Adrian Houser’s first season with the SF Giants is over.
The veteran right-hander was moved to the 60-day injured list, according to the team’s transaction log, and that ends his year with San Francisco. Houser had already landed on the 15-day injured list at the end of August, and the Giants did not offer a recovery timetable. Given the injury, there was no need for him to pitch again in 2026.
The move opened a roster spot for Cesar Perdomo, who was added to the 40-man roster. Houser is now the 13th player on the Giants’ 60-day injured list.
For San Francisco, the roster churn is only beginning. Free agency will bring the usual offseason shuffle, even with a potential lockout looming. The Giants still have to clear space, activate players off the 60-day injured list and handle any eligible players who choose free agency before the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires.
There is not much immediate free-agent business on the Giants’ side. JT Brubaker is the only player set to reach the open market. Beyond that, the front office will need to trim the 40-man roster through waivers or non-tenders.
Houser, meanwhile, is not going anywhere for now. He is under contract through next season, and his deal also includes a team option for a third year. His first run with the Giants was uneven from the jump.
Early on, Houser struggled badly enough that he was close to unusable in the rotation. The issues were clear: a declining strikeout rate, extreme platoon splits and trouble the third time through the order. The Giants have not leaned heavily on openers in recent seasons, but that approach would have made plenty of sense for his starts.
The numbers tell the story of a season that never quite settled in. Houser finished with a 4.02 ERA, 4.55 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, 6.2 K/9 and a 2.21 SO/W rate over 109.2 innings. He was moved to the bullpen in the middle of the year, and although he was not pleased with that shift, the results took a real jump.
Before the move, Houser had a 5.73 ERA across 66 innings. Afterward, he put up a 1.44 ERA in 43.2 innings.
Even with that late improvement, it is still hard to pin down exactly what the Giants have in Houser. His 10-year career has been defined by inconsistency. But with so many rotation openings looming next season, there is a good chance he gets another shot in that role.
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For San Francisco, the immediate plan is straightforward: use Kuhnel in low-leverage situations and see whether there is something to build on beyond this year. The longer view is a little more intriguing, because the Giants could keep him around for 2027 if he proves useful, making this less a one-off waiver claim than a possible first step in a longer stay. [Read more 🡒]