Veteran pitcher Adrian Houser made his thoughts about his current role crystal clear after the Giants’ 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at Oracle Park.“I much prefer to [be a] starter,” Houser told reporters after pitching five strong innings in relief of opener JT Brubaker. “That’s what I signed here to do and that’s what I plan to do here in the future but right now, it’s all about getting outs and helping the guys as much as possible.”
Houser signed a two-year, $22 million free-agent contract in the offseason, with the expectation that he would fill a rotation spot.
But his first 14 appearances of the season — all starts — didn’t go well, as he posted a 5.73 ERA in 66 innings.
So, in late June, first-year manager Tony Vitello and the coaching staff moved Houser to the bullpen, and the 33-year-old has thrived in the role.
In nine appearances since the change, Houser has a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings, and Vitello has liked what he has seen.
“He’s been a lot more aggressive with the changeup, which is a big key to...