It was under these circumstances that Houser opted to change his offseason routine. It was a change that paved the way for the best season of his career — a season that led to the biggest contract of his career.

“I think the mechanics really helped everything get freed up and everything was moving a lot easier,” said the 33-year-old Houser, who signed a two-year deal with a club option with San Francisco last week. “Things were coming out a lot better. Overall, that’s what it comes down to.”

Over the years, Houser turned down opportunities to train at PitchingWRX, a facility in his home state of Oklahoma. Following his abysmal 2024 season, Houser finally relented.

One area where Houser stood to improve was with his velocity. In 2023, his average fastball velocity dipped from 93.9 mph to 92.5 mph. In ‘24, Houser’s velocity was roughly the same. The pitching coaches at PitchingWRX suggested several mechanical tweaks to Houser during his first bullpen session at the facility.

The change was immediate. At the beginning of the session, Houser’s velocity sat around 92 mph. By the end, Houser was closer to 95 mph.

“They noticed right away at the beginning of the offseason that I wasn’t really getting into my backside very well,” Houser said. “My front leg was kind of low; I wasn’t really raising it up to where it needed to be. Then, also, I got my hands away from my body a little bit to kind of let them work a little bit more freely. As we pieced that together throughout the offseason, we were able to get into a really good spot with everything coming out really good.”

The velocity uptick didn’t immediately translate to production. Houser began the season with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate but was released in May after posting a 5.03 ERA over nine appearances (eight starts). Upon joining the White Sox on a one-year, $1.35 million deal, Houser enjoyed one of the best stretches of his career.

Houser silenced the Mariners in his debut with Chicago, allowing just two hits over six shutout innings. He did the same in his next outing against the Mets, six more shutout frames with six strikeouts. On June 28, Houser tossed seven shutout innings against the Giants with five strikeouts.

Over 11 starts for the White Sox, Houser posted a 2.10 ERA over 68 2/3 innings. During that stretch, he had an average fastball velocity of 94.4 mph, nearly two ticks higher than the previous season.

Here’s a look at Houser’s mechanics in 2024 and ’25. In the first clip, Houser keeps his hands close to his body. In the second, Houser features a more fluid delivery by separating his glove from his body and lifting his leg higher.

Those two months with the White Sox enticed the Rays, who acquired him at the trade deadline. Houser couldn’t replicate what he did in Chicago, owning a 4.79 ERA over 10 starts with the Rays. Still, Houser ended the season with a 3.31 ERA over 125 innings with a career-high 3.3 WAR (per Baseball Reference).

Despite Houser’s poor finish, the Giants believed in Houser’s mechanical changes and rewarded him with the largest contract of his career: a two-year, $22 million deal with a club option for 2028.

“He talked about getting more into his backside and freeing up his arm path,” said general manager Zack Minasian. “It led to a 2-mile-per-hour velocity increase. I think he commanded the ball better, he spun the ball better. He was able to maybe widen his mix of usable pitches. He’s a very athletic pitcher to begin with, and I think when things finally got synced up for him last year, that’s when we really saw him take off.”

One familiar face who Houser will encounter is Willy Adames, who played alongside Houser with the Brewers for three seasons from 2021-23. Houser, a sinkerballer, will benefit from Adames and five-time Gold Glover Matt Chapman on the infield’s left side, as well as two-time Gold Glover Patrick Bailey behind the plate.

“I’m excited to get back with Willy,” Houser said. “He comes ready every day and you know he wants to win. He shares that passion with everybody.”

Houser joins a rotation that currently features Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp, the fifth spot having yet to be determined.

The Giants entered the offseason hoping to add two starters, but it remains to be seen whether the front office fills that vacancy internally or externally. San Francisco has several young in-house options, among them being Hayden Birdsong, Carson Whisenhunt and Blade Tidwell, but none have an extended track record of success in the majors.

