Giants agree to $1.4 million contract with ex-Guardians reliever

The San Francisco Giants made their first notable bullpen move of MLB Free Agency by landing left-handed reliever Sam Hentges, agreeing to a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the former Guardians arm. The deal, reported by MLB insider Robert Murray, signals another deliberate step in the Giants’ free agency plans as San Francisco looks for stability and upside in a market still taking shape. Hentges arrives with power, potential, and the chance to reset his trajectory after an injury-limited season.

The Giants are betting that Sam Hentges’ best version can return. The left-hander spent four seasons with the Guardians and delivered flashes that always felt bigger than the box score. His fastball carried late life. His slider played as a legitimate out pitch. But injuries and inconsistent usage often interrupted his momentum. His 2024 campaign was cut short by left shoulder inflammation, limiting him to 25 games. He posted a 4.18 ERA across 23.2 innings with 27 strikeouts, numbers that only hinted at what he showed at his peak.

And with the Giants searching for more swing-and-miss depth, that upside becomes even more valuable. That peak came in 2022, when he recorded a 2.32 ERA with 72 strikeouts and established himself as one of the Guardians’ most dependable bullpen weapons. Now he heads to the Giants with a clean slate and a path toward meaningful innings in a bullpen that lacked left-handed reliability last season.

Why the Giants believe this is a smart bet

The Giants have built a reputation for finding relievers with standout traits and sharpening them into real production. Sam Hentges fits that mold. His chase rates, velocity profile, and swing-and-miss upside line up with what the Giants value most. The organization sees a pitcher whose strikeout ceiling remains higher than his 2024 results suggest and believes their pitching lab can unlock that form again.

They also moved early. With lefty relievers still sorting out the MLB Free Agency board, the Giants secured an arm they trust rather than wait for the market to tighten. It’s a calculated signing:  modest on paper, potentially meaningful under the stadium lights.

And now the question shifts: if this is the Giants’ first bullpen move, how much bigger will the next one be?

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