He was outstanding for the Boston Red Sox last season, tallying 124 strikeouts, a 134 ERA+, and leading the American League with the lowest home run rate per nine innings at 0.6. Known for his strikeout ability, he holds a career K/9 of 8.7 and a career HR/9 of just 0.7—putting him in the same company as elite arms like Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom, who also have career HR/9 rates around 0.7 or 0.8. Of course, those pitchers have far more games under their belts.
This year, however, has been a sharp contrast—and not in a positive way. Houck remains a high-pitch-count pitcher who struggles to work deep into games and often fails to make it past the fifth inning.
His season took another hit on May 14, when he landed on the 15-day injured list with a flexor pronator strain in his right elbow. Prior to the injury, he had made nine starts but struggled significantly, posting an 8.04 ERA.
Tanner Houck’s 2025 Season Leaves Red Sox With Questions
The first question to consider is one of hindsight: Was Tanner Houck playing through an injury and trying to push through it? It’s common for athletes to do this—they love the game and often convince themselves the injury isn’t serious.
That might have been the case for Houck, especially given the sudden dip in his performance. There’s some evidence to support this theory. Still, his rehab outings haven’t gone well either—he’s allowed 5 earned runs over just 2.2 innings—so there could be a deeper issue at play.
The next question is about his role moving forward: Will he remain a starter, or transition to the bullpen? He’s been starting during his rehab, but the results haven’t improved. He’s still struggling, with short outings and continued run production. The WooSox have now shifted him to the bullpen, hoping it helps him recapture his form and rebuild his confidence.
Here’s the big picture: Tanner Houck has shown flashes of being a top-tier pitcher, but outside of last season, he’s never fully reached that level. After five seasons, consistency remains elusive, and he appears to be trending downward. Realistically, Houck might be best suited for a bullpen role—potentially even as a closer.
Back in 2022, manager Alex Cora used Houck out of the bullpen, and the results were much better than when he started.
In 29 appearances, he posted a 3.13 ERA, racked up 45 strikeouts, and earned 8 saves. That ERA is nearly identical to his best full-season mark of 3.12 in 2024. The late-inning relief role seems tailor-made for him. With Aroldis Chapman likely to be dealt at the trade deadline, Houck could soon find himself closing games or at the very least, serving as a setup man once he’s back on the big league roster.
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