Once forgotten Reds arm lands surprising new deal with Giants

If there's one area of the Cincinnati Reds roster that doesn't need help this offseason, it's the starting rotation. All-Stars Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott are expected to lead a talented collection of hurlers into the 2026 season, and next year's group has the chance to be one of the best rotations in all of Major League Baseball.

But after signing former Cincinnati pitcher Tyler Mahle, the San Francisco Giants may give the Reds a run for their money next season. San Fran reportedly inked Mahle to a one-year deal on New Year's Eve, and the 31-year-old is expected to join the cadre of Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and another free agent signing, Adrian Houser.

Mahle spent last season with the Texas Rangers and put up All-Star numbers through his first 14 starts. Mahle was 6-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 56 punch outs across 77 innings of work. He was the Rangers best starting pitcher through the month of May, but suffered a right shoulder injury in mid-June and was placed on the injured list.

Former Reds starter Tyler Mahle signs one-year deal with Giants

Though he was mostly a durable starter during his time in Cincinnati, injuries have come to define Mahle's career. The shoulder ailment he suffered last summer kept him out of action for months. Mahle eventually returned to the Rangers rotation in late-September and appeared in two games before the 2025 season came to a close.

Mahle, a seventh-round draft pick of the Reds in 2013, spent his first six seasons in the Queen City and became a fixture in the rotation. Though never considered to be a frontline starter, Mahle was a serviceable mid-rotation arm who could reliably give his team five-plus innings every night he stepped onto the mound.

Mahle was among the roster casualties claimed by the Reds' rebuild in 2022. He was dealt to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and former pitching prospect Steve Hajjar — a deal that is now seen as an absolute steal for Cincinnati.

The Giants are hoping to see an extended run from Mahle in 2026, but his track record suggests otherwise. Mahle hasn't surpassed 23 starts in a season since his 2021 campaign with the Reds. While talented when he's on the bump, the right-hander has averaged just over 61 innings pitched since 2022, though it would seem San Francisco is hoping for more next season.