The Giants’ offseason has already reached the point where a reset feels overdue, and the trade deadline gives them a chance to start it.
San Francisco handed out multi-year deals to Adrian Houser and Harrison Bader last winter, and both contracts now look like the kind of moves a front office would love to unwind if the market cooperates. The Giants also brought in Luis Arráez and Tyler Mahle on one-year deals, and those expiring contracts, along with Robbie Ray, are expected to be in play as the deadline approaches.
Houser is the most obvious candidate for a course correction. The Giants signed him to a two-year, $18 million deal that can grow to $22 million with the team option and $4 million buyout attached to a third season.
They were betting on a bargain mid-rotation starter. Instead, his first half went off the rails and ended with a move to the bullpen.
San Francisco wanted value, but Houser’s range of outcomes has skewed toward the wrong side so far. If he can settle in as a reliever and help a bullpen that has struggled badly, maybe there’s still a path to recouping something at the deadline.
Bader’s deal carries similar logic, even if the reasons behind it were different. The Giants gave him two years and $20 million because they wanted to improve the outfield defense, and that part made sense on paper.
Since debuting with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017, he has been one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.
But the bat came with warning signs, including an unsustainable .359 babip after a career year at the plate.
The results have been rough. Bader has posted a .557 OPS in 111 plate appearances, has appeared in only 30 games, and has missed most of the season because of a pair of leg injuries. His return is not imminent, which makes him harder to move, but not impossible.
Neither contract is crushing the Giants, which matters here. If San Francisco wants out, there may be ways to make it work by including cash.
The Phillies stand out as a logical fit for Bader because they’re looking for a veteran outfielder. Houser’s market is murkier, though a strong showing in relief could draw attention from plenty of teams that are chasing bullpen help.
For a club trying to clean up the edges of a messy offseason, that may be the cleanest path: move what they can, absorb some pain if needed, and try to use the money more effectively later.
In Other News...
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For a Giants club still trying to sort through pitching depth, the decision is another reminder of how quickly bullpen plans can change. Ramos was promoted to the big leagues in June for the first time, and the organization is now hoping the reset in Sacramento can help him regain form while keeping him available if the need arises again. [Read more 🡒]
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Giants Need Answers On Which Relievers Can Actually Be Trusted
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Dylan Smith has at least given them a competent look in a limited sample since coming over from the Tigers, and the search for usable depth continues to matter because the left side remains especially murky. Erik Miller may be the closest thing to a steady option there, but the Giants are still sorting through how much they can trust him, Matt Gage, and Sam Hentges, while Caleb Kilian and Keaton Winn look like the main names with a chance to fit into the longer-term solution. For a club that needs more than stopgaps, the next move may have to come from outside the obvious pool. [Read more 🡒]