SF Giants make a move to the starting rotation, shift struggling veteran to bullpen

The Giants have had a difficult time squeezing any productivity out of Adrian Houser this season. The Oklahoma native has been worth almost a full win below replacement level, sitting at -0.9 WAR in his 14 starts with the team. His 5.73 ERA, 5.33 FIP, 15.8 K%, and the team’s 3-11 record in his appearances are all brutally terrible. For a team trying to shake off a reputation of playing unwatchable baseball, Adrian Houser is the poster child of who the Giants should not be giving opportunities to.m

Vitello confirms that Houser is out of the rotation for now

Thankfully, it appears that the Giants have finally been convinced to own up to Houser’s signing being a mistake. Manager Tony Vitello told Shayna Rubin of The San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday that Houser has lost his spot in the rotation in deference to Trevor McDonald. McDonald’s ERA isn’t very pretty either, sitting at 4.64 through 42.2 innings pitched, but most of that damage came in two poor starts against each Chicago team - the White Sox back on May 22nd and the Cubs on June 13th. McDonald is eight years younger than Houser and comes with higher upside in the Giants’ long-term rotational picture.

Houser told the California Post’s Evan Webeck, “I’m not going to be happy about (moving to the bullpen), but I understand. I signed here to be a starter. I didn’t sign here to be in the bullpen. So I’m gonna do everything I can to get back in the rotation.”

Even though Houser has no reason to be surprised by the move, it is a bit of a reversal from what Vitello and the front office have previously stated. Three weeks ago, Vitello reaffirmed that the Giants were “set with Houser” as far as his role in the rotation being safe. A big reason for that supposed safety was the fact that Houser was and is in the first year of a two-year deal, which comes with a team option for 2028 that is a lock to be declined.

Of course, more baseball was played over those past three weeks. In Houser’s last appearance as a starter, he pitched only an inning before the opening game of the Braves series was halted due to rain and resumed the following day. That inning looked to be more of the same, as he gave up two earned runs off of three hits, including a home run, and walking a batter. Thankfully, the Giants managed to win the game the following day without Houser’s help, with Robbie Ray pitching 6.1 innings of shutout ball in “relief”.

The rotation sans-Houser probably constitutes a combination of Logan Webb, Ray, Landen Roupp, McDonald and Tyler Mahle, who will return from an IL stint caused by a strained hamstring. Of course, Houser’s move to the pen will probably be short-lived once Ray and/or Mahle, both rentals that could be moved at the deadline, are traded. It may sting Houser’s ego a bit to depart the rotation he signed on to join, but not as much as it stings to have to watch him out on the mound.

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