DETROIT — Following another blow-up start that raised questions about Tanner Houck’s immediate future in the Red Sox’ rotation, the club has found a way to unplug him for the big league roster for the time being.
Houck was was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 13) on Wednesday with a “right flexor pronator strain,” according to the team. Cooper Criswell was recalled in Houck’s place and is active for Wednesday’s series finale.
Houck allowed 11 earned runs in 2 ⅓ innings in Monday’s series opener against the Tigers, marking the second time in a four-week period he had accomplished that ugly feat. As of earlier Wednesday afternoon, manager Alex Cora was insisting that Houck — who said Monday night that there was nothing physically wrong — would make his start Sunday as scheduled. That will no longer happen.
Houck, a 2024 All-Star who logged a 3.12 ERA in 30 starts last year, struggled during spring training and got off to an uneven start in the regular season before his first disastrous outing in Tampa on April 14. In that start, he allowed 12 runs (11 earned) while being tagged for 10 hits in a 16-1 blowout loss to Tampa. He settled down — to the tune of a 3.57 ERA — over his next four outings (including two good ones against Toronto) but hit the wall again Monday, being chased after allowing 11 runs and nine hits while recording just seven outs.
“Probably the most lost I’ve ever been,” Houck said after the game. “I’m just not getting the job done, which weighs on me heavily.”
The last two days have brought plenty of conversations between Houck, pitching coach Andrew Bailey and his assistants and manager Alex Cora about how to get Houck right. Cora repeatedly said Houck was expected to start Sunday at home against Atlanta but kept the window open for a roster move, too.
“I was in a meeting today and there was a lot of stuff,“ acknowledged Cora on Tuesday. ”A lot. Against lefties, against righties. Throwing strikes, the delivery.
“We’ve just got to keep working with him. I think location with the off-speed stuff is important… I think it’s location. When location has been good, he has been good. When he has struggled, especially with the off-speed pitches going to the places we need to, he has been getting hit.”
It’s unclear if Criswell, who has been pitching out of the rotation in Worcester, will assume Houck’s turn in the rotation Sunday. The right-hander made the Opening Day roster and struggled to a 10.38 ERA (5 earned runs in 4 ⅓ innings) in the first 10 games of the season before being optioned to Triple-A. In Worcester, he has delivered a 1.99 ERA while striking out 31 batters in 22 ⅔ innings over five games (four starts). He last pitched Thursday, lasting 5 ⅔ innings at Lehigh Valley.
Garrett Crochet and Lucas Giolito will start the first two games of Boston’s home series against Atlanta. Sunday remains open but Brayan Bello, who started Tuesday, is a candidate to pitch on regular rest, as is Criswell, who will likely be available out of the bullpen Wednesday. Rookie Hunter Dobbins appears likely to stick in the starting five for now. And Walker Buehler, who has been out since late April with right shoulder bursitis, is expected to be activated for the club’s series against the Mets, which begins Monday.
“Buehler is throwing an up-and-down (two-inning bullpen) tomorrow,” Cora said. “We’ll see how he comes out.”
