Houser keeps starter mentality
Brewers pitcher likely to begin season in bullpen
PHOENIX – Adrian Houser's aim this spring has been clear. The Brewers entered camp with six pitchers, including Houser, for five starting rotation spots. Houser's intent is to be among that final group of five.
“In my mind, I consider myself in that five,” Houser said. “That's the way I've been going about it. I've been considering myself in the rotation. That's the way I've been going about my business and my work, is that I'm in the rotation until they tell me otherwise. That's when it will change.”
It hasn't quite changed yet for Houser. The Brewers informed him early on that, if everyone remained healthy, he was likely going to open the year in the bullpen. With 10 days to go until opening day, Milwaukee remains on track to have a healthy rotation.
“We had a conversation probably the second or third day of camp about just what they had in mind,” Houser said. “It's really the only conversation we've had since then. And maybe we'll have one here in the next few days or so after my outing (Tuesday), but we'll just have to wait and see.”
How did that conversation go? “Just that I was on the outside looking in and I was a sixth man right now,” Houser said. “It's just what they thought, and I told them that I didn't feel like I was outside looking in and I'm just going to go out and prove that I could be in the starting rotation like I have been.”
With Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer and Wade Miley all healthy, Houser is on track to begin the year in the bullpen, manager Craig Counsell said.
“The goal, frankly, was that because it means that we were healthy in the other spots,” Counsell said. “We are in a good spot there. We're trending toward that. We're not there yet but we're trending toward that. (Houser) has been out far enough where we're in a good spot either way and that's what we were hoping for.”
Houser will still likely make a number of starts for the Brewers this year, but has been highly effective when used as a reliever over the years.
In 30 career relief outings, Houser has a 1.76 earned run average, 1.136 WHIP and 2.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 76 career starts, he has a 4.31 ERA, 1.380 WHIP and 1.88 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Houser's velocity has played up a tick out of the bullpen, averaging 94.6 mph on his fastball in relief since 2019 while averaging 93.8 mph as a starter.
While Houser's sinker has been effective no matter the role – it has a .339 slugging percentage against as a starter – it's much more difficult to get by with one primary pitch in a starting role. His secondary offerings have been hit much
harder as a starter, with a slugging percentage of .419 or higher for four-seam, curveball, slider and changeup.
In relief, everything has played up – which is particularly interesting because in his career as a starter, he’s been hit the hardest the first time through the order.
Houser saw his strikeout rate dip to a career-low 15.2% last year while his walk rate sat at 10.3%. His focus in preparation for this season is to get his mechanics in tune to cut down on the free passes.
“I didn’t like my command,” Houser said. “The walks were too high last year and that’s not who I am. I want to attack guys, get early ground balls and get guys out early. So I was working on overall command with all pitches and then just working quicker and being a little bit more explosive. I think we’re in a good spot right now.”