He was recruited by major league teams, and joined a Tigers pitching staff that had lost players to injuries and World War II.

[1] But injuries plagued the Tigers' pitching staff, and the 17-year-old Houtteman was called up by the parent club and began his major league career.

[1] Due to Tiger pitching injuries, and with many top players still in the military late in World War II (Houtteman was too young for the draft), he made his major league debut on April 29.

[4] He also appeared in 13 games as a relief pitcher, and finished his minor league season with no wins, two losses and an ERA of 5.33 in just over 25 innings pitched.

[2] Houtteman was the youngest major leaguer in 1946 but played only one game for the Tigers that season, allowing eight runs and fifteen hits in eight innings.

"[5] Despite his newfound top prospect status Houtteman remained in Buffalo at the beginning of the 1947 season[1] before being recalled to the Tigers in July.

[6] He tossed a five-hit shutout and Tiger general manager Billy Evans said, "In 40 years I've never seen a better pitching job by a first-year pitcher.

[2] His performance in 1947 caught the attention of New York Yankees star and future Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio, who said of Houtteman and Bob Lemon, "They have more stuff and more pitching sense than any other young fellows I've seen come up in a long while".

Newhouser said, "The kid has had nothing but bad luck since the season opened",[10] while Fred Hutchinson said, "He shouldn't have lost more than three or four games had he gotten an even break".

[1] Originally listed in critical condition (a priest stood by to administer the last rites in extremis), he recovered rapidly and was able to talk with his teammates two days after the accident, telling them, "I'll be able to pitch sooner than you".

[12] As a result of the injuries to Houtteman and Yankee star catcher Yogi Berra due to car accidents, Cleveland Indians playing manager Lou Boudreau banned his players from driving, forcing the soon-to-be world champions to ride chartered buses to exhibition games.

[2] He was placed in most valuable player (MVP) voting, and received three points and finished tied for 22nd with teammate Virgil Trucks.

He can't miss..." As the 1950 season started, Houtteman was on a high note, pitching all of spring training without allowing a walk.

[17] He won his tenth game of the season on June 28, 1950, and became the first pitcher to hit the 10-win mark alongside Bob Lemon.

After the game, he told an Associated Press reporter that he was just about convinced that Lady Luck had decided to give him a break after kicking him around for the past two or three years.

[18] A week into July, Houtteman notched his eleventh victory, and only lost five games, in a 6–1 win against the St. Louis Browns.

[19] Just a few days later, Houtteman was named to the All-Star roster alongside fellow Tigers including Ted Gray, George Kell and Hoot Evers.

[1] He served in the heavy weapons division of the Army, where the roar of the big guns sent pains throbbing through Houtteman's head and gave him severe headaches, which doctors believed was a lingering effect of the skull fracture three years earlier.

After losing his tenth game on June 22, manager Red Rolfe moved Houtteman out of the starting rotation and into the bullpen.

[2] On June 15, 1953, Houtteman was traded by the Tigers, along with Owen Friend, Joe Ginsberg and Bill Wight, to the Cleveland Indians for Ray Boone, Al Aber, Steve Gromek and Dick Weik.

[31] As a result of Indians' pitching coach Mel Harder doing a "complete" overhaul, Houtteman was moved into the starting rotation, to replace Bob Feller.

[1] Houtteman finished the season in Cleveland with a 7–7 record, six complete games, one shutout, 109 innings pitched, and a 3.80 ERA.

[2] In the 1954 World Series with the Indians, he pitched two innings in Game 3 against the New York Giants, allowing one run and striking out one batter.

[35] However, he became a spot starter, as he lost his starting position to Score, the "most talked-about rookie in all the major league training camps".

[36] A three-team, nine-player deal involving Houtteman again becoming part of the White Sox along with George Strickland was also scrapped at the last second.

There was talk about Houtteman's being "in the doghouse", or out of favor with the team's management, during the 1956 season due to his lack of starts.

According to sportswriter Hal Lebovitz, this was a result of the starting five for the Indians, including spot starter Feller, pitching very well during spring training.

[40] Hal Lebovitz called Houtteman "a pitcher of considerable promise but who somehow has yet to cash in on it", despite the fact that he was in his 12th and final major league season.

[1] During the 1957 season, Houtteman made four relief appearances before he was demoted to the Vancouver Mounties of the Pacific Coast League.

[1] Houtteman signed with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League, and posted a 6–9 record with an ERA of 3.69 for the season.