“I don’t know if I would characterize it quite as a need at this point, given the group of younger starters,” Minasian said when asked if the team needed one more starter. “I think there’s seven or eight players; if we can’t develop a couple of those, shame on us. I believe in our development system and our pitching group, but also, there’s something to be said for these pitchers being allowed to go through natural maturation.”

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During a call with reporters on Friday morning after the signing became official, general manager Zack Minasian reinforced the Giants’ desire to add two starters this offseason and give their younger arms more time to develop. Still, Minasian added that the final spot in the rotation could be filled internally.

“I don’t know if I would characterize it quite as a need at this point, given the group of younger starters,” Minasian said when asked if the Giants needed one more starter. “I think there’s seven or eight players; if we can’t develop a couple of those, shame on us. I believe in our development system and our pitching group, but also, there’s something to be said for these pitchers being allowed to go through natural maturation.

“You look at Logan Webb combined in 2019 and 2020, and it was 20 starts of a plus-five ERA. Now, we have a true ace of the staff. So, you understand some pitchers have to go through that.”

The Giants aren’t lacking for internal options, a group that includes Hayden Birdsong, Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell, Trevor McDonald, Kai-Wei Teng and Carson Seymour. But those internal options don’t have an extended track record of success at the major- league level.

Birdsong, 24, pitched well for two-and-a-half months but was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento after suddenly losing his command and never returned. Whisenhunt, 25, struggled during his brief time in the majors. McDonald, 24, impressed down the stretch but has only thrown 18 innings in the majors. Tidwell, 24, only has two major-league starts.

The Giants likely won’t invest the nine figures needed to land marquee free agents Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez or Tatsuya Imai, but there are still many starters available as the calendar year nears a close.

Zac Gallen, 30, is coming off the worst season of his career but is a former All-Star. Chris Bassitt turns 37 in February but has pitched at least 170 innings over the last four seasons. Max Scherzer, 41, played under new Giants manager Tony Vitello at the University of Missouri, and held his own in the postseason despite dealing with injuries during the regular season.

The Giants witnessed firsthand the volatility of young starting pitchers last season. It’s possible those arms take a step forward, but it’s also possible no one from that group emerges as a viable rotation option. For San Francisco, acquiring another proven starter would raise the rotation’s floor and give the likes of Birdsong, Whisenhunt and Tidwell more time to develop.

“We’ve talked since the beginning of the offseason that it would be ideal to add two starting pitchers and continue to give those younger arms more time,” Minasian said. “We’re going to need them one way or another, but I think getting Adrian in the fold at least gives you some comfort that we have legitimate fifth starter options. But you never stop looking. If we can find somebody that we like through free agency or trade, we’ll be active there.”

Houser, who will be 33 in February, wasn’t considered one of the top pitchers on the market but landed a multi-year deal after posting a 3.31 ERA over 21 starts with the White Sox and Rays. He’s had an up-and-down career — including an ERA of 4.76 from 2022-24 — but Minasian believes Houser’s velocity spike can lead to sustained success.

In 2024, Houser had an average fastball velocity of 92.8 mph. In ‘25, thanks to a small mechanical tweak with his hands, Houser upped his average fastball velocity to 94.6 mph.

“We really believed in the mechanical changes he made,” Minasian said. “He talked about getting more into his backside and freeing up his arm path. It led to a 2-mile-per-hour velocity increase. I think he commanded the ball better, he spun the ball better. He was able to maybe widen his mix of usable pitches.

“He’s a very athletic pitcher to begin with, and I think when things finally got synced up for him last year, that’s when we really saw him take off.”

