Giants Sign Sam Hentges to Bolster Bullpen

The San Francisco Giants are rolling the dice on upside, signing former Cleveland Guardians left-hander Sam Hentges to a one-year, $1.4 million deal. After almost two full seasons lost to shoulder and knee issues, Hentges lands in San Francisco as a classic low-risk, high-reward bullpen move.

His medical history looks rough, but at his best, he could turn into the club’s go-to lefty reliever in a hurry.

Giants Bet on Bounce-Back Potential with Sam Hentges

This move feels like a modern front-office special: find a once-promising arm whose injuries tanked his market, and hope the team’s medical staff and pitching coaches can spark a comeback. The Giants can justify the price, especially considering the flashes Hentges showed before things went sideways.

From Guardians Standout to Injury Question Mark

Hentges’ time in Cleveland reads like a case of what was—and what could still be. The big lefty carved out a key late-inning role in 2022 and 2023, growing from an intriguing prospect into one of the American League’s more reliable bullpen southpaws.

During those two years, he put up numbers teams drool over:

He became a big part of the Guardians’ bullpen, especially when games got tight in the seventh and eighth. But the ride from promising to dependable stopped cold when injuries struck.

Injuries Derail a Promising Run

Hentges’ 2024 never really got started. Shoulder inflammation in his throwing arm turned serious, leading to surgery and a long, brutal rehab process.

Shoulder surgeries scare teams more than elbow problems, and his recovery timeline—12 to 14 months—showed just how bad things got.

Setbacks and a Non-Tender Exit from Cleveland

The shoulder wasn’t the end of it. As he tried to work back, a knee injury popped up and needed surgery too, pushing his return even further out.

By September 2025, Hentges still hadn’t started a knee rehab assignment. That’s a glaring red flag for any club trying to plan ahead.

The Guardians, facing mounting uncertainty and no sign of a return, decided to non-tender Hentges. They let go of a once-valuable lefty because they just couldn’t count on his health anymore.

How Hentges Fits into the Giants’ Bullpen Picture

The Giants have been quietly reworking their bullpen, especially on the left side. Non-tendering Joey Lucchesi opened up both a roster spot and some cash.

Now Hentges joins a lefty group with Erik Miller, Matt Gage, and Reiver Sanmartin.

Competition Among the Giants’ Lefties

This group gives San Francisco depth, but nobody stands out as the obvious top dog. Miller, Gage, and Sanmartin each have their strengths, but none match Hentges’ mix of track record and late-inning chops—if he’s healthy.

If his shoulder and knee hold up and his stuff looks anything like it did in 2022–23, Hentges could quickly become:

Contract Value: A Small Raise, a Big Upside Play

Money-wise, it’s simple: one year, $1.4 million. It’s a slight bump from last season, but still a classic “flyer” amount for a bullpen arm.

If things go south, the risk is tiny. If Hentges bounces back, the payoff could be huge compared to the cost.

What to Watch Moving Forward

The main storyline around Hentges isn’t really about his role. It’s more about whether he can recover fully.

The Giants plan to keep an eye on his velocity and command. They’ll also watch how he bounces back on consecutive days while he ramps up.

If he checks those boxes, maybe the Giants just landed a top bullpen arm for a bargain. That’s a pretty big “if,” but it’s hard not to get a little curious.

Basically, the Giants are gambling that Sam Hentges’ future looks more like his strong 2022–23 than his injury-plagued 2024–25. If they’re right, this one-year deal could end up as one of the sneakiest bullpen moves of the winter.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Giants To Sign Sam Hentges