Adrian Houser says ‘it’s just business’ as the Brewers don’t come to an agreement with the pitcher at the arbitration deadline

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Adrian Houser was the only arbitration-eligible player on the Brewers who didn't come to an agreement with the team before this week's deadline. He reportedly filed at $3 million, while the Brewers countered at $2.425 million.

Adrian Houser was the only arbitration-eligible player on the Brewers who didn’t come to an agreement with the team before this week’s deadline. He reportedly filed at $3 million, while the Brewers countered at $2.425 million.

Tuesday was a banner day for the Brewers, as they came to agreements with nine of 10 arbitration-eligible players before the deadline to do so.

And the one who didn’t settle — right-hander Adrian Houser — didn’t seem fazed in the least about how the process played out for him.

“It’s just business. It’s just the business side of it,” he said. “It doesn’t change anything that I’m doing here. I’m going about my days the same way, going about my business the same way and I’m going to go out there every fifth or sixth day and come off the mound with the team having the best chance to win the ballgame.”

Houser reportedly filed at $3 million while the Brewers countered at $2.425 million.

That’s not a huge gap, which might suggest the two sides can find some common ground prior to going to a hearing, which could occur anywhere from April through even June or July.

“Hopefully we don’t get to a trial, but right now it’s heading towards a trial,” he said. “That’s all I know. I don’t know any dates or anything like that, but anything can happen between now and then.”

Houser said he was “pretty much in constant contact” with his agent in the days and hours leading up to the deadline Tuesday.

He made his Cactus League debut Monday night and looked sharp in four scoreless innings. Would he be able to keep such focus if a potential hearing was scheduled on a day he’s slated to start in the regular season?

“It’s going to be wild this year with the way everything’s going with the speeded-up timeline and the lockout and everything,” he said. “Hopefully they don’t schedule it on a day that I’m pitching and I’ve got to sit there and go through all that and then it’s, ‘Hey, go out there and have some fun and pitch in the game.’

“That wouldn’t be fun. So, we’ll see what happens.”

More: Devin Williams threw his cutter-slider more Friday for the Brewers in a spring training game. The results were very good.

More: He went from an MLB closer two years ago to suddenly pitching in the minors. Now, Trevor Gott looks for a fresh start with the Brewers.

Brewers 7, Mariners 7

Even for a seasoned veteran like Andrew McCutchen, getting positive results in spring training will leave a player walking out of the ballpark with a smile.

McCutchen hit a pair of first-pitch homers in his two-at bats Saturday as the Brewers tied the Mariners at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

“Any guy out there who’s playing they’d be lying to you if they didn’t say they’re trying to have good at-bats and trying to backspin some balls and feel good at the plate,” McCutchen said. “That’s the main objective of spring training. Of course you have all the small things and little punch list you need to do, but lastly you want to feel good at the plate.”

McCutchen’s homers both came against Seattle starter Chris Flexen, a right-hander, which is notable. The outfielder batted .186 with a .650 OPS against righties in 2021.

Keston Hiura and Tyrone Taylor, meanwhile, continued their torrid camp performances with each blasting their third homers. Taylor has a 1.841 OPS through five games; Hiura is at 1.794 through six.

Houser started and went three innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. Taylor Trammell hit a homer off Houser in the third, but much of the rest of his undoing came on weak contact.

“We had a lot of ground balls out there but there was also some mistakes,” Houser said. “Left some balls over the middle and they put some good swings on them like they’re supposed to… It was definitely a work day. It was good to have some guys on base, work out of the stretch, get some adrenaline with that and being able to work on some timing.”

Another member of the Brewers projected Opening Day starting rotation, Eric Lauer, pitched three innings and allowed two earned runs, striking out four and walking none.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Adrian Houser, Brewers no agreement as MLB arbitration deadline passes



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