Hayden Birdsong Injury: Surgery on table

Birdsong said Wednesday that he recently met with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion on his right forearm and is weighing whether to undergo surgery or treat the injury through rest and rehab, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Recently diagnosed with a Grade 2 right forearm strain, Birdsong looks destined to miss extended time to begin the season regardless of how he elects to treat the injury. While surgery would provide a more permanent fix for the forearm injury than rest and rehab, Birdsong would likely be sidelined through at least the middle of the 2027 season if he opts for a procedure to repair his UCL and/or flexor tendon. Expect Birdsong to make a decision on his treatment plan within the next few days.