Worth noting

• The Giants designated outfielder Wade Meckler for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Houser. Meckler, 25, batted .232 with an OPS of .578 in 58 at-bats with San Francisco in 2023.
• The Giants conducted a medical review prior to signing right-handed reliever Jason Foley, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last May. Foley will not be ready to pitch until midseason, and Minasian did not want to try to pinpoint a specific date that Foley could return. Outfielder Joey Wiemer was designated for assignment to make room for Foley on the 40-man roster.
• Minasian said he’s excited to watch Logan Webb pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic but added he’d be “lying if I said I wasn’t going to be holding my breath watching him pitch.” Webb will be monitored by head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner, who will also work for Team USA.
• San Francisco has yet to finalize the specific roles for its new coaching staff. Minasian said Vitello is still looking at different alignments.
• Minasian confirmed right-handed reliever Gregory Santos has signed a minor-league deal with the Giants with an invitation to spring training. Santos, 26, made his debut with San Francisco in 2021 and has a career 4.17 ERA and 3.48 FIP over parts of five major-league seasons.

Webb, who passed on an opportunity to participate in the most recent World Baseball Classic in 2023, was added to the Team USA roster on Thursday. Webb reposted a photoshopped image of himself wearing a Team USA uniform on his social media sites.

The two-time All-Star, who finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting last season, joins a rotation that includes the reigning Cy Young Award winners — the Pirates’ Paul Skenes and the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal.  Padres reliever Mason Miller on Thursday also was added to the star-studded U.S. roster that is still being built but already includes the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, the Mariners’ Cal Raleigh, the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber.

Former Giants infielder Mark DeRosa is the manager, and former Yankees and Astros star Andy Pettitte is the pitching coach, for Team USA, which will begin pool play March 6 against Brazil. The championship game is March 17 at Miami’s loanDepot Park.

The WBC, a 20-nation tournament that debuted in 2006, is in its sixth incarnation. Buster Posey, the former Giants catcher turned president of baseball operations, helped Team USA’ win its first gold medal in the tournament in 2017. Japan is the reigning champion and has won the WBC three times, including the first two.

Webb’s participation in the 2026 edition had been up for discussion because the WBC runs during spring training and requires players to alter their typical pre-season routines.

Earlier this month at the Winter Meetings in Florida, Posey called his tournament experience  “one of my favorite events outside of Major League Baseball that I’ve ever played in my whole life.” But when asked about Webb potentially getting his chance to participate, Posey said the team would want to be involved in discussions regarding the 29-year-old right-hander’s usage.

“We’ve seen over the years that it can derail some pitchers,” Posey said. “There’s no way to replicate getting yourself ready for essentially a playoff game in early March. It’s just impossible.”

Webb has been durable during his Giants career, but also has led the majors in innings pitched each of the past three seasons. He’s averaged more than 200 innings per season the past four years.

First-year Giants manager Tony Vitello said during the Winter Meetings he’d like to see all his players in camp to help create relationships with his new players, but also is a supporter of the world-wide competition.

“I just think the event is phenomenal,” Vitello said. “So the guys that choose to or the guys in a quality enough position with their body or arm to try to compete in that, I’m all for it. I think the fallout is kind of worth the squeeze.”

Webb is the first Giants player to officially be added to a WBC roster, but Jung Hoo Lee (South Korea), Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico), Kai-Wei Teng (Chinese Taipei), José Buttó (Venezuela) and Reiver Sanmartin (Columbia) are likely candidates. Webb could be joined on the U.S. squad by third baseman Matt Chapman, and Rafael Devers and Willy Adames are candidates to be added to the Dominican Republic’s loaded roster.

The Giants had five players participate in the 2023 WBC: Joc Pederson (Israel), Jonathan Bermudez (Puerto Rico), Camilo Doval (The Dominican Republic), Joey Marciano (Italy) and Teng.

Webb will see plenty of familiar faces when Team USA plays the first of two exhibition games to prepare for the WBC — the game will be March 3 at Scottsdale Stadium against the Giants.

Staff writer Justice delos Santos contributed to this report.

But, no, it’s not a power-hitting second baseman so the team can better compete with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026.

It’s actually the Curran Theatre.

The Giants announced Thursday they have acquired the famed theater — which is one of the marquee spots for performing arts in all of the Bay Area — from the Curran’s previous owner Carole Shorenstein Hays “in a private transaction.”

The acquisition will not affect the future of the theater, which is located on 445 Geary St., in the heart of the city’s theater district, officials said.

