Adrian Houser
#12 SP · Giants
Height
6'4"
Weight
227 lbs
Age
33
College
N/A
Draft
2011, Rd 2, #69
Experience
9 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/R
C
B-
C+
N/A
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The Verdict on Adrian, in One Read
On the field, Adrian Houser grades out as a strong SP for Giants (B- Performance). That places him 117th of 252 graded starting pitchers. The contract is harder to defend: the Contract Value Index calls it fairly priced (C), with the cost outrunning the output. The public read is mixed (C+ Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsB-
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 184 | 4.143281 | 42-48 | 607 | 1.3683765 | 0.0 | 1 |
| 2026 | | 12 | 5.49 | 2-5 | 40 | 1.58 | 60.2 | 0 |
| 2025 |
Current Contract
Length
2 years
Total Value
$22.0M
Guaranteed
$13.2M
AAV
$11.0M/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Contract Value Index (CVI)
C
Fair Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Above-replacement production at the SP pay band earns Adrian Houser a C Contract Value Index. At $11M AAV on a two-year deal for a 33-year-old established veteran, Houser's contract reflects his positioning as a reliable mid-rotation arm rather than a rotation headliner—exactly what the data supports, given his C+ performance grade. He's receiving journeyman pricing for journeyman production: durable innings from a pitcher who executes his role without the upside or durability track record that would justify ace money. The Giants' recent roster activity—adding multiple arms across the rotation and bullpen in May—underscores their confidence that Houser fits into their pitching architecture as a stabilizing presence, not a franchise cornerstone. Media and fan sentiment, sitting at B- on cautious optimism, reflects the baseball community's view that this is exactly the type of low-risk, veteran depth signing a rebuilding rotation needs, positioning Houser less as a gamble and more as professional insurance. With two years of club control at this price point, the Giants have locked in predictable salary without the risk of extension creep, making this a sensible value allocation for a pitcher at this career stage and performance level.
Performance Analysis
B-
FCA+
On tape and in the box score, Adrian Houser earns a B- performance grade among SP peers. The 33-year-old right-hander's 2026 season shows a respectable 40 strikeouts across 12 appearances, demonstrating the type of steady, workmanlike production that defines a reliable mid-rotation arm—exactly what the Giants envisioned when they brought him in on an $11 million deal. His strikeout rate forms the backbone of his contribution, but the 2W record through 12 starts underscores a familiar problem for established veterans in declining offensive environments: he's delivering competent innings without overwhelming run support or offensive firepower to amplify his impact. As an established veteran now in his tenth professional season, Houser's value rests on durability and consistency rather than dominance; the Giants are asking him to eat innings, mentor younger arms, and provide stability in a rotation facing a broader roster construction challenge. The recent win against the Dodgers—a marquee moment that resonated locally—illustrates his ability to elevate in high-leverage matchups, but the team's struggles around him (dropping three consecutive series despite solid outings) reflect a deeper organizational issue beyond his control. At this stage of his career, Houser is performing at the B- level: effective enough to trust in the rotation, but not the type of ace-caliber production that moves the needle for a team sitting 13 games underwater in late May.
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Adrian's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Adrian Compares at the Position
Adrian Houser ranks 117th of 252 graded starting pitchers by performance. That slots Adrian between Lucas Giolito (B-) just ahead and Emmet Sheehan (C+) just behind.
Graded higher
Lucas GiolitoPadresB-Nolan McLeanMetsB-Connelly EarlyRed SoxB-Adrian HouserB-
Graded lower
Emmet SheehanDodgersRecent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 6/10 | vs WAS | L 3-6 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Thu, 6/4 | @ MIL | W 12-9 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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About this player
Adrian Houser is a veteran in his 9th MLB season listed at SP for the Giants. FanVerdicts covers every MLB player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Adrian Houser, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C, Performance B-, Sentiment C+.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when MLB game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.
