The Giants joined the Hot Stove League action today by reaching agreements with two free agent pitchers, Adrian Houser RHP and Jason Foley RHP. They also agreed to a minor league deal with former Giant Gregory Santos RHP. Here's the breakdown:
Adrian Houser RHP. DOB: 2/2/1993. 6' 3", 242 lbs. 2yr/ $22 M(Option for 3'rd season).
2025: 8-5, 3.31, 125 IP, 6.62 K/9, 2.74 BB/9, 1.49 GB/FB.
Houser caught on with the White Sox last season after a disastrous 2024 with the Mets who released him. He got off to a great start including 7 shutout innings against the Giants. He was less effective after a midseason trade to the Rays where his ERA ballooned to 4.79 from the 2.10 he ran up with the ChiSox. So what's the deal with Houser? He is obviously a contact pitcher whose success will fluctuate according to the whims of the BABIP gods but there may be reason for more optimism than his K/9 and FIP indicate.
He has a solid 5 pitch mix including 4-seam FB, sinker, slider and changeup all with approximately equal effectiveness. They are all good pitches but he doesn't seem to have that put away pitch he needs to get K's. His fastball and sinker velocities took 2 MPH jumps from 2024 to 95.2 and 94.4 respectively. He limits the contact damage with a strong ground ball tendency and does not give up a lot of home runs which should play just fine in Oracle Park. His numbers with the Rays were negatively impacted by allowing 9 ER in 10.2 IP in his first two starts. His remaining 8 starts were better with a 4.14 ERA. Two of his final 3 starts were Quality Starts.
He is exactly the type of pitcher the Giants lacked last season, so this is a solid signing, but that was with Justin Verlander in the rotation. Houser is probably not a guy they can count on to deliver 150 IP let along 180 as 142 is the maximum number of innings he's pitched in any season of his career. IMO, the Giants still need a starting pitcher at least as good as Verlander was last season plus Houser.
Jason Foley RHP. DOB: 11/1/1995. 6' 4", 215 lbs. 1 yr/$2 M(Arbitration Eligible 2027, Free Agent 2029).
2024: 3-6, 3.15, 60.0 IP, 6.90 K/9, 3.00 BB/9, 1.57 GB/FB, 28 Saves.
Foley missed all of 2025 after undergoing shoulder surgery. He is expected to start the season on the 60-day IL and be available by midseason. He was a decent Closer for the Tigers in 2023 and 2024.
He's mostly a sinker-slider guy with an occasional 4-seam and changeup mixed in. He pitches to contact and with a strong groundball tendency and limits home runs.
Gregory Santos returns to the Giants organization on a minor league deal. He's a hard-thrower who can still get it up into the upper 90's but relies on his slider for over 60% of his pitches. He has battled injuries since having a good season with the White Sox in 2023.
Spot on, Houser is a fine #5, but who's the #3?
ReplyDeleteThere's still a lot of money on the Giants' table before luxury tax kicks in, and there are still worthy candidate on the board.
It's a good thing, Doc, that most of your readers are objective, and not going nuts over a minor signing which $11M/year is these days: depth not a top 3.
ReplyDeleteHmm.....read comments below. I even hit the button on the most negative, vitriolic one.
DeleteWhite Sox were one of the worst teams in the league. Obviously there was no pressure on Houser over there. Giants are a different breed. I don’t think it’s going to work out
ReplyDeleteDepends on what you mean by "work out." If Buster is thinking Houser is Verlander's replacement, then I agree. It's not enough. But if he sees Houser as the #4 or 5 and is still looking for Verlander's replacement or looking to resign Verlander himself, then I think Houser can fill that role.
DeleteFor $22M for an SP, you get 1 year of Imanaga or 2 years of Houser.
ReplyDeleteNote: Neither Imanaga nor Woodruff (who also gets $22M for one year) were actually available as they took their QO's which implies they are overpaid.
I will take 2 years of Houser for $22 M over Imanaga or Woodruff for 1 yr/$22 M any day.
DeleteI am not "going nuts" but I am not feeling the Hauser signing one iota..Not for 11 million per for 2 years after 1/2 of a good season followed by a decline after 60 or so IP (except agaisnt the Giants!) and back to his previous year's stuff...And no longer a dependable innings eater that he was years ago and with injury history....But, hopefully we get Alex Cobb instead of Matt Moore!!!..Stuff is weak but he tries to keep the ball on the Ground so I guess that's where he fits in for a few months. All in all, ind his signing a waste of money where every dollar counts for a Giant team but will hope for the best,
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I do like the chance taken on FOLEY...Two quite good years before his injury..Can close or set up..Hopefully he can be a mid season boost to the Giants bullpen even if it really might not matter next year given Buster's (or ownership allowed) approach SO FAR this off season. Still time though.
SteveVA
I thought I went to some length to show there MIGHT be more to Houser than just a half good season and a simple regression, but.....oh well.....
DeleteDoc..You did..Just not agreeing with you...and that's OK, right?