“The acquisition marks a significant moment in the city’s cultural life, uniting a storied performing arts venue with a civic institution deeply committed to San Francisco’s long-term vitality through sports and entertainment,” according to a news release. “The Shorenstein family’s relationship with the San Francisco Giants reflects shared values of stewardship and long-term investment in San Francisco.”

The Curran will continue to be operated by BroadwaySF, San Francisco’s biggest theater presenter, which also presents shows at the Orpheum and Golden Gate theaters, both located on Market Street. All current programming will continue as scheduled.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The move further paves the way for the Giants — who have long welcomed major concerts into its picturesque ballpark — to be involved with more kinds of entertainment offerings.

“Acquiring the Curran expands our commitment to San Francisco and reinforces our core belief that sports, arts and culture are essential to San Francisco’s identity, economy and resurgence,” says Larry Baer, president and CEO of the Giants. “We intend to honor the Curran’s storied past steeped in Broadway shows and musicals and continue to build and expand the offerings of live performances reflective of our city’s culture, inclusive of music, comedy and family entertainment.”

Carole Shorenstein Hays says the deal helps secure a good future for the theater.

“The Curran is where I first fell in love with the theater as a young girl, and its curation has been the center of my professional life since I acquired it in 2010,” she says. “It was essential to me that its next stewards would ensure it remains a vibrant home for artists and audiences alike. I am so pleased that the Giants have stepped up to the plate.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also applauded the Giants’ move.

“This is a landmark moment for San Francisco, representing an unprecedented commitment by the Giants to the cultural life of our city,” he says. “It sends a powerful signal of confidence in downtown and Union Square and the essential role the arts and entertainment play in driving our city forward.”

Since opening in 1922, the Curran has hosted several landmark productions. Among the most notable bookings include August Wilson’s “Fences” (which played the Curran prior to winning the Tony Award for best play as well as the Pulitzer Prize); the world premiere engagement of “Wicked.”; and the incredible run of “The Phantom of the Opera” that lasted from 1993 to 1999.

The team’s 40-man roster is currently full, so the team will have to make a pair of corresponding moves.

Houser is receiving a two-year, $22 million deal with a club option for a third year, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Houser, a second-round pick in the 2011 draft by the Astros, split last season with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox, posting a 3.31 ERA over 125 innings (21 starts). Over nine major-league seasons, Houser owns a career 4.06 ERA over 733 2/3 innings with 576 strikeouts.

The right-hander, who will turn 33 in February, will join a rotation that currently features Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp. San Francisco has many internal options for the fifth spot in the rotation, a list that includes Hayden Birdsong and Blade Tidwell, but it’s possible that the Giants continue seeking external options to fill the vacancy.

Foley, 30, missed most of last season while recovering from right shoulder surgery, making only five appearances with the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate.

The Giants Foley to return to pitching in the middle of the 2026 season.

The right-handed reliever owns a 3.16 ERA over 199 2/3 innings in the majors with 35 career saves — 28 of which he earned during the 2024 season.

With Randy Rodríguez out for the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John, the Giants are in need of high-leverage relief options.

It’s impossible to say what San Francisco’s bullpen will look like when Foley is healthy, but the team’s current right-handed options for the Opening Day roster include Ryan Walker, José Buttó, JT Brubaker, Spencer Bivens and Joel Peguero, among others.

Foley represents the Giants’ second reliever signing this offseason, the other being left-hander Sam Hentges to a one-year, $1.4 million deal.

The Giants also acquired former A’s catching prospect Daniel Susac in a trade from the Minnesota Twins following last week’s Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings.

NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Díaz won’t receive all of his $69 million from the Dodgers until 2047, with the closer’s deal raising deferred payment obligations for the two-time World Series champions to more than $1.06 billion due to nine players.

As part of the three-year contract announced Friday, Díaz gets a $9 million signing bonus payable on Feb. 1, according to terms obtained by The Associated Press.

