Bill Koch

Sunday

Sep 13, 2020 at 1:31 PM

Tanner Houck will make his Red Sox debut on Tuesday.

The right-hander will take the mound for the series opener against Miami. Houck is on the three-city road trip as a member of the taxi squad and, per SoxProspects.com, is one of the club’s top 10 minor leaguers.

Boston will need to clear a pair of roster spots – on the 40-man and the 28-man – to officially activate Houck at Marlins Park. He was the 24th overall selection in the 2017 draft, a Missouri [...]

Tanner Houck will make his Red Sox debut on Tuesday.

"It’s been a dream of mine since I started playing baseball," Houck said. "Finally getting that call to make my debut and get that start, I’m truly honored."

Houck was playing catch prior to Sunday’s series finale with the Rays at Tropicana Field when Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke approached him with the news. Houck said he was in shock for a moment before composing himself. His first phone call was to his mother, Jennifer, who started taking him for pitching lessons at the Balls N Strikes indoor facility in St. Louis when he was 7.

"She was like, ‘Hold on – I’ve got to stop crying here for a second,’" Houck said. "To be able to share that moment with her was truly special."

Houck has been working at the club’s alternate site in Pawtucket. He threw six innings in a morning simulated game start on Labor Day and received a phone call about an hour later instructing him to pack his bags. Houck drove to Boston and was on the team charter for the doubleheader in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

"I was like, ‘Okay, do I have clean clothes?’" Houck said. "That was the first time I’ve been on the taxi squad."

Houck reached Triple-A for the first time in 2019, making 14 of his 16 appearances out of the bullpen. He served as a starter in 48 of his first 50 professional outings, including 15 at Double-A Portland last season. Houck has totaled 243 strikeouts and a 4.08 earned-run average in 249 innings.

"Right now I’ve just got to embrace it and let all the emotions out," Houck said. "I know Tuesday will be a little bit different feeling. Heart will probably be pounding a little bit different. Maybe a few butterflies."

Houck’s difficulties against left-handed hitters have prompted some questions about his future as a starter. They batted .305 against him with the Sea Dogs last year, knocking out 57 hits and drawing 24 walks against 138 outs. Right-handed hitters batted just .220 while managing 29 hits and eight walks against 110 outs.

"I said I had a changeup, but I think I threw it maybe 20 times all throughout three years of college," Houck said. "I was definitely a two-pitch pitcher. The first thing they said when I came in was, ‘If you want to be a starter in the big leagues, you’ve got to develop a third pitch.’"

Houck is up to four pitches now, adding a four-seam fastball and a split-fingered fastball in an attempt to better attack left-handers. He’s paired those two offerings with his two-seam fastball and slider throughout the last few weeks at McCoy Stadium. Houck said the simulated games have allowed him to focus more on the process and less on the results.

"We’re not actually pitching in a game situation in five days or three days – whatever it would be," Houck said. "It’s been really, really nice to just be able to go out there and actually develop."

Houck will be the 15th starter used by the Red Sox in their first 49 games. Boston relievers entered Sunday having completed 222 1/3 innings, the most in baseball. Houck said he should be available for up to seven innings and 100 pitches against Miami.

"I take pride in that, honestly," Houck said. "I take pride in being able to push myself to get through six or seven innings every time and 100 pitches. Just go out there with a bulldog mentality."

bkoch@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7054

On Twitter: @BillKoch25

Tanner Houck to make his Red Sox debut Tuesday

Sunday