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The Boston Red Sox (60-52) have battled adversity all season-long, some of which has been self-inflicted, but they just keep on trucking. Alex Cora's ballclub will need to dig even deeper following the official news that Tanner Houck is done for the rest of the season. He will also miss most, if not all, of the 2026 campaign. The right-handed pitcher is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, according to MassLive's Christopher Smith.
Houck enjoyed the best stretch of his MLB career last year, earning an All-Star selection and finishing with a 3.12 ERA. Now, he must brace himself for arguably the most challenging one. Although fans knew that a 2025 return was unlikely, many were hoping the 29-year-old could get a chance to start fresh next season. That is no longer a possibility. Houck has experienced highs and lows since debuting with the Sox in 2020, but the talent has always been evident.
The 2017 first-round draft pick will now have to work incredibly hard to recapture the impressive form he displayed in Boston's starting rotation in 2024. While there is obviously no guarantee he will regain a prominent spot in the staff upon his return, Houck, his family and his supporters should take comfort in knowing that he has overcome injuries, struggles and multiple role changes before. Now, we will wait to see if he can do so again.
The St. Louis, Missouri native last pitched on May 12 versus the Detroit Tigers. He allowed 11 runs on nine hits in only 2 1/3 innings pitched. The Red Sox placed him on the injured list with a flexor pronator strain in his right elbow. Houck was trending toward a return, but he scuffled immensely in his rehab outings and ultimately suffered a setback. What does this man have to do to enjoy some stability in his big-league life?
The Red Sox are still standing
The emotional roller coaster continues not only for Houck, but also the fans. They quickly embraced Alex Bregman as one of their own, pushed through the Rafael Devers drama, savored the youth movement, marveled at the team's surprise surge, lambasted management for another underwhelming trade deadline and celebrated one of the most satisfying victories of the season on Friday night. Red Sox Nation seems mentally bullet-proof at this point.
That does not make this setback easy to digest, though. Pitching depth is already a concern. Tanner Houck posted a brutal 8.34 ERA in nine starts, but there was initially some optimism that he could get right and occupy a back-end slot in the rotation. Boston will instead rely on two former Los Angeles Dodgers right-handers in Walker Buehler and Dustin May, both of whom have scuffled plenty this season.
The Red Sox should be in a precarious position. This is usually when things go awry. But they just keep hacking through the weeds and carving a path forward. This club is in second place in the American League Wild Card standings and only four games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.
Boston is relentlessly stubborn, and it will look to maintain that dogged nature following this latest mishap.
