3. Tanner Houck
While the flashes of Houck’s extreme potential were there at the start of his Red Sox career, even drawing comparisons to a right-handed Chris Sale, Houck struggled to go deep into games, and couldn’t land a permanent spot in Boston’s starting rotation.
The Red Sox gave Houck another opportunity to stick in the rotation, and he has delivered. In 10 starts, Houck owns a 1.94 ERA with a fantastic 2.19 FIP. His walk rate is nearly cut in half from last season, and he leads MLB with a 0.1 HR/9, allowing just a single long ball in 65 innings.
Houck has also shown the ability to go further into games. Last season, Houck allowed a .937 OPS in his 3rd time facing a batter, but this season, it’s down to a .596 OPS. He’s been a good bet to give the Red Sox six strong innings, even throwing a complete game shutout masterpiece against the Guardians in April.
With improved command, a deadly slider, and better success on the 3rd time through the order, Houck has finally put the pieces together to become a front-line starting pitcher. He is under arbitration for the next three seasons, giving Boston the commodity of a reliable and controllable starting pitcher.