Chicago Cubs eye big arm in potential reunion with Craig Counsell

Counsell and Houser both spent the 2015-2023 seasons with the Brewers as Counsell was hired that year and Houser was acquired via trade. Throughout those years, Houser operated primarily as a starter, but also a swingman for Milwaukee. All together he had a 4.00 ERA over 539.1 innings.

When Counsell left the Brewers for the Cubs, Houser similarly departed, but to the New York Mets. Houser’s reunion with President of Baseball Operations David Stearns did not go well and he was released by the Mets around this time last year. Chicago then scooped him up on a minor league deal, but in the month he was with the organization he never was added to the 40-man roster.

Fast forward a year later and Houser’s trade market is quickly gaining steam. Through 11 starts with the White Sox he had pitched to a 2.10 ERA. When The Athletic asked Counsell if Houser was something they targeted, the response given was, “Well, he was a Cub last year, so we’ve talked about him frequently.”

 What would be the cost to acquire Adrian Houser?

At 32 years old and on an expiring contract, Houser figures to be one of the more affordable starting pitching options available at the trade deadline. While he doesn’t overpower hitters with velocity, he thrives by inducing ground balls and forcing opponents to string together hits to score. Given his profile and contract situation, parting with a prospect outside the organization’s top 30 seems like a fair price for a reliable back-end starter.

For a team like the Cubs who are looking to bolster their rotation without hopefully mortgaging the future, Houser represents a low-risk, potentially high-reward addition. His familiarity with the manager only strengthens the case, making this a move that could quietly pay dividends down the stretch.