Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Undergoes hybrid UCL repair
Rotowire
The Red Sox announced Monday that Houck (elbow) underwent a successful hybrid reconstruction of his right UCL with a flexor tendon repair, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
The operation officially ends a disappointing season for Houck, who held a an 8.09 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 32:17 K:BB in 43.2 innings with the Red Sox before going down with an elbow issue in mid-May and eventually having a setback that required surgery. Houck is hoping to return to action for the Red Sox toward the end of the 2026 season, but that's far from a guarantee.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Eyeing return in late 2026
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Houck (elbow) confirmed Sunday that he will undergo Tommy John surgery around mid-week and said that he's hopeful to resume pitching by the end of the 2026 season, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. "I know the minimum [recovery time from surgery] is probably around the 12-month mark, 12 to the 14-month mark. With that being said, if everything goes right, 12 months from now, plan on being back out there, running out to the mound at Fenway," Houck said. "But you also got to do it the smart way, the correct way...But I'm gonna do everything in my power to get back out there at this time next year and be essentially a trade deadline piece, come back and help in 2026."
According to Smith, Houck noted that he and his surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, haven't yet discussed whether a late-2026 return is realistic, so the right-hander's tune could change depending on how his surgery goes. Even if Houck meets his goal, he probably won't be available for the big club until September of next season in a best-case scenario, and would likely be working out of the bullpen. Before landing on the shelf May 14 with a right flexor pronator strain, Houck struggled over his nine starts with Boston, logging an 8.09 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 32:17 K:BB in 43.2 innings. He was cleared to begin a rehab assignment June 18 but was shut down shortly before the All-Star break after a follow-up MRI revealed "significantly worse" damage to his elbow that ultimately prompted Houck's decision to get surgery.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Slated for Tommy John surgery
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Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Houck (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
Houck has been on the injured list since May with a right elbow strain, and after suffering a setback during his most recent rehab start July 9, he'll now elect to go under the knife to address the injury. The right-hander will close the book on 2025 with an 8.04 ERA and 1.69 WHIP through 43.2 innings, and because his procedure will happen late in the 2025 season, he likely won't be ready to return to a big-league mound until 2027.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Houck (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Houck is eligible to be activated from the injured list at any time and appeared to be nearing a return. However, he was shut down indefinitely July 21 after suffering a setback, so he's currently without an official recovery timeline. The move makes room for Dustin May on the Red Sox's 40-man roster.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that Houck is shut down indefinitely following a recurrence of right flexor soreness, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
Cora does not anticipate Houck requiring surgery, but he said the pitcher will "go to step one" once he resumes throwing. It puts Houck's return this season at risk. The right-hander has been sidelined since mid-May.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Suffers setback during rehab
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Houck was returned from his minor-league rehab assignment Saturday due to a recurrence of a right pronator strain, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Houck was first diagnosed with a right pronator strain in mid-May, and he subsequently landed on the 15-day injured list. The right-hander kicked off a minor-league rehab stint about a month later and pitched in five games, posting a 5.74 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB over 15.2 innings between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. There had been optimism that Houck was close to being activated, but the setback means he'll likely be out for another significant chunk of time.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Back from assignment, still inactive
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The Red Sox returned Houck (elbow) from his rehab assignment Friday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Although Houck's 30-day rehab window is now closed, the fact that Boston has yet to activate him indicates he isn't quite ready to return. The 29-year-old righty posted a 5.74 ERA and 1.53 WHIP across 15.2 innings during his five-start assignment, though he gave up only one run in his final two outings (9.1 IP). He also owns a hefty 8.04 ERA through 43.2 frames in the majors this year, so there's no guarantee he'll have a place in the Sox's rotation whenever he is activated.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Due back from IL this week
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Houck is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list this week with his 30-day rehab window coming to a close Thursday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Houck's rehab stint got off to a rocky start, but he's performed better over his last two outings with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, allowing just one earned run on six hits and two walks while striking out 10 over 9.1 innings. Despite his recent success, the right-hander is not expected to be inserted into Boston's starting rotation, with Richard Fitts getting the first chance to fill the vacancy created by Hunter Dobbins' season-ending knee injury. Houck still has two minor-league options left and could stick around with Worcester while continuing on a starter's trajectory until a rotation spot with the big club opens up. Boston also hasn't ruled out bringing him back as a member of the big-league bullpen.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Role uncertain
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Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that he hasn't discussed with Houck (elbow) about what his role will look like once he returns from the 15-day injured list following the All-Star break, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
The Red Sox recalled Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday, and Cora indicated that he would get the first chance at replacing the injured Hunter Dobbins (knee) in the rotation. Unless the Red Sox decide to commit to a six-man rotation or elect to move Walker Buehler to the bullpen, Houck doesn't look as though he'll have a starting role waiting for him once he's activated. The skipper's hesitance in clearing a spot in the rotation for Houck is justified, as the right-hander owns a hefty 8.04 ERA and 1.69 WHIP through nine starts. He had an up-and-down performance during his five rehab starts between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, submitting a 5.74 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 15.2 innings.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Strikes out six in rehab start
Rotowire
Houck (elbow) struck out six batters and allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks over 4.1 innings during his rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Worcester.
