Last week, the SF Giants finalized the Adrian Houser signing. How does the rest of the starting rotation look after this move?
Projecting the 2026 SF Giants starting rotation following the Adrian Houser signing
If the season started today, the Giants would have a pretty good idea of who will round out rotation. The one question mark at the moment is who will fill that final rotation spot?
Giants general manager Zack Minasian met with reporters last week to discuss the Houser move. He also mentioned that the Giants could fill the final rotation spot with one of their internal options.
For much of the offseason, Minasian and the front office have conveyed their desire to add at least two starting pitchers in free agency. That tone had shifted in his latest interview.
There are quite a few moderately-priced free agents who would raise the floor of that unit. That said, they well is beginning to run dry and the Giants need to weigh whether some of those options represent actual upgrades, or just offer reliable volume.
There are also still a handful of frontline options available, led by Tatsuya Imai, Framber Valdez, and Ranger Suárez. However, the Giants have expressed reluctance toward signing pitchers to nine-figure contracts. There is a good chance that all three pitchers score paydays in that neighborhood.
So, what does the rotation look like?
Logan WebbRobbie RayAdrian HouserLanden RouppHayden Birdsong
As mentioned above, the first four spots are pretty easy to predict. This is assuming that there are no injuries.
That fifth spot is much more up for debate. Hayden Birdsong flashed intriguing upside in 2024. He pitched to a 4.75 ERA, 11.0 K/9, and a 2.05 SO/W rate across 16 starts. The hardest part for a pitcher and a good predictor of future success is getting hitters to swing and miss. Birdsong excelled in that category.
Last year, the right-handed pitcher struggled to a 4.80 ERA in 21 appearances with the Giants before being optioned back to Triple-A and finishing the year with the Sacramento River Cats. He began the year in the bullpen, and mentioned later in the season that adjusting back to the rotation was a tough task.
Trevor McDonald and Blade Tidwell will be among those competing with Birdsong for that final rotation spot. McDonald finished the year on a positive note, and that might give him an early edge in spring training.
Tidwell came over to the Giants in the Tyler Rogers trade, and immediately made a positive impression with the River Cats. There were was a change in pitch mix, leading to better command and more strikeouts. Tidwell finished the year on the injured list, but will be an interesting name to follow in camp.