Adrian Houser lasted just 26 pitches before leaving the Giants’ 3-1 win over the Reds on Tuesday night, adding another arm injury to a San Francisco team already missing shortstop Willy Adames, who landed on the injured list with a moderate left UCL sprain.
Houser exited after 1 2/3 scoreless innings at Oracle Park due to right flexor tightness. The veteran right-hander began shaking and flexing his throwing arm after striking out Matt McClain with a 94.5 mph fastball, then looked uncomfortable following a 93.6 mph pitch to Héctor Rodríguez. Assistant athletic trainer Ryo Watanabe and manager Tony Vitello came to the mound, and Houser left the game.
An MRI is scheduled for Wednesday. Houser admitted he had been dealing with the issue and tried to pitch through it before the pain became too much.
“I was trying to gut through it and get through it,” Houser said. “It’s been barking a little bit. But it kind of got to the point where I was just feeling it every time. We wanted to play it safe. Hopefully, everything is good and it’s just a minor setback.”
Houser missed nearly two months in 2022 with a right flexor strain. On Tuesday, right-hander Anthony Molina took over and delivered 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his Giants debut after arriving from the Braves in the Tyler Mahle trade earlier this month.
San Francisco secured its first series win since July 27-29 against the Brewers.
Adames suffered his injury Sunday on a feet-first slide into home plate. He scored from second on a Victor Bericoto single, stumbled as he got up, and braced himself with his left arm. The Giants placed him on the injured list Monday, and there’s no timetable for his return.
Because the injury is to Adames’ non-throwing arm, the team has not decided on surgery. Adames will seek a second opinion, according to a report.
“He can work to rehab, see where it’s at, get it reevaluated and then go from there,” Vitello said. “There’s a wide range of possibilities” for a potential return.
Adames’ defensive numbers declined before elbow diagnosis
Adames’ 21 home runs still lead his offensive output this season, but his overall production and defensive metrics have slipped since the first year of his seven-year, $182 million contract.
| Category | Last season | This season |
|---|---|---|
| Home runs | 30 | 21 |
| Batting line | .225/.318/.421 | .230/.289/.424 |
| Walk rate | 11.7% | Down more than four percentage points |
| Stolen bases | 12-for-16 | 5-for-7 |
| Outs Above Average | 5 | -17 |
| Defensive Runs Saved | -2 | -5 |
| Errors | 16 | 18 |
| Shortstop innings | 1,390 | 1,046 |
Eighteen errors in 1,046 innings at shortstop this season mark a jump from 16 errors in 1,390 innings last year. Statcast now rates Adames at minus-17 Outs Above Average, down from 5 last season. Defensive Runs Saved has dropped from minus-2 to minus-5.
At the plate, Adames’ .230/.289/.424 line is nearly identical to last season’s .225/.318/.421, though his walk rate has dropped and his strikeout rate has ticked up. He has managed to improve his walk rate each month, topping 10% in July and 12% in August.
Houser’s MRI looms Wednesday after his abrupt 26-pitch exit against Cincinnati.
