Adrian Houser was scheduled to start for the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in their game against the Philadelphia Phillies, but with the MLB trade deadline tomorrow, the White Sox decided to scratch Houser--suggesting that a trade is expected before the deadline. Houser's start against the Chicago Cubs was presumably the last time he pitched for the White Sox, and it could very well be that his next start is with the Cubs.
Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported over the weekend that Houser was among the long list of pitchers the Cubs have interest in ahead of the deadline. Jesse Rogers of ESPN also confirmed the Cubs have an interest in Houser, suggesting that the White Sox are looking for an organizational Top-20 prospect in exchange for the veteran.
Cubs linked to scratched White Sox pitcher as buzz grows louder
Thanks to revamped mechanics, Houser is in the middle of a breakout season with the White Sox. Through 11 starts this season, House has an ERA of 2.10 with a fastball that is back up in the middle 90s.
The concern, though, is that Houser is pitching above his metrics. Houser's strikeout rate sits at 17.1 percent with an xERA of 3.96. Those numbers point to regression coming for Houser before the end of the season.
Houser does have a FIP of 3.30, so that would be something the Cubs' front office could point to with the expectation that their pitching infrastructure and defense could ensure the 32-year-old still has success this season.
The Cubs certainly wouldn't be trading any of their top prospects for Houser, but the team may feel comfortable moving James Triantos in a potential deal with the White Sox. Triantos has seen his prospect profile take a hit this season, considering his struggles with the Iowa Cubs, but remains the team's No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Moving Triantos for a pitcher like Houser would also leave Owen Caissie as a trade chip for a larger deal ahead of the deadline.
