One thing that’s been a constant for the Boston Red Sox this season is stellar starting pitching performances. Much has been made of pitching coach Andrew Bailey‘s ability to take the entire rotation and elevate their stuff to produce better results. A lot has to do with the pitch mixes each of the Red Sox pitchers is throwing, and one pitcher has done exceptionally well under Bailey’s tutelage. That pitcher is Tanner Houck. In fact, Houck continued his dominant run Sunday night against the Chicago Cubs. With his nine-strikeout performance, Tanner Houck joins a list for the Red Sox that only includes legend Pedro Martinez.
3 starts of 9+ strikeouts and no walks, Red Sox pitchers in calendar month:
2024 April Tanner Houck
2000 Aug Pedro Martínez https://t.co/wS9IqDV084— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 29, 2024
Tanner Houck Joins Elite Company
Houck entered this season facing the same questions as in the past. Can he get through a lineup three times? He’s changed the narrative under Bailey. His performance on Sunday Night Baseball to cap off his month of April brought him to match Pedro Martinez in August of 2000 with three starts of 9+ strikeouts and no walks.
If you recall, Martinez won the Cy Young that season with the Red Sox.
Over his first month of the season, Houck has thrown 39.1 innings to a 1.60 ERA and a 2.04 FIP. What’s more impressive is his contrast in his third time through the order. In 2023, he threw to batters for a third plate appearance 85 times. During those 85 plate appearances, opponents hit .307/.377/.560. He let up seven doubles, four home runs, and 17 runs.
This season has been a different story so far. Tanner Houck has found himself facing batters for a third time in 41 plate appearances. He’s held batters to a .243/.317/.297 slash line. It’s a .300 swing in OPS and largely in the slugging area. Opponents have only had two doubles, and three runs the third time through the order.
Time will tell if Houck will continue his trend of dominance. He’s fifth in MLB in ERA and seventh in strikeouts. His 3.2 BB% and 0.92 WHIP would suggest that he’s limiting the traffic and should continue this performance, even if he regresses toward his FIP of 2.04.