He receives a $14 million salary next year and $23 million in each of the following two seasons. The Dodgers will defer $4.5 million annually.

Díaz’s deferred money is payable in 10 equal installments each July 1. The 2026 money is due from 2036-45, the 2027 money from 2037-46 and the 2028 money from 2038-47.

Los Angeles has a $6.5 million conditional team option for 2029 with no buyout. The option could be exercised if he has a specified injury through the end of the 2028 season and he does not end the season or postseason healthy, or if he has a specified surgery.

If the conditional option is exercised, he could earn $2.5 million in performance bonuses for 2029 based on games finished: $750,000 each for 45 and 50 games and $1 million for 55.

Díaz gets a hotel suite on road trips and will make a charitable contribution of 1% of his income.

His deferred payments raise the Dodgers’ total to $1,064,500. Their high point due in a year is $102.3 million in both 2038 and 2039.

Ohtani, Betts, Snell and Freeman among others owed deferred

Los Angeles also owes deferred payments to two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($680 million from 2034-43), outfielder/infielder Mookie Betts ($115 million in salaries from 2033-44 and the final $5 million of his signing bonus payable from 2033-35), left-hander Blake Snell ($66 million from 2035-46), first baseman Freddie Freeman ($57 million from 2028-40), catcher Will Smith ($50 million from 2034-43) and utilityman Tommy Edman ($25 million from 2037-44), reliever Tanner Scott ($21 million 2035-46) and outfielder Teoscar Hernández ($32 million from 2030-39).

Bullpen was Dodgers’ weakness this year

A three-time All-Star who turns 32 on March 22, Díaz had 28 saves in 31 chances last season with a 6-3 record and 1.63 ERA for a disappointing Mets team that failed to reach the playoffs despite spending the second most behind the Dodgers. He struck out 98 in 66 1/3 innings.

Díaz has 253 saves in 294 chances over nine seasons with Seattle (2016-18) and New York. Díaz agreed to a $102 million, five-year contract with the Mets after the 2022 season, a deal that included deferred money payable through 2042. He gave up $38 million he would have been owed in the final two years with the Mets.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

As the Giants’ president of baseball operations, Posey views the event in a slightly different light.

“I think you just have a thoughtful conversation with them around it and present the upside and potential downside as well,” Posey said on Tuesday at MLB’s Winter Meetings.

The Giants stand to send several players to the World Baseball Classic, the international baseball tournament that coincides with spring training. The exact list of San Francisco’s participants is not finalized but the candidates include Logan Webb and Matt Chapman (United States); Willy Adames and Rafael Devers (Dominican Republic); Jung Hoo Lee (South Korea); Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico); Kai-Wei Teng (Chinese Taipei); José Buttó (Venezuela); and Reiver Sanmartin (Columbia).

Of that group, Lee, Ramos, Teng and Buttó are the stronger candidates to suit up for their respective countries. South Korea is expecting Lee to play but the team has yet to talk with the Giants. Puerto Rico manager Carlos Beltran said he would like Ramos to be in the team’s outfield.

There are two truths with the World Baseball Classic, the first being that the tournament is an absolute factory of electricity.

Shohei Ohtani’s strikeout of Mike Trout to clinch a win for Japan over the United States is one of the best baseball moments this decade. The tournament also provides opportunities for part-time players to clash with the best in the world, such as when an electrician from the Czech Republic struck out Ohtani.

The second truth is that the tournament throws the rustiest of wrenches into how players prepare for the regular season. Pitchers, in particular, aren’t afforded the luxury of a slow, gradual, methodical build-up.

With innings and pitch counts, it’s not about the quantity but the quality. Instead of controlled, relaxed environments, pitchers are taking the mound in packed stadiums with national pride on the line. In those circumstances, it’s only natural to let the adrenaline take over.

“The way I see it, there’s definitely more risk for a pitcher than a position player,” Posey said. “(If you’re) playing in Miami against the Dominican (Republic) and there’s 40,000 people screaming, you’re going to have a hard time dialing it back in early March.”

