One reason why new addition is off to a slow start with the SF Giants in 2026

Adrian Houser is off to a slow start with the SF Giants, as he has pitched to a 5.40 ERA in four starts in 2026. The veteran hurler has struggled badly to get hitters to swing and miss.

One reason why new addition is off to a slow start with the SF Giants in 2026

It is still too early to draw any concrete conclusions about the team or its players, so this is just to highlight what is going on so far. On Saturday, Houser allowed four earned runs in 5.2 frames in a 7-6 win over the Washington Nationals.

The right-handed pitcher had a strong 50.0 percent ground ball rate, but this came with only one strikeout. He has been a ground-ball pitcher throughout his career, posting a 51.4 percent ground ball rate across 10 major league seasons.

The Giants targeted ground-ball pitchers in the offseason. Houser was just one of many to join San Francisco. This type of skill set typically plays well with the Giants. Ground ball pitchers usually limit extra-base hits and home runs. There is also a market efficiency that comes with this skill set. Strikeouts usually cost more in free agency.

Houser joined the Giants on a two-year, $22 million pact in the offseason. This includes a team option for a third year. He was coming off of one of his best seasons yet, pitching to a 3.31 ERA in 21 outings split between the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. A bump in fastball velocity helped pave the way for better results.

The problem with Houser so far in 2026 is that this is his only way of getting outs. He has a 51.9 percent ground ball rate, but only 11 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. He throws his sinker over 40 percent of the time, which by design, is intended for contact. The heavy, sinking action leads to a lot of ground balls.

The sinker is doing what it needs to be doing. The rest of the arsenal is not missing many bats. Overall, he has a 19.1 percent whiff rate, which is well below league average. The changeup and slider are his go-to secondary pitches, but those have whiff rates of 29.2 percent and 23.5 percent, respectively. He is just not getting hitters to swing and miss.

Houser is off to a slow start. The reason has to do with how he is getting outs. He is an extreme contact pitcher right now, and sometimes, the balls that are put in play find holes in the defense. There are times when a pitcher just needs to get a hitter to strike out, but the quality has been there for Houser yet.

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