Look, Adrian Houser is a solid option for the #5 spot in the rotation, but he's clearly a step below the other 4 guys. We have some off-days coming up, starting with tomorrow and then again Monday. This begs the question: do we skip some Houser starts to maximize what could be the final run for our Big 3 and help compensate for a subpar offense?
For example, provided everyone stays healthy: you could easily do something like this:
8/11 @CWS: Burnes. 8/20 @TEX: Miley 8/30: @CHC: Peralta
8/12 @CWS: Woodruff 8/22 vs. MN: Burnes 9/1: vs. PHI: Miley
8/13 @CWS: Peralta 8/23 vs. MN: Woodruff 9/2: vs. PHI: Burnes
8/15 @LAD: Miley 8/25 vs. SD: Peralta 9/3: vs. PHI: Woodruff
8/16 @LAD: Burnes 8/26 vs. SD: Miley
8/17 @LAD: Woodruff 8/27 vs SD: Burnes
8/18 @TEX: Peralta 8/28 @CHC: Woodruff
8/19 @TEX: Houser/Gasser 8/29 @CHC: Houser/Gasser
That's two extra starts for a non-Houser pitcher, when the division is likely going to come down to a game or two. Of course, keeping our SPs healthy takes precedence above all, but I think it's something you have to consider.
FWIW, if you inserted Houser in the San Diego series, you could also set up Burnes, Woodruff, and Peralta in Chicago. That would give back one start to Houser and is obviously worth considering, too, as a series win in CHC would mean the Cubs would have to sweep us in the last series of the season to get the tiebreaker.