Tanner Houck belongs in next year’s Red Sox rotation

Here’s one decision the Red Sox shouldn’t overthink leading into the 2021 season.

Trust what your eyes have told you over Tanner Houck’s three-start cameo to end this lost campaign. Pencil him into next year’s starting rotation.

The rookie right-hander allowed just one earned run in 17 innings of work against the Marlins, Yankees and Braves. Atlanta was the latest to fall against Houck, as Boston surged to an 8-2 victory Saturday night. [...]

Here’s one decision the Red Sox shouldn’t overthink leading into the 2021 season.

Trust what your eyes have told you over Tanner Houck’s three-start cameo to end this lost campaign. Pencil him into next year’s starting rotation.

The rookie right-hander allowed just one earned run in 17 innings of work against the Marlins, Yankees and Braves. Atlanta was the latest to fall against Houck, as Boston surged to an 8-2 victory Saturday night.

All three of those clubs are headed to October. The Red Sox will watch from home following Sunday’s season finale because they didn’t give the ball to enough pitchers like the 24-year-old. Houck’s performance compared to some other starters featured by Boston this season was night and day.

"It’s better than I could have written it up myself for sure," Houck said. "It all comes down to how you present yourself and your confidence going into it.

"If you treat it like a bigger moment than what it is then you’re going to fall into that pattern of trying to be better, to be this, to be that. You’ve got to settle down and realize, ‘I got here for a reason. My stuff is good enough.’"

Houck has allowed six total hits, walked nine and struck out 21. He fanned 10 against the Braves, reaching double digits for the first time in the big leagues. Houck had one such outing in 66 appearances – 50 starts – in the minor leagues, and it came last June at Double-A Portland.

"I saw him pitch in spring training for us," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. "But I don’t remember that slider being so hard to see. They’re not picking up the spin on it.

"His fastball is playing. Even though the velocity isn’t way up, because of the movement and because he hides the ball well, it really gets on hitters fast.

"It’s hard to explain how a guy can come up and pitch this well. And not a guy who’s throwing 97 or 98 (mph). He’s just doing it because his stuff is hard to see."

Houck used his time at the alternate site in Pawtucket to hone his four-seam fastball and split-fingered fastball. That first pitch figured prominently in Houck’s starts against Miami and Atlanta. He went more to his trusty two-seam fastball and slider – the two pitches that made him the 24th overall pick in the 2017 draft – while shutting down New York.

Boston’s pitching development staff – Dave Bush, Paul Abbott and Shawn Haviland among them – made Houck uncomfortable to force growth. His two-seamer and slider were off limits in some simulated games at McCoy Stadium, and Houck was hit hard. Perhaps the Red Sox knew he’d have the makeup to weather those struggles.

"Really calm guy," Roenicke said. "Really easy conversations whether it’s before the game or whether it’s during the game. Not all guys are like that."

Chris Sale is unlikely to pitch in a game before June, which would be 14 months out from his Tommy John surgery. Bush, the Red Sox pitching coach, said earlier this month he couldn't see Eduardo Rodriguez transitioning from COVID-19 complications this season to 200 innings next year. Consider both of those left-handers limited, and think about when you’d like to use them.

If Boston is serious about returning to contention, Sale and Rodriguez would make nice options in the stretch run if they’re both healthy and fresh. Pitchers like Houck and Martin Perez could fill in the gaps at the back end of the rotation. That’s likely where a talented newcomer and a reliable veteran would belong on a club at or near the top of the American League East, and the price is right on Perez’s club option at $6.25 million.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom should hit the market for another elite option alongside Sale, Rodriguez, Houck, Perez, Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta. Only Sale could be considered a proven ace among that group. But starting Houck at Triple-A just to bring in a mid-tier free agent might be wasting a significant amount of cash that could strengthen the roster elsewhere.

At the very least, employ Houck in a bulk role with Josh Taylor serving as the opener. Turn him loose on lineups and rosters that feature a majority of right-handed hitters. If he’s made this much improvement over the last calendar year, imagine what he might do leading into February.

"I think it’s still a short sample, but it’s against three good teams," Roenicke said. "We feel pretty good this guy can do this against the best hitters in the game. I think it’s really encouraging when you’re looking to try to fill in spots for a rotation and then you see that from a young guy.

"Chaim’s got a smile on his face right now, so you know it’s pretty good."

bkoch@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @BillKoch25