AL WILD CARD SERIES: TIGERS VS ASTROS

October 1, 2024

Hunter Brown

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Postgame Press Conference

Detroit - 3, Houston - 1

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for Hunter Brown.

Q. How much are you looking forward to this opportunity to start the game tomorrow, knowing the season is on the line there?

HUNTER BROWN: Yeah, you know, like you said, what an opportunity. We've been grinding all year, and here we are again with our backs against the wall. Hopefully come out and give us a good shot to win the game.

Q. Hunter, you're probably not thinking this way, but to be pitching against the Tigers in the playoffs, is this something you thought about as a kid and kind of the full-circle moment this is for you?

HUNTER BROWN: No, not necessarily. I think, looking back, if I think about it when I was 10 or 11 years old, I thought about pitching for them. So a little bit different now. Like I said, I'm just really excited for the opportunity. I believe in this group of guys, and tomorrow is going to be a fun game.

Q. Hunter, now you're going to be the pitcher tomorrow. Did you ever have this thing for Detroit before, now that you're going to have this opportunity tomorrow?

HUNTER BROWN: I'm sorry. I don't know if I understood your question.

Q. Given this team, Detroit tomorrow. Now, this kind of situation in playoff, are you prepared for that against Detroit?

HUNTER BROWN: Yeah. You know, I try and take a playoff mindset throughout the whole year and know that, you know, each game in the big leagues is really important. And so I'm going to prepare, quite frankly, the same way that I have this whole season.

Q. Hunter, you had the relief outing in Detroit early in the season. How much did that kind of help you set the course for the rest of the year, how well you pitched in that?

HUNTER BROWN: Yeah. That was probably maybe a turning point for me at the time. I was kind of struggling, and it was something that Joe and Josh had talked to me about, coming out of the bullpen to maybe jump start the season, maybe get me right.

So, yeah, just so happened that was the timing of it.

Q. Joe, Espada said a few moments ago one of the reasons he chose you to start Game 2 is he believes you're one of the best pitchers in the game. What does it mean to hear that?

HUNTER BROWN: Obviously makes me feel great that my manager has the confidence in me to turn to me in this situation. It's something that I prepared for, and I've been looking forward to. So I'm excited for the opportunity.

Q. Hunter, obviously, you and Framber, polar opposites pitching-wise. As you watched him against their lineup today, as you watched their lineup today, what did you take away from how you guys pitch them and what they bring to the table?

HUNTER BROWN: I'm interested to see, I guess, who's going to be in the lineup, right. I felt like that was pretty platoon oriented towards Framber. But like you said, we're a lot different pitchers. So it's hard to kind of relate to that. I'll do my own report and things like that and put myself in a position to succeed.

Q. How many times do you pitch in elimination games in your career, college or minor leagues?

HUNTER BROWN: I'm sure there's one along the way, at least tournaments in high school and things like that. But yeah, I mean, I had the opportunity to pitch in the postseason last couple seasons. So this is obviously a little different, making a start. It's going to be an exciting game, and hopefully I can reflect on some of those games that will help me in this one.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in, Hunter.

HUNTER BROWN: Thank you. Appreciate it.