Carson Whisenhunt creates lots of buzz in MLB debut

by | Jul 29, 2025

By all comparisons, ECU baseball alum Carson Whisenhunt had a pretty good first game in Major League Baseball.

He was called up by the San Francisco Giants and pitched for the first time in a MLB game on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was greeted by giving up a solo homer in the first inning but recorded his first MLB strikeout to end the inning.

The Giants tied the game before Pittsburgh came back with three more in the second. The Giants got two back in the bottom of the second and tied it in the fourth.

Whisenhunt left after five innings, giving up four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. The Pirates went on to break the tie and win it, 6-5.

Carson Whisenhunt ( Scott Strazzante, San Francisco Giants photo)

So what’s next for the lefthander? Will he stay with the team or be sent back to Triple-A Sacramento? He basically made a spot start since the Giants’ rotation is struggling with injuries.

Regardless, Whisenhunt made a splash with the San Francisco and national media. He’s their No. 1 pitching prospect who will eventually stick with and pitch for the club.

The buzz on social media about his performance was up and down on his debut.

He was asked why he wears No. 88.

It was a special night for Whisenhunt’s family after a nervous few days that included his father losing his wallet while in the Philippines.

There was a lot of pregame buzz, too.

 

Photo: Carson Whisenhunt (San Francisco Chronicle photo)

Check out Pirate Radio

Website | Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | Instagram | YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Top Headlines

CFL Week 8 wrap: DaShaun Amos, Hamilton win again

DaShaun Amos and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the hottest team in the CFL. The ECU football alum and his team won their fifth straight on Sunday, holding off the British Columbia Lions, 37-33. It’s the first time since 2019 that Hamilton (5-2) has had such a winning...

ECU football opens fall practice, begins prep for NC State opener

It's officially football season as East Carolina stepped onto the practice field early Monday. The Pirates worked out and head coach Blake Harrell took questions from the media about the start to his first full season as head coach. Pirate Radio was there for the...

Carson Whisenhunt to start Monday for Giants vs. Pirates

Four years after being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the second round of the Major League Baseball Draft, ECU Baseball alum Carson Whisenhunt is getting his first start in the big leagues. The news was first reported by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Carson...

Harold Varner III finishes tied for 34th at LIV Golf UK event

Harold Varner’s best round came on Sunday and helped him finish in a tie for 34th at the LIV Golf UK by JCB event. The ECU golf alum shot a -3 to finish at -2 with two other golfers. He had three straight birdies on No. 10, 11 and 12 then hit birdies on No. 17 and No....

ECU picked seventh in American Conference football poll

Tulane was chosen to win the race for the American Conference football title with ECU picked to finish in the middle of the pack. The conference’s media days wrapped up in Charlotte on Friday. The coaches of each team voted on how the league would finish. The Green...