Hicks (side) is listed as the Giants' probable starting pitcher for Friday's game against the Phillies in Philadelphia.
Hicks contended with side tightness during his most recent outing against the Pirates last Saturday, when he struck out a season-high nine over six innings while allowing one earned run on five hits and no walks. The injury apparently didn't hinder him during his between-starts bullpen session, so he's on track to take the hill for the seventh time this season Friday. After pitching exclusively in relief between stops with St. Louis and Toronto in 2023, Hicks has performed even better than the Giants could have imagined after signing him to a four-year, $44 million deal this winter with the plan of converting him to a full-time starting role. Through his first six turns through the rotation, Hicks has delivered two wins to go with a 1.59 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 27:10 K:BB in 34 innings.