How Verlander made immediate impact at Giants spring training

SCOTTSDALE -- On a sun-drenched morning early in camp, Hayden Birdsong stepped onto a bullpen mound at Scottsdale Stadium and found himself surrounded by the usual array of teammates, coaches, front office members and analysts. But the most vocal observer was the fellow right-hander who is preparing for his 20th season, the one who might be the last to ever win 300 games in the big leagues.

Justin Verlander stood directly behind Birdsong and shouted encouragement as he watched. He occasionally looked down at an iPad, which was offering real time feedback on an adjustment that had been suggested to Birdsong. 

"I was joking with Justin that I'm going to make him the assistant pitching coach, too," pitching coach J.P. Martinez said. "It's not the same salary, though."

The Giants signed the future Hall of Famer to a one-year, $15 million contract in January, and as Verlander was introduced to the media, president of baseball operations Buster Posey made it clear that the overriding reason for the deal was to have Verlander near the top of their rotation. A secondary effect, Posey hoped, would be felt every day, even if Verlander wasn't always aware of it.

Posey knew that Birdsong, Kyle Harrison, Landen Roupp and others could benefit just from watching Verlander go about his business all season. But through his first two weeks in Scottsdale, Verlander has proven to be much more than just someone to quietly follow from afar. He has taken on a mentorship role with young pitchers from day one while also organizing off-field activities. When Verlander turned 42 last week, about a third of the spring roster took part in a laser tag tournament.

Verlander has so much to offer that even veterans like Robbie Ray and Logan Webb have found themselves listening for advice at the breakfast table or as they hang out in the clubhouse. But it's the younger pitchers like Birdsong who should really benefit, and on Sunday, the second-year starter embraced a change that Verlander helped him make.

Birdsong pitched from the first base side of the rubber as a rookie, but Martinez thought he could improve his slider by moving to the third base side. Before that bullpen session, Verlander asked Martinez about Birdsong's foot placement. The belief was that Birdsong could positively impact the vertical break on his slider by giving hitters a different look.

"He had asked why I wasn't over there, just because I'm a verty guy," Birdsong said of Verlander. "He asked me before I went out if I was going to throw from the third base side. It helped a lot. It was really cool."

Birdsong stands out as the pitcher who can perhaps learn the most during Verlander's tenure with the Giants. The 23-year-old is listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, similar to the build Verlander -- now 6-foot-5, 235 -- had earlier in his career. Like Verlander, he pitches off an elite four-seamer, one that approached 99 mph in his spring debut on Sunday.

But the potential similarities are not the reason Verlander has been hands-on. On Monday's "Giants Talk" podcast, he explained how he has come around on mentorship over time. A lot changed in his life in the middle of his time with the Houston Astros and he said he "came in hot and heavy" at New York Mets camp in 2023. This spring, he has tried to be more laid back, helping where he can and being open to any young pitcher who comes looking for advice.

"It's something I've had to learn," he said. "When you come into this league it's so competitive and I was always really focused on what I needed to do to be successful. I liken it to being a horse with blinders on in a race. That was my focus, I was always just looking ahead, kind of just head down and work hard. As I've gotten older, particularly after having Tommy John surgery and having my daughter born, it really changed my mindset on a lot of things.

"I've worked hard on my communication skills and it's something that I now want to bring to the table. I come in and want to help these guys and I feel like my routine is so ingrained now that I know what I need to do and I can check that box on a daily basis, but also have time to take the blinders off and see what else is going on and help these guys in any way I can."

Martinez says veterans like Kevin Gausman, Alex Cobb and Alex Wood taught him more than he taught them, and the same will probably be true of Verlander. The key for the staff, though, will be helping Verlander adjust when he has to during the regular season. It's easy to dedicate the time to be a mentor when it's February and your body feels great, but if Verlander has his own mechanical issues to iron out during the regular season, that will take priority.

So far, Verlander has done nothing in his bullpen sessions to dampen the enthusiasm the staff has about how much he will help on the field this season. And off the field, the early returns are overwhelmingly positive. Birdsong smiled when asked what he hopes to soak up from his fellow right-hander.

"Anything. Anything, truthfully," he said. "Anything he can teach me on how to scout guys, how to go deeper into games, how to last for 20 years. If I can learn anything from him, I'll take it."

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