Red Sox’s Tanner Houck Offers Blunt Assessment After Rough Outing

It was a rough day for Tanner Houck on Wednesday in his spring training start for the Red Sox.

The right-hander gave up 10 runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings in Boston’s 11-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins at JetBlue Park. While Houck didn’t walk a batter, he did hit three and gave up three home runs.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed that Houck will start the third game of the 2023 Major League Baseball season behind Corey Kluber and Chris Sale, but it certainly wasn’t the outing Houck wanted as the regular season draws closer.

“I sucked,” Houck told reporters, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “That’s about as blatant as I can put it. But the good thing about this game is you show up tomorrow, you get back to the grindstone, you just keep working. Hold yourself accountable.

“… I want to be better. I know I want to be better. I know I can be better. I know I can be a better pitcher than I’ve shown. And that’s where I hold myself accountable. And I’m frustrated with myself because I know I’m better. And I hold myself to a higher standard than that. So don’t put too much stock into it because it’s spring training. Come back five days from now. We’ve got Opening Day in (eight) days from now. That’s when stuff really starts to matter.”

The good news for the Red Sox is that Houck isn’t feeling hindered by last season’s back surgery that prematurely ended his 2022 campaign. He told reporters his body felt good and that it was mechanics that had him feeling off.

Houck has an 8.31 ERA this spring and has given up 22 hits. He’s struggled as a starter during his brief career but did find a bit of a groove last year in a longer relief role.

For now, though, he’ll be in the starting rotation for the Red Sox.

Boston continues its slate of spring training games Thursday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Pirates. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET on NESN360.

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