May 20: The Sox announced today that they have signed Houser to a one-year, $1.35MM deal. Assuming that’s prorated, Houser will get about $950K. James Fox of FutureSox previously reported that Houser was expected to start tonight’s game for the Sox, indicating it would be a big league deal. The Sox designated right-hander Yoendrys Gómez for assignment as the corresponding move.
May 19: The White Sox are nearing an agreement with free agent righty Adrian Houser, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. It’s not clear if he’ll jump right onto the big league roster or head to Triple-A Charlotte. Houser, a client of BBI Sports Group, was granted his release from a minor league contract with Texas last week.
Houser signed with the Rangers during the offseason. He has worked out of the rotation at Triple-A Round Rock, tallying 39 1/3 innings across nine appearances. While his 5.03 earned run average is pedestrian, that’s not all that uncommon in the Pacific Coast League. Houser has stronger peripherals. He struck out a decent 22.8% of opponents while running an excellent 57.3% grounder rate.
Ground balls are Houser’s speciality. He has gotten grounders at a near-52% clip over parts of eight seasons in the majors. That was up in the 58-59% range during his best seasons with Milwaukee but has been down to a more normal 46-48% mark over the past few years. That caught up to him last year, as he allowed 5.84 earned runs per nine across 69 1/3 frames with the Mets. Houser had begun the season in New York’s rotation but was kicked to the bullpen after seven starts. His results in relief were much better. He carried an ERA north of 8.00 as a starting pitcher but turned in a 3.28 mark across 35 2/3 relief innings.
Texas signed him as rotation depth, which seems likely to be his role in Chicago (assuming the deal is finalized). The rebuilding White Sox have baseball’s least experienced rotation. Bryse Wilson is the only member of the current starting staff who entered the season with even one year of MLB service. Wilson, who had begun the year in the bullpen, stepped into the starting five after Martín Pérez suffered a forearm injury. He has allowed a 6.62 ERA with nearly as many walks as strikeouts over four starts.
Rule 5 pick Shane Smith has been the team’s best pitcher, turning in a sterling 2.05 ERA with average strikeout and walk numbers over his first nine MLB starts. Davis Martin and Jonathan Cannon have each been a little worse than average. Opening Day starter Sean Burke has struggled, though he’d been better this month until giving up six runs to the Cubs on Saturday. If Houser jumps right onto the MLB roster, he could nudge Burke or Wilson from the rotation. Burke still has a full slate of minor league options. Wilson is out of options and would need to be designated for assignment for the Sox to take him off the big league roster.
he wrote, “each been a little worse than average”? On a bad team, their production is pretty good. Give them some credit
Their 5 primary starters have ERAs of 2.05, 3.15, 3.65, 3.76, and 4.69. That’s not bad at all, and is distinctly better than the Dodger’s 5.
CWS’s 5 relievers w/ the most innings are at 5.68, 4.61, 4.11, 7.82, and 6.11. That’s where the main problem lies on the pitching side, along with their hitters having a combined OPS+ of 78 (!)
He’ll last 3 innings burn the bullpen out
Horrible addition
Wrong!!
1-0 Sox win tonight!
No runs given up by Houser in 6 innings!
lol what?
JackStrawb:
As you are probably aware, the White Sox have recently moved #7 prospect Grant Taylor to a temporary high leverage bullpen role at AA Birmingham. They have done this for numerous reason including his minimal pro experience due to injuries sustained at LSU (TJ surgery) and A-Kannapolis (lat issue).
Taylor’s innings were always going to be limited in 2025 so the plan is to have him pitch out of the bullpen and likely finish the season at the MLB level where he can be monitored and developed further by the White Sox pitching coaches. He will essentially be put on a similar plan that the team effectively used for SP’s Chris Sale and Carlos Rodon in the past.
From a fan perspective, this will give all of us another likely core player to enjoy in 2025 along with the half dozen or so already on the active roster. Hopefully a couple more will join Taylor before the season ends.
Garrett Crochet was another more recent “advanced” college arm who the White Sox successfully “groomed” in their MLB bullpen before stretching him out as a SP. Unlike Sale and to some extent Rodon, Crochet had more injury issues to deal with once he got his MLB promotion. I can envision the organization following a similar path with yet another “advanced” college pitcher either this season or next with #3 prospect Hagen Smith.
I was impressed by Cannon especially in his start against the Cubs. He has potential.
The White Sox spent a million dollars!?!
They could slap B Wilson in the bullpen, he’s done better out in the bullpen than starting in his entire career.
That’s all that’s left at this point in the season.
Must not be much fun losing before 724 fans. Time to root for those Cardinals. Jerry please sell the team.
The obsession would be comical if it weren’t so pathetic. We’re horrible so let’s root against the Cubs. Stop letting them live rent free in your head. Do you think in the RARE circumstance that the White Sox are better than the Cubs that Cub fans would be look… “oh well, let’s start rooting for Detroit”. Never.
On the Sox radio post-game show, they don’t give the Cubs score when running down all the other scores. Imagine the mentality that would decide to do that.
When you have a owner like we have and your out of contention by the forth of July it’s must to have a second team to follow.
Don’t know one cub fan who wanted Sox to win World Series in 2005.
As long as they do not refer to him as DOOGIE.
Agreeing to pre board the Titanic. Must not have had any other offers, bring a good life jacket.
“Pre board the Titanic”…What? The “Titanic” is an unsinkable, impenetrable testament to the miracle of modern engineering.
It’ll be a pleasure and an honor to board such a modern, groundbreaking flawless and fast ship. What could possibly go wrong?
Houser is expected to start today’s game according to sources.
When he was a Brewer, he was a very solid pitcher. White Sox have been able to get good results from starters, that’s been the bright spot on this team.
True on both sentences. I just want them to focus on the bullpen.
2 hits 0 runs given up by Houser in 6 inning debut tonight.
Yay! Sox and Houser win!!