DEAL DONE JUST NOW: Orioles Sign another high rated key man to league Contract deal done now
The Orioles announced yesterday that they have signed right-hander Adrian Houser to a minor league contract. Houser, who had been with the Cubs on a minor league deal, was released earlier that day, allowing him to quickly find a new team.
Since Houser joined the Orioles before the September 1 cutoff, he is eligible for the playoff roster. However, his performance this season has been underwhelming, with a 5.84 ERA over 69 1/3 innings for the Mets. He also has a 10.4% walk rate and a 14.6% strikeout rate, one of the lowest in the league.
Houser improved after moving from the Mets’ rotation to a long relief role, but he was still released at the end of July, and the Cubs didn’t promote him during his short stint at Triple-A Iowa. In Iowa, Houser returned to a starting role and posted a 3.86 ERA and 6.6% walk rate over 18 2/3 innings, though his strikeout rate remained low at 15.8%.
Houser’s success in his eight MLB seasons has typically relied on inducing ground balls and soft contact rather than strikeouts. His results have varied depending on his batted-ball luck, but he had generally solid numbers during his seven seasons with the Brewers before being traded to the Mets last December.
The Orioles have dealt with numerous rotation injuries this season, and their efforts to reinforce the staff at the trade deadline were unsuccessful, as Trevor Rogers struggled and was optioned to Triple-A, and Zach Eflin, another pre-deadline acquisition, was sidelined by injury but has just returned. The current rotation consists of Eflin, Corbin Burnes, Dean Kremer, Albert Suarez, and Cade Povich.
Houser provides experienced depth to the rotation, and with Kremer leaving yesterday’s game due to a forearm contusion, Houser might get a major league call-up soon. Baltimore might also consider using him in the bullpen, where a reliable long reliever could strengthen the pitching staff and possibly create a piggyback situation with another starter.
Houser is still owed approximately $840K of his $5.05MM salary for 2024. If he joins the Orioles’ active roster, they would only be responsible for the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary, with the Mets covering the remainder.