Of all the potential participants, the Giants will exercise the most caution with their ace.

Webb, who recently turned 29, is easily the Giants’ most valuable pitcher and arguably the team’s most valuable player. He’s thrown at least 200 innings over the last three seasons, a durability that’s partially the product of his preseason preparation. For the Giants to make the playoffs, they’ll need Webb to take the mound every five or so days.

“My assumption is that, without being around him every day in the offseason, is that he’s pretty dialed in to a specific timeframe. This would throw a wrench in that,” Posey said.

“For Webby, doing it for a while now, he can make five or six starts in spring training and kind of work his way up, whereas you’re not going to have that luxury in the WBC. You’re going to be pitching in midseason or postseason type of intensity.”

Webb was a consideration for Team USA in 2023 but ultimately did not suit up with his fellow Americans. Shortly after spring training, Webb signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the Giants.

For Posey, the perfect-case scenario — one he admits is “somewhat selfish” — is that they get an opportunity later in their careers, citing Adam Wainwright and Clayton Kershaw. If Webb participates, Posey said the team would want to be involved in discussions regarding Webb’s usage.

“We’ve seen over the years that it can derail some pitchers,” Posey said. “There’s no way to replicate getting yourself ready for essentially a playoff game in early March. It’s just impossible.”

The tournament also robs new manager Tony Vitello of time to build relationships with some players prior to his first season as a manager, but Vitello believes he can make up that time down the road.

“I just think the event is phenomenal,” Vitello said. “So the guys that choose to or the guys in a quality enough position with their body or arm to try to compete in that, I’m all for it. I think the fallout is kind of worth the squeeze.”

MLB’s Winter Meetings was not without its fireworks. Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies after being loosely connected to San Francisco while Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso left the Mets for the Dodgers and Orioles, respectively. The Giants’ roster, though, is effectively the same now as it stood on Sunday.

The team’s lone transaction this week was the acquisition of catcher Daniel Susac, who might have the edge in the backup catcher competition. San Francisco’s brass departs Florida having yet to make a make a deal that moves the needle forward, but they believe they’ve at least set the table for the coming weeks.

“I don’t know if there was much more we could do as far as conversations, meetings,” general manager Zack Minasian said on Wednesday afternoon. “We feel like some things are heading in the right direction. It’s tough to handicap when a deal’s going to get done, but we try to put our best foot forward, and I think we’ve shown we’re willing to be aggressive.”

The Giants entered the Winter Meetings — and the offseason — needing starters and relievers, but left-handed reliever Sam Hentges remains their only free-agent signing.

San Francisco’s rotation currently features three locks — Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Landen Roupp — and two vacancies. The Giants have a plethora of young starters — Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, Carson Whisenhunt, Kai-Wei Teng, Trevor McDonald — but still needs proven arms capable of providing quality innings. Whether the Giants would actually trade top prospect Bryce Eldridge for pitching remains to be seen.

Birdsong, 24, could be an option for the bullpen down the line but the Giants still view him as a starter. Despite his plus stuff, Birdsong was plagued by command issues and ended the season with Triple-A Sacramento. He walked 67 batters over 104 2/3 innings in the majors and minors last season, but the upside is high enough to warrant patience.

“We see him as a starter still,” Posey said. “With the stuff that he has, still see the possibility of a guy that can pitch at the front of the rotation. Obviously, there needs to be some adjustments made, but yeah, we do see him as a starter. Now, it could change, but that’s the way we see it now.”

As far as the bullpen, San Francisco could use one or two high-leverage arms to compensate for the loss of All-Star Randy Rodríguez, who will miss all of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Ryan Walker technically started and ended the season as the Giants’ closer, but he endured an extremely volatile season and lost the role by late May. Walker found his groove in the middle of the season, but didn’t reassume the role until after Camilo Doval was traded and Randy Rodríguez was injured.

