There is a new player coming back every couple days for the Boston Red Sox. With their postseason lives in a vulnerable state right now, the cavalry is arriving just in time. Chris Sale is finally returning to the mound Friday and Garrett Whitlock is expected back Sunday.

They could soon be joined by fellow pitcher Tanner Houck.

“A good day for Houck in Worcester,” MLB.com's Ian Browne reported. “Three innings, one hit, no walks, three strikeouts. He threw 34 pitches, 23 of them for strikes. Houck could join the Red Sox by the start of the road trip on Tuesday in Washington.”

While this good news was expected, fans will be relieved to see much-needed depth infused back into the pitching staff. It has been a struggle for manager Alex Cora to piece innings together with key starters and relievers missing for different periods of time. Injuries get every team, but Boston lacks the necessary arms to whether any prolonged absences.

Somehow, this adversity-tested club has stayed in the postseason race. The Red Sox currently have four games to make up in order to grab a wild card spot, so Tanner Houck's return could be pivotal. The 27-year-old has been out since being hit in the face with a line drive (fracture) by New York Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka on June 16.

Like Sale and Whitlock, Houck's 2023 numbers are not pretty. He is sporting a 5.05 ERA in 13 starts this season. Gradually, though, the right-hander was starting to figure things out again.

Cora does not have the luxury to be picky. Houck will immediately regain an important role on this staff as he looks to put his frightening injury ordeal behind him.