San Francisco Giants reward Adrian Houser in journey from the scrap heap

The last seven months have likely been a whirlwind for pitcher Adrian Houser.

Houser had been released from a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers on May 15, signing with the White Sox five days later. He was a revelation in Chicago, posting an impressive 2.10 ERA and a 1.223 WHIP over his 68.2 innings, striking out 47 batters with 22 walks. That performance made Houser a hot commodity at the trade deadline, leading to a trade to the Rays.

While Houser did not perform at the same level in Tampa Bay, his renaissance led to what would have been an unlikely windfall in May. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Houser and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract with a team option for 2028.

Adrian Houser can be steady piece in back of San Francisco Giants rotation

Houser had established himself as a solid, albeit unspectacular, presence in the back of the Brewers rotation between 2021 and 2023. He posted a 3.94 ERA and a 1.367 WHIP over 356.1 innings during that time, striking out 270 batters with 145 walks. 

Everything fell apart when he was traded to the Mets during the 2023-24 offseason. Houser struggled to a 5.84 ERA and a 1.529 WHIP over his 69.1 innings. The Mets released him on July 31, leaving Houser to sign minor league deals with the Cubs and Orioles, but he was unable to return to the majors.

Houser will likely slot into the back of the Giants rotation in 2026. Logan Webb and Robbie Ray are a formidable duo atop the rotation, while Landen Roupp showed flashes of his potential. Houser should provide a stable arm after that trio, an unexpected outcome after being on the scrap heap seven months ago.