Making the fifth start of his rehab assignment and his fourth at the Triple-A level, Houck tossed 76 pitches (47 strikes) and induced 12 swings and misses. With the All-Star break on tap and his 30-day rehab window coming to a close next week, Houck's minor-league assignment has come to an end. The right-hander accrued a 5.74 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB in 15.2 innings across his five starts in the minors, and the Red Sox will now have to decide if they want to open a spot for him in the rotation or have him work out of the bullpen. Boston could view Houck as an upgrade at the back end of the rotation over Walker Buehler, who has turned in just one quality start over his last nine outings heading into Thursday.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Fifth rehab outing on tap
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Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Houck (elbow) will make another rehab start in the minors this week, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
Houck turned in the best performance of his rehab assignment so far Friday at Double-A Portland, firing five shutout innings while striking out four batters. The upcoming All-Star break makes it hard to predict when the 29-year-old right-hander will rejoin the Red Sox, though he likely isn't too far away from activation.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Fourth rehab outing scheduled
Rotowire
Houck (elbow) is scheduled to make his next rehab start with Double-A Portland on Friday, MLB.com reports.
The right-hander labored through his first three rehab appearances at Triple-A Worcester, giving up a combined 12 hits (two home runs), four walks and nine earned runs over 6.1 innings. Houck will bump down a level for his fourth rehab outing, but as long as he's able to build on the 65 pitches and 3.2 innings he covered during his most recent start with Worcester, he could be cleared to rejoin the Red Sox rotation next week.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Struggles continue
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Houck (elbow) allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three over 3.2 innings for Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
This was the third consecutive shaky rehab outing for Houck, who left a lot of pitches in the middle of the zone, per Red Sox manager Alex Cora. His command was iffy, too, as he threw 42 of 65 pitches (64.6 percent) for strikes. Houck's 12.79 ERA during three rehab outings is higher than the 8.04 ERA had in nine starts with Boston earlier this season.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Third rehab outing coming Sunday
Rotowire
Houck (elbow) is scheduled to make his third rehab appearance with Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Houck will work behind an opening pitcher Sunday, though the skipper was careful to note that the right-hander isn't being considered for a move to the bullpen and is expected to re-enter the rotation once he's activated from the 15-day injured list. The decision to use Houck behind an opener Sunday comes after he struggled in both of his first two rehab starts with Worcester, covering 2.2 innings between those outings while allowing five earned runs on five hits and three walks. Houck built up to 49 pitches in his most recent start Tuesday, so he'll likely need to complete an additional rehab appearance after Sunday before he's stretched out enough to slot back into the big-league rotation. When Houck is ready to return from the IL, the Red Sox could expand the rotation to six men, or Boston could keep a five-man setup in place by optioning rookie Richard Fitts to Triple-A or sending struggling right-hander Walker Buehler to the bullpen.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Makes brief rehab appearance
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Houck (elbow) allowed one run on two hits and one walk over one-plus innings for Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.
Houck worked around a couple of singles for a scoreless first inning and was removed after walking the first batter faced in the second. He threw 32 pitches (18 strikes), and the short pitch count appears to have been by design. Houck told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com that he was pain-free. He said his next rehab start will come Tuesday for the WooSox and that he'll then make a third the following Sunday.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Set for rehab assignment
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Houck (elbow) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Wednesday, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Houck threw a couple bullpen sessions this week and has been sidelined since throwing 69 pitches across 2.1 innings in a May 12 start against the Tigers. Prior to the injury, Houck (0-3) had been roughed up across nine starts, notching an 8.04 ERA and 32:17 K:BB while surrendering 10 home runs across 43.2 innings of work.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Throws bullpen session
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Houck (elbow) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is slated to throw another one later this week, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Houck has taken a step forward in his rehab after previously being limited to flat-ground work. The right-hander is working his way back from a right flexor pronator strain and will undoubtedly require a rehab assignment before rejoining the Red Sox.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Not progressing
Rotowire
Houck (elbow) continues to play catch but has yet to throw off a mound, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Houck has been throwing for over two weeks but has yet to progress past playing catch. Given that he'll require a rehab assignment, he's likely to be sidelined until at least early July.
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