@byJulianMack
Cora said the Tanner Houck option was about roster flexibility. That he will pitch in Toronto next week Saturday.
@SPChrisHatfield
A-ha, I guess they can bring Houck back up sooner as the 27th man in the doubleheader.
This is basically letting them use a 27-man roster for the next week ("carrying" Houck as 6th starter without him actually being on roster).
That's shrewd as hell.
@OMFonWEEI
Alex Cora on Rafael Devers injury last night:
"It's the quad. He's doing OK actually. I haven't seen him today. I texted w/ him this morning. He says he's feels better. The plan was to give him an off day anyway...he'll get today off and hopefully be ready tomorrow"
@alexspeier
The Red Sox optioned Houck to Triple-A Worcester after last night’s game.
Optioning Houck rather than Wong gives the Sox greater freedom to use Plawecki. That said, slightly surprising that it is Houck and not another optionable reliever (Valdez?) who got sent down… save for the fact that Sawamura should be activated tomorrow.
@drewsilv
Assuming that's it, Max Scherzer finishes his seven-year run in Washington with a 2.80 ERA and 1,610 strikeouts in 1,229 regular-season innings. Fully worth the $191.4 million.
John Henry hurt the Sox by dicking around that offseason with the "no pitchers over 30" ********.
I don't see anyone wanting to pay Perez or Richards at this point. Any team that is out of contention is just going to piecemeal a rotation together. They have no incentive to add Richards or Perez.