The 2025 season has been anything but easy for the Boston Red Sox. The infield drama surrounding Rafael Devers was heightened when Triston Casas was lost for the season with a torn patellar tendon. Boston has also had issues on the mound where Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford have both missed extended time due to injuries.
But one of the most difficult moves may be on the horizon. A former All-Star made a startling admission after his latest appearance didn’t go well and the Red Sox may have to make a painful move to help him get back on track.
Red Sox Need To Demote Tanner Houck After Concerning Admission
Tanner Houck has struggled for the Red Sox this season as he’s struggled to regain his All-Star form from one year ago. The right-hander has gone 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA in nine starts this season and leads the American League with 57 hits allowed and all of Major League Baseball with 39 earned runs allowed.
As bad as those numbers are, Houck hit rock bottom in Monday night’s 14-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers. He lasted just 2.1 innings allowing 11 earned runs on nine hits, two homers and three walks and made things worse with his observation after the game.
“[I’m] probably the most lost I’ve ever been,” Houck told MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “I’m just not getting the job done, which weighs on me heavily.”
The Red Sox have not guaranteed that Houck will make his next start and it may come to sending the 28-year-old to the minors to find himself.
Houck’s issues aren’t limited to one thing but the biggest differences are in his hard contact and strikeout rates. According to Baseball Savant, Houck’s strikeout rate has steadily declined since posting a 33.3% rate in his rookie season but it was still a respectable 20.7% last season. His exit velocity allowed was also respectable as hitters averaged 89.4 mph last season.
But this year the wheels have fallen off. Houck is only striking out 15.7% of his batters and opponents are posting a 91.0 mph average exit velocity that’s in the 18th percentile of major league pitchers.
Another issue is that his sweeper is getting hit more than ever. Serving as his primary pitch last season, Houck threw the sweeper 41.4% of the time as hitters hit just .230 with a .357 slugging percentage against it. This season, hitters are hitting .305 with a .492 slugging percentage against the sweeper, which has forced Houck to throw more sinkers.
While the sinker has helped Houck retain a respectable 49% ground ball rate, it’s down from the 55.5% rate that was in the 93rd percentile one year ago.
Whatever is the issue, the Red Sox need to figure it out and it may be easier for that to happen at Worcester than at the major league level.