🚨 JUST IN: Brian Bannister’s Influence Shows Again as the Giants Strike a Deal for a White Sox 2025 Success Story ⚡.DD
Another year, another successful fix for White Sox pitching director Brian Bannister as he looks to change the perception of the team
Another day, another former White Sox player landing a solid payday.
Reports have surfaced this week that RHP Adrian Houser has landed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants worth $22 million.
Houser, 32, became a big story after signing with the White Sox in May of 2025.
The righty reworked his arsenal and excelled to a 2.10 ERA in 11 starts with the south siders before a deadline trade to the Rays.
Houser posted a 4.79 ERA in ten starts with Tampa, making the decision to deal him look like a good one for the White Sox.
The White Sox pitching development staff did great work with Houser, getting his career back on track and helping him cash in, and his recent deal marks another feather in the cap of pitching director Brian Bannister.
The White Sox have changed their approach to pitching since the hiring of Bannister before the 2024 season.
Bannister’s overhaul has included the coaching staff as well.
The team somewhat surprisingly moved on from pitching coach Ethan Katz this offseason despite a few successful seasons, showing the desire of the organization to be all-in on their new philosophy.
Bannister has only been with the White Sox for two years, but he’s done good work, particularly when it comes to helping veterans revive their career. Houser is just the latest example.Â
Brian Bannister is developing a track record in Chicago
Perhaps Bannister’s biggest success stories came in 2024, when he turned Garrett Crochet from a talented-but-unreliable reliever into a legitimate ace.
The development seemingly happened overnight.
One day, Crochet was slotting into the middle of the White Sox bullpen, and the next, he was starting Opening Day.
Crochet took the opportunity, ran with it, and has never looked back.
Along with Crochet, the White Sox brought Erick Fedde over from Korea on a two-year deal, squeezing a good first half out of him and getting a nice return out of him.
Fedde regressed big time in 2025, posting a 5.49 ERA with three teams and seeing declines in nearly all his numbers.Â
The trend continued in 2025, as the White Sox brought in veterans Adrian Houser and Martin Perez, who both had productive seasons when they were on the field.
It hasn’t been perfect by any means, and it never will be.
Other projects like Michael Soroka and Aaron Civale didn’t pan out as well.
But no coach or executive in baseball gets it right 100% of the time, and Bannister has hit more often than he hasn’t in the past two years.Â
The White Sox have never been known as a hub for player development, but the front office is working hard to shift the reputation.
Instead of a place careers go to die, the White Sox would love to be a desired destination for players looking to regain value.
It’s a change that won’t happen overnight, but the team is taking steps in the right direction.
Adrian Houser’s new deal with the Giants is another example that Bannister can put on his resume of a meaningful fix.Â
With the White Sox still in the market for starting pitching help, it may be another opportunity for Bannister to get a struggling veteran back on the right track.
The more examples of success they have, the more the White Sox can change the perception and make the south side a place where free agents want to play.
