PEORIA, Ariz. >> Landen Roupp isn’t making things easy for the San Francisco Giants. Not in the slightest.

Roupp was sharp in his second Cactus League outing on Thursday as the Giants beat the Seattle Mariners, 6-4, at Peoria Sports Complex, tossing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts and debuting a new pitch in the process. The competition for the fifth spot in the rotation may be headlined by Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison, both of whom were slated to pitch on Friday, but Roupp is ensuring he remains in the battle.

“It’s a different level than he was last year,” said manager Bob Melvin. “It was a lot of breaking balls for strikes, struggled with the command of his fastball. Had some walks, behind in counts. Now, he’s throwing all his pitches for strikes. It starts with the command of his fastball, which has good movement on it and good velocity.”

Roupp, as he is wont to do, predominantly relied on his sinker and curveball while sprinkling in some changeups, but the right-hander also threw four cutters, a pitch he recently added to his repertoire with the help of pitching coach J.P. Martinez and bullpen coach Garvin Alston. In the second inning, Roupp struck out Seattle’s Cade Marlowe with an elevated cutter.

Depending on how the fifth spot shakes out, the Giants could find themselves in a predicament. If Roupp doesn’t win the fifth spot, would they start him with Triple-A Sacramento as a starter? Or carry him in San Francisco as a reliever?

Roupp spent time in both roles last season after unexpectedly making the Opening Day roster, making 19 relief appearances and four starts, but Melvin said at the beginning of spring training the Giants would build Roupp up as a starter.