Sam Hentges

Hentges missed three weeks with a forearm strain. He has a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings this season, but that might not be enough to keep him on the Giants’ roster this winter.

No word yet on how long the Giants anticipate the 30-year-old southpaw to be sidelined for, but it could cost him the remainder of the season. Matt Wilkinson was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to take his place on the club’s active roster.

Hentges has finally worked his way back from right knee and left shoulder surgeries that cost him the entire 2025 campaign. The Giants are hopeful that he can provide a major boost to a bullpen that has been a complete disaster this season.

The Giants signed Hentges, who missed all of last season with the Guardians, in December thinking he’d be a participant in spring training but realizing there was a good chance he’d open up on the IL. He wasn’t able to get into any games, so it seems clear he’s at least a month away from helping out of the pen.

Hentges underwent surgery on his shoulder in the offseason, and isn’t ready for game action. The 29-year-old is a candidate to start the year on the injured list, but there’s enough time for the southpaw to get enough appearances to avoid that trip.

The deal, agreed to last week, was reported as being worth $1.4 million. A healthy Hentges is easily worth that, but he’s coming off shoulder surgery, which is why the Guardians non-tendered him despite his 2.93 ERA in 138 innings since the beginning of 2022. The Giants believe he’ll be ready to go at the start of spring training.

Hentges was non-tendered by the Guardians last week after missing last season due to shoulder surgery. Since debuting with Cleveland in 2021, he 29-year-old left-hander has a 4.18 ERA and a 223/74 K/BB in 206 2/3 innings, though that ERA drops to 2.93 if one throws out his rookie campaign.