This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado’s Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Hayden Birdsong stood in the Giants’ Spring Training clubhouse in March and laid out his biggest aim for the 2024 campaign.

“Be here,” Birdsong said. “That’s my goal. My goal is to be in the league. We’ll see if we can get there.”

Three months later, Birdsong has realized that dream. The 22-year-old right-hander will be called up from Triple-A Sacramento to make his Major League debut against the Cubs on Wednesday night at Oracle Park, giving him a chance to boost a rotation that has been decimated by injuries this month.

“We really were impressed with what we saw in Spring Training,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s true starter stuff, and it’s talent. He’s young, but it’s pretty exciting to think that he’s going to get a chance to start here, especially at home.”

Ranked as San Francisco's No. 6 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Birdsong opened the season at Double-A Richmond and logged a 2.05 ERA with 61 strikeouts over 48 1/3 innings in 11 starts before being promoted to Triple-A Sacramento on June 11. He’s made only two starts for the River Cats, giving up five runs over nine innings (5.00 ERA) with 14 strikeouts and six walks, but the Giants still felt he was the best option to step into their big league rotation following the injuries to Blake Snell, Kyle Harrison, Keaton Winn, Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb.

“There’s some risk involved with a guy that was just in Triple-A,” Melvin said. “He’s a young kid. He’s very talented. It’ll be his first big league look, but we’re excited about it. Hopefully he gets off to a good start. In my opinion, he’s going to have a long big league career. He’s probably coming to the start of it a little sooner than we anticipated because of a need and probably pitching the best down there. I think that was why the decision was made for him.”

A 2022 sixth-round Draft pick out of Eastern Illinois, Birdsong is known for his upper-90s fastball and plus upper-70s curveball, though he also mixes in a slider and a changeup. The Giants will have to open up a spot on the 40-man roster to activate him on Wednesday, but he’s expected to have a chance to stick in the rotation while other starters work their way back from the injured list.

Snell (left groin strain) will make a second rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, while Harrison (right ankle sprain) threw off the mound Tuesday and could return as soon as he’s eligible to come off the IL on Monday. The Giants will have to wait a bit longer for Ray (Tommy John surgery) and Cobb (left hip surgery), both of whom are targeting a second-half return.