Red Sox Notes: Tanner Houck Evaluates Bounce-Back Performance Vs. White Sox

The Boston Red Sox got everything they needed from starting pitcher Tanner Houck during Sunday afternoon’s game against the Chicago White Sox.

Houck’s effort, however, wasn’t supported enough to keep the team in the win column. The Red Sox suffered an 8-4 defeat at Fenway Park, resulting from a combination of sloppy defense and unreliable bullpen assistance. It took away from Boston’s hopes of a four-game sweep, but it didn’t take away from Houck’s elite performance.

“I’ve kind of been scuffling, even in spring training, with delivery stuff and just kind of getting back on track,” Houck told reporters postgame, per NESN. “But slowly just kind of working your way through it and showing up each and every day with a good attitude and chipping away at it — it’s kind of the diversity to success and it’s not always the most fun or glamorous, but it’s the stuff that works.”

Boston received six innings from Houck as the right-hander allowed two runs off three hits with a season-high seven strikeouts and 12 whiffs on the bump. Houck’s showing was a major switch flip from what the 2024 All-Star had been supplying the team previously, which had warranted cause for some early-season concern.

Houck felt especially motivated to turn the page after the Tampa Bay Rays tagged him for 11 runs across 2 1/3 innings during his last start. The 28-year-old described his mindset following that all-time low point and leading into Sunday’s rebound.

“Last outing, I was definitely frustrated at myself, cause I expect more than anyone else could ever expect from me,” Houck said. “I’m definitely my hardest critic, and I just expect to go out there and perform better.”

Houck took home the no-decision, but looking ahead, it was an encouraging sign for the club to see him regain his confidence and take a step toward returning to his dominant form. Boston has still been weathering the belated debuts of Bryan Bello and Lucas Giolito, so the team needs as many quality starts as it can collect from the rotation.

“He did an amazing job,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora mentioned, per NESN.

Boston has sent Houck to the mound just twice at home this season, but he’s allowed just three runs across 12 1/3 innings pitched at Fenway Park so far this season. That’s a drastic difference from Houck’s 18 earned runs allowed through his first three starts (12 innings) when facing teams on the road.

“That’s a team that doesn’t chase that much, and he had them off balance today,” Cora said.

Here are more notes from Sunday afternoon’s Red Sox-White Sox game:

— The Red Sox’s four-game winning streak was snapped, dropping them to 12-11 this season amid a 5-2 stretch over their last seven games.

— Boston’s bullpen surrendered five earned runs through the final three innings of the game, which made for a costly implosion. That helped mark the team’s first loss this season when leading after the sixth inning, as the Red Sox had won their previous 10 games in said situation.

“Guys have to step up in the bullpen. That’s the bottom line,” Cora admitted. “You’re up two (runs). Yesterday was a walk, right? At one point. Today it’s two hit by pitches, so we just gotta be better.”

— Jarren Duran, who went 1-for-5 with an RBI, extended his hitting streak to seven games.

— Wilyer Abreu went 1-for-4 at the plate with a three-run home run. The 25-year-old is now batting .355 in 11 day games this season, going 11-for-31 with four home runs and 11 RBIs.

— Boston is 8-for-22 with runners in scoring position against Chicago in the first three games of the series, stranding 25 total runners on base.

— The Red Sox and White Sox will conclude their four-game set at Fenway Park on Marathon Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET, and you can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.