“He’s somebody right now that we’re counting on,” Minasian said. “He’s one of our more proven arms, so hopefully it was a valuable experience for him to kind of go through that and realize he is a very good major-league bullpen arm because we need him.”

The Giants could’ve used the Rule 5 Draft as a way to add an arm to their bullpen but elected to pass when their turn came up. Minasian said San Francisco looked at the available options but decided that trading for Susac was the best fit.

“It can be difficult with pitchers in the Rule 5 with the amount of pitchers you end up using over the course of the season and being locked into a (roster) spot,” Minasian said. “You try to set a pretty high bar where if we’re taking a reliever, this has to be someone we feel like can contribute at the major-league level — not necessarily a player we can stash and try to hide.”

The Giants had a dearth of left-handed relief options last year during spring training, but currently feature an abundance of arms with different profiles. Even after non-tendering Joey Lucchesi, San Francisco’s 40-man roster features four lefty relievers: Hentges, Erik Miller, Reiver Sanmartin and Eric Gage.

“I don’t know with pitching if you ever feel covered, but feel much better about it,” Minasian said when asked about left-handed relievers. “The interesting part is their games are all a little bit different even though they’re from the left side. You have a stuff, you have a little bit more combo, you have a funky look — low slot, funky look with deception. Hopefully, the manager feels like it gives him some different options to go to.”

On the position player front, the addition of Susac addressed one of their lower priority needs, but the Giants still need a right fielder to flank Heliot Ramos in left field and Jung Hoo Lee in center field. Former Giant Mike Yastrzemski would’ve been an upgrade over the Giants’ internal options, but he reportedly signed a two-year, $23 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.

Second base isn’t as pressing as pitching or right field, but it remains a position that the Giants should examine. Casey Schmitt is the incumbent at second base and Tyler Fitzgerald was the Opening Day starter, but San Francisco may want to continue exploring its options at that position as well.

The Giants leave Florida without having made a truly seismic move, whether it be a trade or signing. The coming weeks will determine whether they truly laid the groundwork to improve their roster.

“Some things, still working on,” Minasian said. “Some things, we feel like maybe there’s a path. We’ll see where it goes. Right now, it’s still kind of anyone’s guess.”

The Giants acquired Daniel Susac on Wednesday from the Minnesota Twins for catcher Miguel Caraballo and cash considerations. Susac was initially selected by the Twins from the Athletics with the fourth overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft.

“I think he’s a candidate (for backup catcher),” general manager Zack Minasian said. “Obviously, he’s going to have to come in and earn it, but to take him shows what we think of him and definitely see him as a really strong candidate. We’re excited about where our catching depth is with him.”

San Francisco’s last Rule 5 Draft pick was catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol, who hit .243 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs in 121 games over two seasons. Sabol, like Susac, was originally selected by another team (Cincinnati Reds) during the Rule 5 Draft before being traded to the Giants.

As a Rule 5 Draft pick, Susac will be assigned directly to the Giants’ 26-man roster and must stay on the roster for the entire season. If San Francisco wants to remove him from the 26-man roster, the team must place him on waivers. If no team claims him, the Giants must offer him back to the A’s for half of the $100,000 selection fee.

Susac must remain on the major-league roster all season or be offered back to the A’s for half the $100,000 claiming fee. But the Giants signaled a strong inclination to keep him.

Susac, 24, was selected in the first round (19th overall) by Oakland in the 2022 MLB draft. Last season, Susac had a .275 batting average, .832 OPS and 94 wRC+ with 18 home runs over 97 games in Triple-A. The Athletics elected to leave Susac unprotected since the team already had Shea Langeliers and former Giant Austin Wynns on the 40-man roster.

He is a “plus defender behind the plate,” Minasian said of Susac, a Roseville native. “Power, history with him back to high school through the draft. Bay Area ties. It’s a position of need — we’re always looking to build depth. Still young, still upside, so a lot of positives, a lot of boxes checked. We’re excited to give him this opportunity.”

