The Giants are planning to move Hicks to the bullpen and could do so as soon as this weekend, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Hicks made his last start on 11 days' rest but still struggled, yielding four runs on three hits and five walks with seven strikeouts over 3.2 innings in a loss to the Dodgers on Tuesday. He needed 92 pitches to cover his 3.2 frames and admitted again after the outing that his body feels "a little worn down." Hicks could get one more start Sunday, but if that happens he's expected to throw only three innings or so. The right-hander's conversion from reliever to starter began with a bang as he posted a 2.33 ERA and 48:19 K:BB over 58 innings in his first 11 starts. Since then, though, he's managed just a 6.42 ERA and 42:22 K:BB across 40.2 frames covering nine starts. Hicks' 98.2 innings are already his career high by 21 frames. He will move to short relief soon, but the Giants plan to put Hicks back in the rotation in 2025.