Chicago White Sox Scratch Adrian Houser With Trade Deadline Looming

CHICAGO –– The White Sox already made one trade on Wednesday morning, sending Austin Slater to the New York Yankees for minor league pitching prospect Gage Ziehl.

Another deal could be coming soon.

Right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser was scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Phillies, but he was scratched a few hours before first pitch. The game has been pushed back, too. It was originally scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT, but has been delayed due to weather. An estimated start time has not been announced.

Houser remains with the White Sox for now, but left-hander Tyler Alexander will start in his place.

"Just with Houser, we were transparent with him. Just the market around him and the potential for a trade," manager Will Venable said pregame. "Just thought it was in everyone's best interest to switch starters today."

Houser has been outstanding after signing midseason with the White Sox out of Triple-A Round Rock. Since May 20, he's fifth in MLB among qualified pitchers with a 2.10 ERA behind only Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez.

On Friday against the Chicago Cubs, he pitched 6.2 innings with five hits, three earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts. After the game, he commented on the possibility of being traded.

"Focus on right now," Houser said. "My family is in town so I'm going to go have a good time with them. If a trade happens it's out of my control. So right now I'm focused on Adrian Houser-White Sox and that's how I'm treating it going day by day. Whatever's in the future is out of my control. For right now I'm a White Sox and I'm going to keep pitching like that and that's how I'm going to go about my business."

Filling in for Houser is Alexander, who's been a productive piece in the White Sox bullpen since signing a one-year, $760,000 contract with the team on June 8. Across 29.2 innings as a reliever, he has posted a 2.12 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with 24 strikeouts and two walks.

He's been used in one-inning situations and as a long reliever, so he could provide the White Sox with some length on Wednesday. Alexander last pitched Sunday against the Cubs, going 1.1 innings with 19 pitches. After Alexander, Venable said Mike Vasil could pitch multiple innings, and the rest of the bullpen is available aside from Dan Altavilla, who pitched two innings on Tuesday.

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