"I’m going back out" - Hunter Brown’s bold words before outdueling Jacob deGrom earn Astros manager’s nod of approval

There was no stopping Hunter Brown from going back out for the sixth inning in Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers. The Houston Astros ace was touching the 90s in pitch count by the fifth inning, and generally, manager Joe Espada is known for his cautious usage of his starters.

However, Brown was not going to sit back after completing the fifth inning. He went out and pitched a scoreless inning. He finished the outing, pitching six shutout innings, throwing 107 pitches, striking out eight and allowing only four hits and three walks.

Now, according to Chandler Rome, Brown made a bold declaration to Espada before going back to the mound to pitch the sixth inning. He said:

"I'm going back out."

This earned him a nod of approval from Espada, who said:

“He’s earned the right to make that decision and we needed him to step up and do that.”

After the 11-0 win, where Brown outdueled Rangers' Jacob deGrom (5.1 IP, 3 ER and 8 Ks), the Astros ace defended his decision, saying:

“Having a pulse on the game, you kind of know where you’re at or what the team needs. I felt like the look that I was getting was like ‘How ya feeling?’ versus ‘We want to take you out.’ That’s why I said that.”

Hunter Brown earns praise from fellow teammates after dominant start

Hunter Brown's proclamation has put him in good standing within the Astros clubhouse. Teammates are rallying around him because of his confidence and determination in his pitching. Fellow teammate Jeremy Pena said:

“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. Hunter Brown is a guy I’ll take over anybody. I put all my trust in him.”

Astros first baseman Christian Walker also gave Brown his due credit.

“The edge that he creates for himself out there, this ‘Diesel’ persona, it’s just fun to be a part of,” Walker said.

Brown is having an excellent season on the mound for the Astros. He is 11-7 after 28 starts, holding a 2.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. He's among the favorites to win the AL Cy Young this season, besides Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet and Jacob deGrom.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Neha