The San Francisco Giants signed free-agent starter Tyler Mahle to a one-year deal earlier this week, and the contract details show they might’ve gotten a bargain.
The deal’s worth $10 million with $3 million in performance bonuses, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. That brings the potential value to $13 million if Mahle hits his marks.
What makes this intriguing is what Mahle did when he was actually on the field last season.
Sure, he spent time on the injured list in 2025. But when healthy, he posted a 2.18 ERA over 16 appearances with a 6-4 record. That’s the kind of production that usually costs a lot more than $10 million.
Mahle’s track record suggests there’s upside here. His best season came in 2021 with Cincinnati, when he put up a career-high 4.9 WAR alongside a 13-6 record, 3.75 ERA and 210 strikeouts over 180 innings. That was a workhorse season.
Perfect Fit for Oracle Park
The setting works in Mahle’s favor too. He’s a pitcher who works to contact, and Oracle Park ranks among the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in baseball. Add in San Francisco’s defense – anchored by two-time Platinum Glove winner Matt Chapman and two-time Gold Glove winner Patrick Bailey – and you’ve got a recipe for success.
With Justin Verlander hitting free agency, the Giants needed to fill spots behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. They’ve addressed that with Mahle and their other recent addition, Adrian Houser.
Landen Roupp is also expected to compete for rotation time unless the Giants make another move.
The way I see it, if Mahle stays healthy, this could end up being one of the better value signings of the entire free-agent period. It’s a calculated risk that could pay off big for San Francisco.
