Former Houston Cougars Baseball Starter Makes World Series History
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Houston Cougars baseball has been represented in a big way at the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.
It was on the mound for Game 3 of the Fall Classic that former Houston baseball starter Robert Gasser took the ball for the Brewers on the road in Tropicana Field and made World Series history.
Gasser played for Houston in 2020-21 as a transfer from Delta College. He had an outstanding 2021 season as the ace of Houston's pitching staff and became the 71st overall pick in the MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. Gasser got sent to Milwaukee in 2022 as part of the Josh Hader trade.
After time in the minor leagues, Gasser got called up to the Brewers in 2024. He's now one of the top starters for the Brewers in their 2026 World Series title run. The former Cougar put together the performance of his life on Monday in Game 3 of the World Series and threw six shutout innings.
Houston Dominance on the Mound
FULLY FUELED ⛽️
— Houston Baseball (@UHCougarBB) October 27, 2026
Robert Gasser faces the minimum and earns a quality start in Game Three of the #WorldSeries!@waterboy_tx x #ProCoogs pic.twitter.com/HKUdYJfX9g
Gasser faced the minimum through 75 pitches and only gave up one hit and one walk along with three strikeouts. The 27-year-old has now put Milwaukee on the brink of its first World Series title as he got the win.
Not only that, but Gasser became the first left-handed starter to face the minimum over six innings in a World Series game since Sandy Koufax in Game 5 of the 1965 World Series. He's the first starter overall to do it since Curt Schilling in Game 7 of the 2001 Fall Classic.
Gasser is also the second pitcher in World Series history to finish a start of six or more innings having faced the minimum. The other was Don Larsen in his perfect game in 1956.
That's tremendous company for a Houston product to have. Gasser only made four relief appearances in 2020 during his junior year, but became a First-Team All-American Athletic Conference in 2021. Gasser was the top pitching prospect out of the conference after he went 6-6 with a 2.63 ERA in 85.2 innings that season, along with 105 strikeouts.
Gasser became just the third UH Cougar to play in the World Series and the fourth player to have been a part of a World Series team.
The last player to do so was reliever Ben Weber, who appeared in four games of the 2002 World Series and became a champion with the Anaheim Angels. Additionally, right-hander Woody Williams, one of the more recognizable former Houston players, made it to the World Series in 2004 with the St. Louis Cardinals and started Game 1.
Williams didn't have close to the success that Gasser did in that World Series start. Williams did earn a World Series ring with the Toronto Blue Jays back in 1993 as a rookie reliever. Williams recently spent two seasons as a pitching coach for the Cougars in 2024-25.
Shortstop Gary Weiss won the 1981 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but didn't play in any of the games. Gasser is the first Houston player to have a significant role in a win in the World Series. With the Brewers up 3-1, he could very well become the fourth Cougar to get a championship ring.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.