Adrian Houser to Start Wednesday
More than a week after announcing he was moving to the bullpen, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media today that RHP Adrian Houser would get the start on Wednesday. Houser’s move to the bullpen made way for top pitching prospect Christian Scott to make his MLB debut.
Houser, acquired with Tyrone Taylor in the offseason, made just one relief appearance since his shuffle to the bullpen. He pitched two scoreless innings against Atlanta on May 10, allowing only one hit and two walks. His starts, however, are what got him sent to the pen. In his six starts, he has a 0-3 record and an 8.16 ERA through just 28.2 innings pitched.
Adrian Houser. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
According to Statcast, the righty is in the bottom two percent in the league in K% at just 11% and the bottom seven percent in BB% at 15.1%. His sinker, his predominant pitch, was used as his put-away pitch 21.3% of the time in 2023. However, in 2024, he’s only getting 11.1% of batters on the sinker as his put-away pitch.
It’s an interesting development for the Mets, whose rotation has struggled one week and flourished the next. Early in the season, the pitching staff led the rotation in ERA — however, on May 13, they stand fourth in the NL with a 3.72 ERA. While still respectable, where things start to fall apart is the walks. They lead baseball entering the day in walks allowed at 175 through just 39 games. It’s a staggering statistic, which has led to plenty of their misfortunes, including Houser’s.
What the rotation looks like now is a mystery. Does Houser replace someone? Do the Mets stick to a six-man rotation with no foreseeable off day coming up? Drew Smith will return to the bullpen likely Tuesday after completing his rehab program. For a rotation that hasn’t gone deep into games, the bullpen has been a saving grace this season. Whatever the answer be, Houser gets his chance again to prove why the Mets traded for him this offseason.
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