago 29 20 .592 — St. Louis 27 22 .551 2 Cincinnati 25 25 .500 4½ Milwaukee 24 25 .490 5 Pittsburgh 16 33 .327 13 West Division W L Pct GB Los Angeles 29 19 .604 — San Francisco 29 20 .592 ½ San Diego 27 19 .587 1 Arizona 26 22 .542 3 Colorado 8 40 .167 21 ___ Monday's Games Cincinnati 7, Pittsburgh 1 Boston 3, N.Y. Mets 1 Miami 8, Chicago Cubs 7 Milwaukee 5, Baltimore 4 St. Louis 11, Detroit 4 Philadelphia 9, Colorado 3 Kansas City 3, San Francisco 1 Arizona 9, L.A. Dodgers 5 Tuesday's Games Pittsburgh 1, Cincinnati

The San Francisco Giants look to bounce back against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night following Monday's loss to start the series. The Giants have been a surprise team in the 2025 MLB season and are only one game back from the National League West lead. Offensive firepower is on the team's priority list ahead of the trade deadline, but manager Bob Melvin needs to continue searching for a solution for those already on the roster. San Francisco is struggling to hit against left-handed pitchers.

The Giants began Tuesday tied for the major-league lead with a 2.64 ERA from their relievers, but subtract all the runs allowed by their closer, a title typically reserved for the best of the bunch, and the number sparkles even more: 2.33. The season has not started the way Ryan Walker envisioned, but there's reason to believe his fortunes are turning. It never ended up in the dugout, but it had often seemed like Walker wasn't sure where his pitches were going for much of the season's first six weeks.

During the finale of the three-game sweep for the San Francisco Giants over the Athletics, it was clear something was off to begin the contest. Starting pitcher Justin Verlander lasted only four innings -- his lowest output of the season -- and gave up two earned runs and five walks to just one strikeout. After Verlander shared that he was dealing with “something physically” following the game, Giants manager Bob Melvin provided some clarity on what that meant. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Melvin said Verlander was dealing with a pec issue, not elaborating much beyond that.

The San Francisco Giants were sold on Walker Martin's athleticism and his ability to develop into a power-hitting infielder. The 21-year-old, who started his professional career straight out of high school, made an appearance on Baseball America's Top 20 hitters list for his performance last week with Class-A San Jose. Last week with the San Jose Giants, Martin had at least one hit in each game he played. For the week he slashed .364/.464/.864, going 8-for-22, with three home runs and seven RBI.

The MLB season is underway, and we’re through the first 25% of the season, which gives us a better understanding […]

The San Francisco Giants have had a great start to the year in the Majors, but will need that success to spread throughout their farm system if they want to keep their championship window open. A handful of minor leaguers and prospects have started to look like future stars. Here is the best performer at each level so far. Right now, it seems more like a when than an if regarding Whisenhunt getting called up to the Majors in 2025.

Kris Bubic threw seven scoreless innings, losing a no-hit bid in the sixth on an official scoring change, and Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run homer in the eighth as the Kansas City Royals got past the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Monday night. Bubic, a left-hander who went to Mitty High School in San Jose and then to Stanford, carried his no-hit bid until there were two outs in the sixth. Wilmer Flores hit a grounder to the right side. Second baseman Michael Massey ranged to his left and slipped as the ball got past him.

Kris Bubic threw seven scoreless innings, losing a no-hit bid in the sixth on an official scoring change, and Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run homer in the eighth as the Kansas City Royals got past the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Monday night. Bubic, a left-hander who went to Mitty High School in San Jose and then to Stanford, carried his no-hit bid until there were two outs in the sixth. Wilmer Flores hit a grounder to the right side. Second baseman Michael Massey ranged to his left and slipped as the ball got past him.

Past the quarter point of the 2025 MLB regular season, it seems clear that the San Francisco Giants are here to stay. Willy Adames has been performing better at the plate in May, hopefully providing the team with some impact power as they hoped when they signed him to a franchise record seven-year, $182 million contract. Matt Chapman is getting on base but has yet to find his power stroke either. Carrying the offense to this point has been center fielder Jung Hoo Lee, left fielder Heliot Ramos, right fielder Mike Yastrzemski and designated hitter Wilmer Flores, who leads the MLB with 42 RBI after a historic performance recently.

Over the weekend, the San Francisco Giants swept the [insert name] Athletics, blowing them out in Friday's game thanks to a career night from Wilmer Flores, then on a tough walk-off walk in extra innings of a scoreless game on Saturday. WIth the A's out of town (thanks in some part to the Giants pushing them), there are theoretically more people that already enjoy baseball that no longer have a team to root for. The Giants will never be that, so it's tough to see may conversions happening in the near future. There is also another group that is Oakland or bust for the Athletics, and they're definitely not switching allegiances.

The San Francisco Giants will make the first tweak of the season in their rotation Tuesday night when they send right-hander Hayden Birdsong against the visiting Kansas City Royals. The Royals received seven shutout innings from San Francisco Bay Area product Kris Bubic in a 3-1 triumph in the opener of the three-game series on Monday. The loss was the Giants' first since Jordan Hicks started an 8-7 defeat versus the Arizona Diamondbacks last Wednesday.

Royals fans will be talking about these plays for a while.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Bubic (50) throws a pitch to San Francisco Giants' Jung Hoo Lee, left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Monday, May 19, 2025. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kris Bubic's no-hit bid for the Kansas City Royals ended with an official scoring change Monday night. Bubic made a run at an historic homecoming before settling for seven shutout innings of two-hit ball in a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Kansas City Royals (27-22, third in the AL Central) vs. San Francisco Giants (28-20, third in the NL West) San Francisco; Tuesday, 9:45 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Michael Lorenzen (3-4, 3.76 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 45 strikeouts); Giants: Hayden Birdsong (1-0, 2.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 25 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Giants -135, Royals +114; over/under is 8 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals play the San Francisco Giants leading the series 1-0. San Francisco is 16-8 in home games and 28-20 overall. The Giants have a 14-8 record in games when they record at least eight hits. Kansas City is 10-13 in road games and 27-22 overall. The Royals have a 9-5 record in games decided by one run.

The San Francisco Giants are 28-20 overall but just 4-11 when facing a left-handed starter this season.