Added Minasian: “All the reports that we have is he’s continued to improve as a defender and as an offensive player. Still feel like he’s trending to becoming a better and better player.”

Jesus Rodriguez, acquired in the July trade that sent Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees, had been the favorite to be two-time Gold Glover Patrick Bailey’s backup catcher after Andrew Knizner was non-tendered.

Rodriguez, 23, has a career .309 batting average and .848 OPS over six seasons in the minors, but he’s only caught 172 games. He caught 15 games with Triple-A Sacramento after joining the organization, and he spent the final days of the 2025 season on the Giants’ taxi squad to be around the team.

“We’re excited about him,” catching coach Alex Burg said in September. “This is his first year catching a ton, so it’s exciting to have him back there. You see the arm, the arm is impressive. He can really throw. It’s quick and has really good carry. He has a chance to be a truly plus thrower.

“Catching wise, it’s getting there. It’s much better than I expected. We got him out there today and it’s fun to see. He’s a worker, which I love. He’s willing to listen, willing to learn, wants to get better. All those things are super exciting for us and for the organization.”

Additionally, San Francisco lost two players in the major-league portion of the draft. The Athletics selected right-hander Ryan Watson with the sixth overall pick, and the Toronto Blue Jays acquired right-hander Spencer Miles with the 10th overall pick.

Miles, 25, was one of the more fascinating prospects that the Giants left unprotected.

The right-hander was taken in the fourth round of the 2022 draft but hasn’t pitched above Low-A and only has 14 2/3 minor-league innings under his belt. Miles didn’t pitch in the ’25 regular season but impressed in the Arizona Fall League. Minasian said he was “a little bit” surprised that Miles was taken given his lack of innings.

In the minor-league portion of the draft, the Giants lost five players: outfielder Carter Howell (Braves) and right-handers Junior Flores (Pirates), Ryan Murphy (Cardinals), Jan Caraballo (Tigers) and Evan Gates (Phillies). They did not make any selections.

Kuiper once again fell short on Wednesday morning of winning the Ford C. Frick Award, the annual honor that goes to an MLB broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball.”

The 2026 recipient for the award was Joe Buck, whose father, Jack, won the Ford C. Frick Award in 1987. The other finalists were Brian Anderson, Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, John Rooney, Dan Shulman and John Sterling.

Kuiper’s selection would have capped off a week that saw Jeff Kent be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the intention of going into Cooperstown as a Giant. Along with Kent, Matt Chisholm, the team’ vice president of media relations, receive the 2025 Robert O. Fishel Award for public relations excellence. Brad Grems and Gavin Cuddie, the Giants’ respective home and road clubhouse managers, earned the Clubhouse Manager of the Year Award. Karen Sweeney, who has been with the organization since 1989, won the Katy Feeney Leadership Award, which recognizes “exceptional female employees in baseball.

To compliment with that laundry list of award, the Giants landed the fourth overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft on Tuesday night thanks to some luck in the draft lottery.

Mike Krukow, the other half of Kruk & Kuip, was not a finalist this year but has been a finalist in the past.

“He’s become a friend over the years,” said president of baseball operations Buster Posey on Tuesday. “He’s synonymous with Giants baseball. Krukow is the same way. … When you have a voice and a storyteller like Kuiper and Krukow, it allows you that ability to still take in the game and get enjoyment just from their relationship, their subtleties. They have their calls. Of course I’m biased, but both of those guys are slam dunk Hall of Famers in my mind.”

Kuiper, 75, joined the broadcast booth in 1986 following 12 seasons in the majors, four of which were with the Giants. Aside from one year with Rockies in 1993, Kuiper has been a fixture in San Francisco for nearly four decades.

Posey didn’t have many opportunities to listen to Krukow and Kuiper during his playing career, but he praised the duo’s ability to call a game how they see it without bashing the players.

“That’s not an easy thing to do because sometimes we stink and you want to beat us up,” Posey said. “For as long they’ve been removed from the game as players, they still have a really good sense of how hard it is to play the game.”