Ex-Mets GM commends Astros ace Hunter Brown for his 'filthy' displays this season 

Having made his debut for the Houston Astros toward the end of the 2022 season, starting pitcher Hunter Brown has quickly established himself as one of the most reliable arms in Joe Espada's pitching staff.

Boasting a 3-1 record, a 1.16 ERA and 31 strikeouts so far this season, Brown appears to have taken his game to another level, inserting himself into the conversation as one of the most impressive aces of the young season.

Speaking about Brown's performances in 2025, former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips said the 26-year-old seems to be improving with every appearance. He said on MLB Network on Tuesday:

"(Hunter Brown's) scoreless streak is now 24 consecutive innings. (At the moment) there's no shame in getting shut out by Hunter Brown. This guy's stuff is filthy. He keeps getting better and better and better, and he's legitimately a front-end of the rotation starter right now, with Framber Valdez for the Astros.

"This guy's got a 1.16 ERA , 3-1 on the season, he's legit an ace pitcher right now. The Houston Astros are way better than what people think. Think about with Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez in a playoff matchup, where they (Astros) will be if they start putting the rest of this rotation together."

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Steve Phillips talks about how Hunter Brown has modeled his game after one of the all-time great big league pitchers

With nine All-Star selections, two World Series titles, an AL MVP award and three Cy Young Awards to his name, Justin Verlander is one of the most successful big league pitchers of all time.

Naturally, for someone like Hunter Brown, who grew up watching baseball in the 2000s, Verlander would have been the gold standard for any aspiring pitcher. According to Phillips, Verlander’s influence is evident in Brown’s approach on the mound.

"He's got one of the highest release points," Phillips said. "He watched Justin Verlander growing up, and he tried to build his delivery like Verlander. Verlander has a really high release point. He gets one to one of the highest points releasing a baseball. Hunter Brown's much the same way, creating angles with his pitches."

Hunter Brown (L) and Justin Verlander (R) (Images from - Getty)

As a new-look Astros team leans on its recent World Series pedigree, fans will hope Hunter Brown can continue to dominate opposing batters as he has so far.