Another concerning trend for SF Giants pitcher's slow start in 2026

The slow start continued for Adrian Houser on Friday night, as the SF Giants dropped the series opener against the Miami Marlins in a 9-4 loss. Perhaps, the notable observation in an otherwise forgettable night was how badly Houser struggled against left-handed pitching.

Another concerning trend for SF Giants pitcher's slow start in 2026

Houser got into trouble right away in the first inning. The Marlins stacked the lineup with left-handed hitters, and that move paid off right away. Four left-handed hitters stepped to the plate in the first inning, and three of them recorded an extra-base hit.

This included a two-run shot by Liam Hicks. That was his fifth home run of the year, which would give him a commanding lead in that category if he played for the Giants.

Left-handed hitters had a 1.768 OPS against Houser on Friday. In isolation, that probably does not mean all that much. However, it is a continuation of a trend this season. Lefty bats are slashing .412/.461/.721 in 77 plate appearances. Houser has been at a disadvantage, as 62 percent of the batters he has faced this year hit from the left side.

Given those struggles, it is not too surprising to see that he has a 7.36 ERA through his first five starts. We covered one reason he is off to a slow start in 2026, but this is another that can be added to the list.

Last season, Houser allowed an .812 OPS against left-handed hitters. That is still a problem, but much more tolerable than what he has done in these matchups in 2026.

The veteran hurler has adjusted his pitch mix to some degree. He is throwing his changeup 31.4 percent of the time to neutralize the platoon matchup. However, that pitch has not been effective, and some of it is due to command. On Friday, there were a few changeups that caught too much of the middle of the plate when he needed to be missing below the strike zone.

The curveball and four-seamer have been used as secondary options against left-handed hitters, but neither one of them have helped as well. Houser is struggling badly in these matchups, and does not have a pitch to get him out of trouble at the moment.

The Marlins stacked the lineup with six left-handed bats in Friday night's win against Houser, and it worked. That has been a theme this year, and will continue to be one if he does not find a way to neutralize the platoon advantage.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow