In comeback, Houck won’t dwell on comebacker
NEW YORK — There’s not much that gets to Tanner Houck. After bad outings or offseason back surgery, which Houck underwent after the 2022 season, he maintains a cool, confident presence.
But even those with unshakeable confidence can have brief moments of uncertainty. Houck, who suffered a facial fracture after he was hit with a comebacker by the Yankees’ Kyle Higashioka in June, is set to return to the mound for the club’s upcoming series against the Astros.
For Houck, his uncertainty isn’t rooted in the fear of a freak accident occurring again. Instead, Houck views his opportunity to toe the slab again with a perspective that mirrors his personality.
“I can’t say that I haven’t thought about it potentially happening again,” Houck said before the Sox’ 8-1 victory over the Yankees on Saturday. “But also, at the same time, I’ve thrown, let’s just say, a million pitches in my life, and this is the first time [I got hit in the face]. I’ve gotten hit with comebackers before, shook it off, and got back out there and did my thing.
“I see this being the same thing. I’m not wanting to dwell on it. You manifest things by thinking about it and saying it out loud. So if I think it’s going to happen and say it’s going to happen again, then it might happen again.”
Getting back on the hill and “doing his thing” after failure is a skill set Houck possesses. He fell flat for much of the season, his first as an everyday starter, posting a 5.05 ERA in 13 starts. Yet in his final two — both of which came against the Yankees — he yielded just three runs in 10 innings. Houck threw four innings of one-run ball in his June 16 start. But the comebacker to the face at the start of the fifth halted what appeared to be a good run of starts in the making.
More than two months after the incident, Houck has a chance to contribute again on a team that has remained afloat despite its deficit in starters for much of the summer.
“I think it boils down to just trying to find it again,” said Houck. “We have an incredibly special team of individuals that are just great people to be around on a daily basis. I hope to come in and just continue where they left off and where I left off.”
The Red Sox are still uncertain when Houck will, in fact, take the mound. If James Paxton is ready to go Monday, Houck will slide into the Tuesday spot with Chris Sale following Wednesday. If the club decides to push Paxton back a day, then Houck will start Monday. This is the healthiest the Red Sox have been all season, and Houck wants to remain a part of it. “I want to help put the team in a position [to win] and come back and help the team any way I can,” he said. “That’s the main goal. Worry about the playoffs when that happens. Right now, it’s just about [keeping it] day to day.”
Teeth of the defense
Triston Casas was a late scratch because of a tooth infection. Casas went to a local hospital, where the infection was drained.
Manager Alex Cora said he hopes Casas is back in the lineup Monday. Casas had made 17 consecutive starts at first base.
Justin Turner took over first base duties despite nursing a bone bruise in his heel. Turner finished the game 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
The Red Sox don’t have much depth at first base beyond Turner and Casas, with Cora saying that Pablo Reyes, who has never played first in the majors, is a potential option.
Yankee killer
Rafael Devers finished 3 for 5 with a homer and an RBI. In eight games against the Yankees this season, Devers is hitting .387 with eight runs scored, a double, three home runs, and six RBIs. Devers’s 22 career homers against New York are his most against any opponent. The Sox third baseman is also tied for the second-most homers against the Yankees among active players, trailing Evan Longoria (35)... Alex Verdugo finished 0 for 4 with a walk, snapping a 10-game hitting streak against the Yankees... Josh Winckowski will take the ball to start Sunday afternoon. Nick Pivetta will likely follow as the bulk starter.