Red Sox's Houck's Nightmare Season Gets Even Worse With Latest Update

Houck has mostly been a durable pitcher in his six-year MLB career, and this move is sure to generate “phantom IL” discussions among the Boston fan base.

However, assuming this is a valid injury and not a mental refresher for Houck, it comes at a convenient time. Houck has been abysmal with an 8.04 ERA, a 6.13 FIP, an American League-leading 57 hits allowed, and a Major League-leading 39 runs allowed.

It has been a disappointing development for the 28-year-old, who was expected to take another leap after an impressive 2024 effort that earned him his first All-Star Game appearance.

Hopefully for the Red Sox, Houck can get healthy and rediscover his stuff and his confidence in the coming weeks.

His replacement, Criswell, has not been particularly impressive in his three MLB games this year, either. He has a 10.38 ERA, a 6.80 FIP, and has not yet recorded a strikeout. He has been excellent for Triple-A Worcester, though, with a 1.99 ERA and 31 strikeouts to seven walks over 22 and 2/3 innings.

Boston still has a talented staff, namely because of ace Garrett Crochet, but Houck’s IL visit marks another chapter in what has already been a tumultuous ride for this staff’s availability.