GASTONIA, N.C. – Spencer Bivens has made the San Francisco Giants’ Opening Day roster, as announced by manager Bob Melvin early Tuesday morning.
Bivens, 30, made his MLB debut with the Giants last season and pitched well, posting a 3.14 ERA in 27 outings.
The right-hander pitched for Gastonia in 2021 and 2022, making 17 appearances. He was signed by the Giants organization during the ‘22 season and made his big-league debut on June 16, 2024. Bivens pitched three innings in relief, allowing one run and getting the win in his first Major League outing.
Two days after turning 30 years old, Bivens made his first start for the Giants on June 30. His opponent? The eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
“This was early in my season, so I was just trying to prove that I belong,” Bivens said. “I got to face the Dodgers and I knew that was going to be a difficult test.
The Virginia Beach native spun five innings of one-run ball, picking up the win. He recorded three strikeouts, with two of them coming at the expense of three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani.
Bivens native ended his outing with his second punchout of Ohtani, retiring the superstar on an 82 mile-per-hour sweeper low and inside while the Giants led their rivals 9-1. The right-hander was fired up, pumping his fist in the air as if he were firing a punch in a boxing ring to celebrate his performance.
“I just felt that I proved to myself that I belong there and I can compete at a high level in the big leagues,” Bivens said.
His success during the 2024 season and also throughout 2025 spring training (2.70 ERA in eight appearances) resulted in Bivens making San Francisco’s Opening Day roster.
Bivens and the Giants will head to Cincinnati for Opening Day on Thursday, March 27.
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Gastonia Ghost Peppers begins its second season of operations with Zawyer Sports & Entertainment – a sports ownership group with professional teams operating in the U.S. and the fifth season for the franchise at CaroMont Health Park in the FUSE District of Gastonia. The Ghost Peppers have made the ALPB Playoffs for three consecutive seasons, setting the league record for highest win percentage in a three-year span (.651 from 2022-2024.)
In their inaugural season, the Ghost Peppers had seven players with contracts purchased by other leagues, whether that be MLB-affiliated clubs or leagues outside the country. They also had two former players make their MLB debuts in 2024 — Spencer Bivens (Tigers) and Bryan Sammons (2024.) J.C. Escarra, who played for Gastonia in 2023, is currently on the Yankees’ 40-man roster.
The Ghost Peppers open the 2025 season on Friday, April 25 against the York Revolution. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Single game tickets are currently on sale. Contact the Ghost Peppers office at 980-415-2255, or visit www.ghostpeppersbaseball.com for more information.