DeleteSteveVA
Maybe not 100%, but Doc is baseball's Ivory Soap: 99.44% Pure
DeleteMore mediocre talent for an irrelevant team. The "Buster Bargin Bin Shopping Spree" is off to a fine start. How can we get Joe Lacob to buy this team? Unless that happens, the Giants will continue to be, at best, an afterthought, most likely a laughing stock franchise. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, those teams have a legitimate excuse to not spend big because they are all small market teams. S.F. is what the 5th or 6th biggest media market in the country? It’s embarrassing to be a Giants fan under this ownership. If enough fans stop going to games, stop buying merch and stop watching and listening to games, the money trail dries up and Johnson will be forced to either sell or actually invest in the team. Unless that happens we’ll just get more of the same……..
ReplyDeleteOnce again, the Giants problem is not that they don't spend enough money. They need better baseball decisions. It remains to be seen whether Buster is making good baseball decisions or not. I do think Houser addresses a glaring need but also agree he should not be seen as Verlander's replacement. That requires another acquisition.
DeleteI am not saying that if I were the GM that I would do any of these, but please feel free to comment with a range of "I would do that" to "That's ridiculous!"
ReplyDeleteYes, these trades would create other holes on the roster, but could open the team for other moves.
Random trade ideas:
Heliot Ramos for Pablo Lopez (Twins should rebuild)
Bryce Eldridge for Joe Ryan (giving the future of Eldridge for 2 years of a mlb top rated pitcher, Fangraphs has him at #17) Maybe throw in one of the Giants SP question marks.
Would give the Giants a strong first three SP. Take away the Devers/Eldridge question of who's on first.
Casey Schmidt for Robert Gasser (Mil SP former top prospect before TJ, now healthy)
Throwing a dart that would give the Giants another question mark in their rotation. I believe the Brewers could upgrade at 3rd.
I have no problem dealing RAMOS, he's adequate, but wouldn't be enough for LOPEZ and then you need 3OFs not two!
DeleteI agree with you on dealing ELDRIDGE because ultimately he will not be a fit on this team...but you only deal him for something really, really good and likely to be a Giant for YEARS (i.e., a Younger pitcher or younger OF ready to bust loose). Don't rush to trade him..but be open to it for a good deal.
As for dealing SCHMIDT for a pitcher like Gasser, I'd forget about the Martes and Doyle at 2B and go with Schmidt or Koss with the other being a utility guy.. An OF bat is more important to me but likely not the Giants.
SteveVA
Has Verlander already signed somewhere? Or maybe he's just not willing to chance another 4 win year by the bay?
ReplyDeleteThese are not crazy ideas but I think the Twins have said they are not trading Lopez or Ryan. Personally I would keep Eldridge and option him to the minors for more seasoning and get a lower-cost hitter like Dom Smith to DH for one season. I would really, really hate to give up Eldridge for 2 years of Joe Ryan and then watch Eldridge turn into a 40 HR hitter.
DeleteI remember Houser pitching a gem for the white Sox against the Giants, thinking Giants might develop interest, sure enough. If he pitches like that, he'll help. Hope Foley recovers from shoulder surgery. I like his experience as a closer so he's a depth piece at mid season. Its good that they're not stopping here. according to reports. I wish Greg Johnson would stop talking to the Press. While it might be good practice not to give pitchers. $9 figure contracts, he comes across as an owner not willing to spend what it takes to win which upsets fans.
ReplyDeleteI recall Houser pitching a gem against the Giants. I also recall many other pitchers pitching gems against the Giants in 2025. I like the signing of Houser as a 4th or 5th pitcher, but the elusive element will be to find a good 3rd SP and bullpen to round out the offseason. Personally I think some small revolution for the MLB in 2027 might be a good thing-- without some shakeup in the collective bargaining agreement we might continue to see the same 3 or 4 teams in the World Series every year. (and the Giants' biggest rival winning it 75% of the time)
ReplyDeleteRangers won in 2023, Astros in 2022, Braves in 2021, Nationals in 2019, Red Sox in 2018, Cubs in 2016, Royals in 2015, Giants in 2014, Cardinals in 2011
DeleteI don't want to see a lockout in 2027, but if Dodgers end up winning the Worlld Series again, something needs to change to give small market teams a better chance to compete for a world series.
DeleteI’m gonna hold judgement until offseason is over. I have a feeling there is a big move or two left that will make the offseason a success. If not then I’m pretty sure fans will realize it wasn’t Farhan’s fault and the ownership really are cheap and don’t care about winning. I’m not gonna jump to that conclusion just yet but I’m getting ready.
ReplyDeleteI too think that Eldridge should return to AAA and earn his way to the majors. This decision would fit with Buster's "old school" philosophy as well as being in Eldridge's long-term developmental best interest. Even though he hit 18 HRs in AAA last season, he needs to improve his walk rate and decrease his K rate. When he dominates at AAA, then that's the time to figure out what the next step is. Just my $0.02.
ReplyDelete