Adrian Houser has turned a challenging season into a remarkable comeback, signing a two-year contract worth $22 million with the San Francisco Giants. After a tumultuous 2024 season that saw him bounce between teams and endure a high earned run average (ERA), Houser made significant mechanical adjustments that led to a career year on the mound.
Houser began the 2024 season with the New York Mets but was released in July after struggling with an ERA over six. He then had brief stints with the Triple-A affiliates of the Chicago Cubs and the Baltimore Orioles. Faced with disappointing performance, Houser opted to overhaul his offseason training regimen, seeking help from PitchingWRX, a facility in his home state of Oklahoma.
During his time at PitchingWRX, Houser focused on improving his velocity, which had dipped from an average of 93.9 mph in 2023 to 92.5 mph in 2024. With guidance from pitching coaches, he made several mechanical changes. “They noticed right away at the beginning of the offseason that I wasn’t really getting into my backside very well,” Houser explained. “By the end of the session, I was closer to 95 mph.”
Despite the improvements, Houser’s early season performance did not reflect his adjustments. After starting the year with the Texas Rangers Triple-A affiliate, he was released after nine appearances. However, upon signing a one-year deal worth $1.35 million with the White Sox, he experienced a remarkable turnaround.
In his debut with Chicago, Houser tossed six shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners, allowing just two hits. He followed that success with another stellar performance, again pitching six shutout innings, this time against the New York Mets. On June 28, he delivered a dominant outing, shutting out the San Francisco Giants for seven innings and striking out five batters.
Over 11 starts with the White Sox, Houser recorded a 2.10 ERA across 68.2 innings, achieving an average fastball velocity of 94.4 mph, nearly two ticks higher than the previous season. His resurgence caught the attention of the Tampa Bay Rays, who acquired him at the trade deadline. Although he finished with a 3.31 ERA over 125 innings and a career-high 3.3 WAR according to Baseball Reference, his performance with the Rays was less consistent, leading to a 4.79 ERA over ten starts.
The Giants recognized Houser’s mechanical improvements and potential, prompting them to secure him with a significant contract. General Manager Zack Minasian praised Houser’s adjustments, noting, “It led to a 2-mile-per-hour velocity increase. He commanded the ball better and was able to widen his mix of usable pitches.”
Houser will reunite with Willy Adames, his former teammate from the Milwaukee Brewers, and will benefit from a strong defensive infield, including five-time Gold Glove winner Matt Chapman and two-time Gold Glover Patrick Bailey behind the plate.
“I’m excited to get back with Willy,” Houser said, expressing enthusiasm about his new team and the shared commitment to winning. The Giants currently have a rotation that includes prominent pitchers like Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, with the fifth spot still open for competition.
As the offseason progresses, the Giants aim to solidify their rotation. While they hope to add another starter, the organization has several young prospects, including Hayden Birdsong and Carson Whisenhunt, who may be ready to step up. Minasian stated, “I believe in our development system and our pitching group. If we can’t develop a couple of those, shame on us.”
With renewed confidence and a lucrative contract in hand, Adrian Houser is poised for a promising future with the San Francisco Giants as he strives to build on his impressive turnaround season.
