Tanner Houck "Hopes To Be Contributing" to Boston Red Sox in September

[Matthew Lenz]

The Boston Red Sox are hoping to get a boost to their pitching staff late in the season, just in time for the playoffs. Whether that will be in the form of a starter or reliever remains to be seen; however, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald provided an injury update on the former staff Ace.

She reports that Tanner Houck "starts a throwing program next week and is hoping to contribute in September." Having received Tommy John surgery at the beginning of August 2025, that timeline would put him roughly 13 months removed from the procedure. However, even when pictures are cleared to return, it can typically take two to three months for them to fully recover. While returning in September 2026 is a reasonable goal, don't be surprised if we don't see Houck until 2027.

Houck, 30, has two more years of team control before entering free agency. While there was some uncertainty whether the Red Sox would tender him a contract this offseason, the right-hander was once the ace of the rotation and looked to be one of the better pitchers in baseball after he broke out in 2024. Across 80 big league starts, Houck has a 4.13 ERA (3.79 FIP) and a passable 14.3% K-BB rate. 

This will be a storyline to follow, especially as the trade deadline approaches. Depending on the state of the team, will the Red Sox pursue pitching help, or will they be relying on Houck to contribute in September and in the playoffs? Let us know what you think in the comments!

View full rumor

[moonslav59]

Sorry. I have to fight back laughter on this.

I'm done counting on hopes of pitchers returning from the IL on schedule or earlier.

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Sorry. I have to fight back laughter on this.

I'm done counting on hopes of pitchers returning from the IL on schedule or earlier.

No chance of him contributing in September. 

[JoeBrady]

Really unlikely.  Part of the springtime ritual of 'this is the best I ever felt in my life'.

[moonslav59]

41 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

No chance of him contributing in September. 

Counting on Houck to be ready in April 2027 might be too much to ask.

[mvp 78]

21 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Really unlikely.  Part of the springtime ritual of 'this is the best I ever felt in my life'.

Personally, I do NOT feel that way right now. 😤

[notin]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

No chance of him contributing in September. 

Because he’s not fully recovered or because he will likely suck?

I would also doubt he’s back, but I like that he’s hoping to be…

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Personally, I do NOT feel that way right now. 😤

Get hit on the head by a falling iguana-sicle?

[mvp 78]

14 minutes ago, notin said:

Because he’s not fully recovered or because he will likely suck?

I would also doubt he’s back, but I like that he’s hoping to be…

I think the rollercoaster nature of rehab and stuff not being fully back (i.e. sucking) means the player isn't fully recovered. Also, if they are in the homestretch and trying to get into the playoffs, I don't want a guy coming off IBF and working on things pitching meaningful innings. He can do that in AAA on rehab for the rest of the season by using an option year if you really have to.

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, notin said:

Get hit on the head by a falling iguana-sicle?

A combination of getting back into running and being a pitching coach my daughter's fastpitch league (lots of bullpen sessions where I'm catching for 60-90 mins) has done a number on one of my knees. 

I will drive down to Jupiter when the Cardinals A ball team go with their Frozen Iguanas alternates. Fun little stadium and easy to get to for me. https://www.milb.com/memphis/news/palm-beach-cardinals-launch-first-alternate-identity-palm-beach-frozen-iguanas

[notin]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I think the rollercoaster nature of rehab and stuff not being fully back (i.e. sucking) means the player isn't fully recovered. Also, if they are in the homestretch and trying to get into the playoffs, I don't want a guy coming off IBF and working on things pitching meaningful innings. He can do that in AAA on rehab for the rest of the season by using an option year if you really have to.

I’ll be impressed if he’s far enough along to make an AAA rehab assignment 

[JoeBrady]

8 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

A combination of getting back into running and being a pitching coach my daughter's fastpitch league (lots of bullpen sessions where I'm catching for 60-90 mins) has done a number on one of my knees. 

I will drive down to Jupiter when the Cardinals A ball team go with their Frozen Iguanas alternates. Fun little stadium and easy to get to for me. https://www.milb.com/memphis/news/palm-beach-cardinals-launch-first-alternate-identity-palm-beach-frozen-iguanas

I try to get to the gym every day, but cannot imagine catching for 15 minutes, let alone 90.

[mvp 78]

10 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I try to get to the gym every day, but cannot imagine catching for 15 minutes, let alone 90.

If it wasn't for my knee, it wouldn't be too bad. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

"Tanner Houck will be a better addition to our roster than any other player we can acquire at the trade deadline," the President will lie again in July.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

"Tanner Houck will be a better addition to our roster than any other player we can acquire at the trade deadline," the President will lie again in July.

No, that will be what we hear next offseason. He's the Gray replacement. 

[notin]

18 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

A combination of getting back into running and being a pitching coach my daughter's fastpitch league (lots of bullpen sessions where I'm catching for 60-90 mins) has done a number on one of my knees. 

I will drive down to Jupiter when the Cardinals A ball team go with their Frozen Iguanas alternates. Fun little stadium and easy to get to for me. https://www.milb.com/memphis/news/palm-beach-cardinals-launch-first-alternate-identity-palm-beach-frozen-iguanas

How advanced is this league wuth a specialized pitching coach?  When I coached my daughter’s softball teams, coaching was just me and a bunch of off duty cops that fortunately did not specialize in anything more complicated than “first base” and “third base”.

 

Also, I’m nowhere near done with frozen iguana jokes…

 

[notin]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

No, that will be what we hear next offseason. He's the Gray replacement. 

“The Gray Replacement” was one of the better Alex Cross novels…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

16 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

No, that will be what we hear next offseason. He's the Gray replacement. 

The reason Sonny Gray bounces from one team to another is that he's just too contradictory. 

It's not his fault -- his parents named him -- though all administrations are hypocritical about transparency (especially those whose favorite colors are redacted and white).

If I owned a team called the Red Sox, the first change I'd make is a sock code: wear your pants high enough to show your colors!

[mvp 78]

Just now, notin said:

How advanced is this league wuth a specialized pitching coach?  When I coached my daughter’s softball teams, coaching was just me and a bunch of off duty cops that fortunately did not specialize in anything more complicated than “first base” and “third base”….

It's FL. At the start of every season, the head of the league talks about sending girls to division 1. It's less intense than the travel teams in the area though. Last spring, they didn't have enough coaches and fell behind in pitching which is why I started coaching over the summer.