SF Giants News: Projected CBT payroll, Adrian Houser option, Marco Luciano on waivers

It could be a quiet week for the SF Giants in what has been a relatively quiet offseason thus far. Here are some Giants nuggets, including their projected Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payroll, Adrian Houser's team option, and Marco Luciano being on waivers again.

SF Giants News: Projected CBT payroll, Adrian Houser option, Marco Luciano on waivers

1. Projected CBT payroll

The Giants made a handful of moves last week, both in terms of adding to the major league roster and building depth in the upper minors. The Adrian Houser and Jason Foley signings were the most notable from the group.

Houser's CBT hit will be $11 million over the next two seasons. He does have an option for a third season. We will get to that in just a moment. Foley agreed to a $2 million deal for 2026. He is under team control for two more seasons after this one.

According to Cot's, the Giants have committed $197.1 million against the luxury tax, or about $46.9 million below the $244 million CBT threshold for 2026. They have a lot of flexibility to make further additions to the roster. Whether they choose to do so is a different story. The Giants are not only comfortably below the CBT threshold, but comfortably below the $225.4 million amount they committed against the luxury tax in 2025.

2. Adrian Houser team option for 2028

Grab your calculators, folks! Houser's deal with the Giants contains a $12.5 million club option for 2028. This includes a $4 million buyout. For the purposes of the luxury tax, he is guaranteed $22 million over the next two seasons, including the buyout. Houser's luxury tax hit is $11 million in 2026 and 2027.

If that team option is exercised for 2028, then the luxury tax hit goes down to $8.5 million for that season. If the option is not exercised, then there is no luxury tax hit. This is because the buyout had already been applied across the guaranteed years, which is for two seasons in Houser's deal.

For actual cash flow purposes, Houser will earn $8.5 million in 2026 and $9.5 million in 2027. If the team option is exercised, he will earn $12.5 million in 2028. If not, he will earn $4 million. Numbers are fun, huh?

3. Marco Luciano on waivers again

Marco Luciano is back on the waiver wire. The Pittsburgh Pirates designated him for assignment after swinging a three-team deal to acquire Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Pirates also received Jake Magnum and Mason Montgomery in the trade, both of whom are on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster.

The Pirates had to make a couple of corresponding moves. Luciano, along with Tsung-Che Cheng were placed on waivers. The Pirates added Luciano in a waiver claim earlier in December.