Adrian Houser Cashes In – and the White Sox Pitching Rebuild Gets Another Win

Adrian Houser just secured a two-year, $22 million deal with the San Francisco Giants – and while that’s a big win for the veteran right-hander, it’s also another quiet victory for the Chicago White Sox and their evolving pitching development program.

Houser, 32, wasn’t exactly a headline-grabber when he signed with the White Sox back in May of 2025. But what happened next was one of the more impressive turnarounds of the season.

After reworking his arsenal under Chicago’s revamped pitching infrastructure, Houser posted a 2.10 ERA over 11 starts. That kind of production turned heads – and turned Houser into a trade chip.

The White Sox dealt him to Tampa Bay at the deadline, where he wasn’t quite the same (4.79 ERA in 10 starts), but by then, the work had already been done. Chicago had helped Houser rediscover his form, and now he’s cashing in.

Behind the scenes, this is exactly the kind of result the White Sox have been chasing since bringing in Brian Bannister as their senior pitching advisor ahead of the 2024 season. Bannister came in with a clear vision: overhaul the organization’s approach to developing arms, from the coaching staff to the pitch labs. And while it’s still early in the process, the results are starting to stack up.

Bannister’s Blueprint Is Taking Shape

Adrian Houser isn’t the first veteran to benefit from Bannister’s system – and he probably won’t be the last. Back in 2024, Garrett Crochet went from being an electric but inconsistent reliever to the Opening Day starter seemingly overnight.

That leap didn’t happen by accident. Bannister and his staff helped Crochet harness his stuff, refine his command, and unlock a new level of consistency.

The result? A legitimate frontline arm.

Then there was Erick Fedde. After a strong stint in Korea, the White Sox signed him to a two-year deal, hoping they could translate his KBO success back to the majors.

In the first half of 2024, it worked. Fedde gave Chicago quality innings and enough value to net a return at the trade deadline.

His 2025 campaign didn’t go as well – bouncing between three teams and finishing with a 5.49 ERA – but the White Sox got what they needed from him while he was in town.

This past season, Bannister and company rolled the dice again with Houser and Martin Perez. Both veterans gave the team solid innings when healthy.

Not every project has hit – Michael Soroka and Aaron Civale struggled to find traction – but that’s part of the game. No pitching department bats 1.000.

What matters is the trend, and right now, the White Sox are trending in the right direction.

Changing the Narrative on the South Side

For years, the White Sox haven’t exactly been known as a player development powerhouse – especially when it comes to pitching. But that perception is starting to shift. The front office, led by GM Chris Getz, is clearly committed to building a system that can not only develop young arms but also help veterans revive their careers.

Houser’s new deal is more than just a personal win – it’s a proof point. It shows that Chicago can be a place where pitchers come to get right. That’s a powerful message in today’s free agent market, where fringe starters and bounce-back candidates are always looking for the right environment to reestablish value.

As Getz recently said, “It’s fair to assume that we’re going to continue to add to our starting pitching.” That likely means more opportunities for Bannister to work his magic. The more success stories they stack, the more the White Sox can reshape their identity – from a team that once struggled to develop arms, to one that savvy pitchers seek out.

It won’t happen overnight. But if the past two seasons are any indication, the White Sox are building something real on the mound – and Adrian Houser’s payday is just the latest sign that it’s working.