Opinion: Giants sign starting pitcher Tyler Mahle in another risky signing

Tyler Mahle (YouTube)

For the second time this week there was a rather risky Major League Baseball free agent signing. One day after the Chicago Cubs officially announced the signing of Hunter Harvey of Catawba, North Carolina on Tuesday, the San Francisco Giants announced the signing of starting pitcher Tyler Mahle of Newport Beach, California on Wednesday to a one-year deal worth $10 million. The reason why the signings could be considered risky are the same. Like Harvey, Mahle is coming off a season where he was battling an arm injury. In Mahle’s case, he missed over three months of the season with a right shoulder strain.

Mahle is joining his fourth Major League Baseball team. He previously pitched six seasons for the Cincinnati Reds (2017 to 2022), two seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2022 to 2023), and two seasons with the Texas Rangers (2024 to 2025).

In 2025, Mahle had a record of six wins and four losses with an earned run average of 2.18. In 16 games and 86 2/3 innings pitched, he gave up 69 hits, 21 earned runs, five home runs, and 29 walks, and had 66 strikeouts, seven quality starts to go along with a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.13.

It should be noted that most of Mahle’s effective outings were earlier in the season. His last quality start came in a 2-0 Rangers loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on May 28.

Mahle is now expected to join a Giants rotation in 2026 that includes two-time All-Star and reigning National League strikeout leader Logan Webb of Rocklin, California, two-time All-Star and 2021 American League Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray of Brentwood, Tennessee, Landen Roupp of Rocky Mount, North Carolina and Adrian Houser of Tahlequah, Oklahoma.