Mets move Adrian Houser to bullpen, for now: 'We just have to get him back on track'
With the Mets calling up prospect Christian Scott, the team will move RHP Adrian Houser out of the rotation and to the bullpen, at least for now.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media before Friday's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays that the team will not use a six-man rotation this time through. With Houser pitching Thursday, the team expects the veteran hurler to be available out of the bullpen either Monday or Tuesday.
“He’s such a professional," Mendoza said of Houser's reaction to the news. "He’s been there before. Right now he’s going through it. He’s working hard, to his credit, and we’re confident he can get back to the pitcher we know he can be. He respected it and back to work.”
After the Mets acquired Houser and Tyrone Taylor from the Milwaukee Brewers for RHP Coleman Crow, he hasn't excelled in the rotation so far in 2024.
In six starts this season, Houser is 0-3 with an 8.16 ERA and a 1.85 WHIP. Against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, his last start, he gave up four earned runs in five innings while walking four and striking out just two batters. The big issue has been the walks. Houser has walked 20 batters in 28.2 innings pitched.
“We’ll find matchups for him. This is a guy that’s done it before," Mendoza said. "Length or the bullpen, there’s a lot of different ways we can use him. We have to get him back on track, mechanically, his confidence, obviously. He's done it before and we're confident we’ll get him back to where he needs to be.
"He’s been in the bullpen, he’s been a starter. He provides versatility and we just have to get him back on track."
The Mets are not committing to a six-man rotation moving forward, but Mendoza says when they get to their next off day (Thursday, May 9) they'll have to make a decision on how to proceed.
