The Boston Red Sox were heavy preseason favorites to make the postseason in 2026.
Currently 18-25 entering play on Friday, and 10.5 games back in the AL East, Boston has dug itself into an early hole.
While pitching hasn’t necessarily been their Achilles heel this season, they could be getting some reinforcements in the not-too-distant future.
Ian Browne of MLB.com reports that Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck could return in the next couple of months.
Houck is currently rehabbing after Tommy John surgery cut his 2025 season short.
“Making 75 throws out to 105 feet three days a week, and 30 throws at 60 feet three days a week while throwing changeups those days,” Browne wrote. “Targeting mound work in late June.”
What Would This Mean for the Boston Red Sox?
The Red Sox selected Houck in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of Missouri.
He would debut during the COVID-shortened 2020 season and would dazzle.
In three starts (17 innings), Houck gave up just one earned run, striking out 21 batters. This was just a glimpse of what was to come.
In his rookie season (2021), Houck pitched to a 3.52 ERA in 69 innings with 87 strikeouts. While he started 13 games, he was moved to the bullpen for the 2022 season.
In 32 games (60 innings), Houck pitched to a 3.15 ERA.
While Boston moved him back into the starting rotation in 2023, he pitched to a 5.01 ERA in 106 innings.
Houck would then face a prove-it year in Boston, and he would deliver.
During the 2024 season, Houck made the 2024 All-Star Game, pitching to a 3.12 ERA in 178.2 innings.
Houck would enter the 2025 season firmly entrenched in the rotation. However, a meltdown would occur for the right-hander.
In 2025, Houck would pitch in just nine games (43.2 innings) before requiring elbow surgery. In those nine games, he would pitch to an abysmal 8.04 ERA.
While it’s possible to chalk his performance up to his health issues, Houck enters yet another important year in 2027.
He likely will not be fully himself when he returns this season, as most pitchers in their first year back from Tommy John are.
However, 2027 will be his final season before he enters free agency.
How Will Houck Fit Back on the Team?
While Houck will likely make his return after the All-Star Break, there is simply no room for him in the starting rotation moving forward.
This would likely be the case even if he had a strong year before his elbow injury.
The fact of the matter is, the Red Sox have an abundance of young, talented pitching.
While he hasn’t necessarily shown it this year, when healthy, Garrett Crochet is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Offseason big-ticket signing Ranger Suárez also figures to be a key part of the rotation.
Young pitchers Connelly Early and Payton Tolle were two of Boston’s top pitching prospects and should be fixtures in the rotation for the future.
While veteran Sonny Gray’s contract is up at the end of the season, other young pitchers such as Brayan Bello, Jake Bennett, Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson and others figure to be in the mix in the future.
Just like the 2022 season, Houck’s best bet to stick on the roster may be proving himself in the bullpen.
If he regains even close to his All-Star form, the Red Sox might have a good problem to have on their hands regarding future pitching depth.
Red Sox Signal Imminent Return for 2024 All-Star Pitcher