The Giants desperately need another starter. Will Buster Posey rely on a Triple-A arm or work a deal to bring a proven pitcher to San Francisco?

Hayden Birdsong’s demotion combined with Justin Verlander’s inconsistency highlight the team’s need for major-league rotation depth as the July 31 trade deadline looms. It’s an issue that has been brewing since the team sent Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Rafael Devers.

Birdsong’s demotion now leaves the rotation as Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Justin Verlander, Landen Roupp and others. Webb and Ray were both All-Stars, but they’re both coming off nightmare starts, and they’ve struggled more recently than they previously had all season.

The Giants already had a hole in their rotation after demoting Hayden Birdsong to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. Now they have two. Right-hander Landen Roupp, who had emerged as the club’s No. 3 starter behind All-Stars Logan Webb and Robbie Ray,

Instead, Birdsong hit his nadir. He faced six batters and recorded no outs. He threw 25 pitches but landed only six strikes. He surrendered one hit but allowed five runs due to four walks and a hit-by-pitch.

With Hayden Birdsong's demotion, it’s clear the Giants have had enough of the rotation’s struggles and are moving in a different direction.

Rookie Drake Baldwin drove in six runs, Ronald Acuña Jr. scored three times and the Atlanta Braves beat San Francisco 9-5, handing the Giants their season-high sixth straight loss.

While the San Francisco Giants were unable to make it back to .500 on Sunday, their season-ending loss to the St. Louis Cardinals wasn't all bad. Rookie right-hander Hayden Birdsong took the mound ...