Hunter Brown outduels Jacob deGrom, bolsters Cy Young candidacy: 'It's fun to watch'

ARLINGTON, Texas Down the stairs came Hunter Brown, a pitcher pushing boundaries during this breakout season.

Brown has become an ace in every sense of the word, someone to whom the Houston Astros turn for stability in times of strife.

The past seven days have been fraught with it, from a cross-up catastrophe to the complete absence of clutch hitting.

Advertisement Browns mere presence can turn the tenor.

He arrived at Globe Life Field on Saturday, put a teetering team on his shoulders and took it as far as his right arm would allow.

After five innings, Brown descended the dugout steps, stared at his manager and made a declaration.

Im going back out, said this soft-spoken Michigander who morphs into another man on a major-league mound.

The edge that he creates for himself out there, this Diesel persona, its just fun to be a part of, first baseman Christian Walker said.

Diesel did not develop overnight.

Sixteen months ago, Brown found himself on the precipice of a minor-league demotion.

The 51 starts since have ensured hell never worry about it again.

Browns 2.36 ERA across that stretch is the third lowest in the sport.

Two household names, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, have lower ones.

A third one opposed Brown on Saturday night, even if the final score did not indicate it.

Before the ballgame became a boat race, Brown outdueled two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom for the second time of this superb season.

"You put Diesel in..." #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/FjbULBX1cS Houston Astros (@astros) September 7, 2025 If were not giving him the recognition, its time.

Its time to give him his flowers, shortstop Jeremy Pena said after Houstons 11-0 win.

Hes been doing it.

Hes not doing it at an average rate.

Hes doing it at an elite, elite level.

He deserves his flowers.

Flowers come in all forms, from awards to sky-high salaries to the freedom to dictate situations like Saturdays.

Brown could not recall another instance of insisting on staying in a game.

Hes earned the right to make that decision, manager Joe Espada said, and we needed him to step up and do that.

September is go time, Espada has maintained, rendering pitch counts rather meaningless in the seasons final month.

The 95 pitches Brown threw through five innings were already more than in 13 starts of his brilliant season.

So many injuries have invaded Houstons pitching staff that prudence might have been beneficial.

Advertisement Having a pulse on the game, you kind of know where youre at or what the team needs, Brown said.

I felt like the look that I was getting was like How ya feeling? versus We want to take you out.

Thats why I said that.

So there stood Brown in the sixth inning of a star-studded duel hed already dominated.

His four-seam fastball still reached 96.9 mph.

His changeup confounded the rookie hitting fifth.

And on the 107th pitch of this prolific night, he landed a sinker at the bottom of Alejandro Osunas strike zone.

Osuna grounded it to second base, finishing perhaps the most taxing outing of Browns season.

He threw five more pitches than in any of the 27 starts that preceded it and matched his career high as a major leaguer.

Brown has had more dominant days and displayed better stuff, but he still delivered the sort of outing that defines an ace.

He bullied the Texas Rangers injury-ravaged lineup across six scoreless innings, shielding his overworked bullpen while stranding seven base runners in a blockbuster duel against deGrom.

I feel like every team has their dude .

We feel like when we have our dudes going against their dudes, we take our guys every time, Pena said.

Hunter Brown is a guy Ill take over anybody.

I put all my trust in him.

Twice this season, Brown has matched deGrom pitch for pitch.

Texas won the first meeting 1-0 on May 15.

Brown engaged in an epic duel with Skubal last month at Comerica Park, too, only to witness Houston again lose 1-0.

Perhaps a win Saturday will end the days of Brown playing second fiddle in these showdowns.

Brown battled inefficiency and some diminished fastball velocity but still managed to strike out eight.

His sinker generated some sorely needed, early-count groundballs.

His changeup played well against the five left-handed hitters in Texas order.

Advertisement Hes a big reason why were in the position that were in.

We can count on him every five days.

A lot of fun to play behind.

He pounds the zone.

He works quick.

He competes, said Walker, who hammered a hanging deGrom slider for a third-inning solo home run.

The amount of pitches hes thrown, the ability to throw everything for a strike in any count.

Guys get to first base and just constantly talk about how nasty he is and how tough the at-bats are.

I love hearing that, and Im glad hes getting the credit he deserves.

How much he will get is a mystery.

Saturday bolstered Browns case to at least create conversation about the American League Cy Young Award, something the 27-year-old right-hander acknowledged is on his mind.

Im definitely aware.

I would be lying if I said I wasnt, Brown said.

Obviously, Im trying to win.

But Im trying to win for the team and do my job here.

Skubal spun seven more scoreless innings Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, shaving his ERA to 2.10.

No American League starting pitcher has a lower one.

Only a meltdown across the seasons final month will prevent him from becoming the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez to win consecutive AL Cy Young Awards.

Thirty writers vote for the award, and all have different criteria they prioritize.

If ERA is important, Brown now boasts a 2.25 mark.

Among all major-league starters, only Skubal and Skenes have lower ones.

Workload can be emphasized by some.

Brown has thrown 167 2/3 innings.

Of the seven American League starters whove thrown more innings, six have an ERA higher than 2.67.

The seventh is Skubal.

DeGrom, Skubal and Bryan Woo all have a lower WHIP than Brown.

Skubal, deGrom and Carlos Rodon are the only three pitchers allowing a lower batting average to opponents.

I try to just focus on each game, and if I do that and I execute pitches and prepare the way I know I can, obviously I believe I can find myself in that situation, Brown said of his Cy Young candidacy.

Advertisement Brown is still eligible for MLBs prospect promotion incentive program, meaning he must finish in the top three of voting for Houston to receive a compensatory draft pick next season.

At least three more regular-season starts remain for Brown to solidify that standing.

You see it.

You see the numbers.

You see the way he steps out there, Pena said.

You can tell the confidence he has in himself, the confidence he has in his arsenal, and he goes out there and he competes.

He never backs down from anybody, never backs down from any team.

Its fun to watch.

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