Failed NY Mets trade acquisition from last season settles on a new minor league deal

When we think of the 2024 New York Mets, many of us pass over the first half of the year that included a whole lot of failed offseason acquisitions. Joey Wendle. Jake Diekman. The list is extensive. As good as some of the moves made by David Stearns were, he had his share of mistakes. Included was the decision to have Adrian Houser in the rotation.

Houser was traded to the Mets from the Milwaukee Brewers alongside Tyrone Taylor for injured minor league pitcher Coleman Crow. A successful trade because of Taylor accomplished, the constant struggles of Houser on the mound made it an imperfect trade if for no other reason than the Mets could have filled the rotation with someone else.

Houser would go 1-5 with a 5.84 ERA in 7 starts and another 16 relief appearances. He was officially released on July 31, ending a failed tenure.

Former Mets pitcher Adrian Houser has a new minor league contract

A bad few months with the Mets didn’t stop Houser from getting additional opportunities with other clubs. He signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs after the Mets. A month later, upon another release, the Baltimore Orioles gave him a shot in Triple-A. The difference between the two ball clubs was stark. He was 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA for the Cubs in Triple-A and 0-2 with a 9.18 ERA for the Orioles at the same level.

Hoping for something closer to what he gave the Cubs, the Texas Rangers have agreed to a minor league deal with Houser.

Previous to joining the Mets last year, Houser had been a much steadier presence with the Brewers. A career 31-34 record and 4.00 ERA in 539.1 innings with most of the time as a starter had him looking like a strong back of the rotation option for the 2024 ball club.

Houser would actually pitch much better in relief for the Mets, going 1-1 with a 3.28 ERA versus the 0-4 with an 8.55 ERA he had as a starter. His exact role moving forward could have him evolving into more of a multi-inning reliever. Starting pitchers certainly carry more value, however, based on the results Houser had last year, his best bet at pitching in the majors consistently might involve falling down the depth chart and familiarizing himself with the bullpen.