Tanner Lee Houck is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He was drafted by the Red Sox with the 24th overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft.
Boston — Tanner Houck is the player who has made the biggest jump in terms of the 2024 Red Sox.
By the end of Spring Training, he had earned the fifth starting spot and was turning into a staff ace. As evidenced by his conventional and advanced numbers, Houck is now among the top pitchers in the Major Leagues.
Houck is not only a lock to be an All-Star, but he also seems to be a strong contender to lead the American League in the Midsummer Classic on July 16 in Arlington, with a 1.91 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP over 85 innings. It seemed fitting to assess the primary causes of Houck’s remarkable season-long rise ahead of his 14th start at Fenway Park on Thursday against right-hander Aaron Nola of the Phillies, a seasoned talent. Houck is 28 years old.
It was hardly acknowledged when Houck came for Spring Training in 2023 that he was recovering from back surgery. This is because he reported to camp simultaneously with every team member who was deemed healthy to start. Recovering from back surgery wasn’t easy, to be honest.
“I believe that obtaining a year apart after the back surgery is the main priority. Being perfectly healthy to let the body to move whatever it pleases, according to Houck. “It’s not like I struggled with it last year, but I had some weaknesses in the driving leg, which is the rear leg, which makes the delivery a little off alignment because you’re
Houck relied mostly on his two-seamer and nasty slider as his two pitches prior to this season. Against lefties, he blended in a splitter, but it was an average pitch.
Before the current campaign, he made progress in improving the grip on his splitter by working with new pitching coach Andrew Bailey.
According to Houck, “it’s not a traditional split with the two fingers.” “I was doing that the years before. Ultimately, though, Bails taught me [Giants pitcher] Logan Webb’s changeup/splitter grip during our first meeting.
Compared to 198 in his 21 starts the previous season, Houck has already thrown 300 splitters in 13 starts this season.
Houck relied mostly on his two-seamer and nasty slider as his two pitches prior to this season. Against lefties, he blended in a splitter, but it was an average pitch.
Before the current campaign, he made progress in improving the grip on his splitter by working with new pitching coach Andrew Bailey
According to Houck, “it’s not a traditional split with the two fingers.” “I was doing that the years before. Ultimately, though, Bails taught me [Giants pitcher] Logan Webb’s changeup/splitter grip during our first meeting.
Compared to 198 in his 21 starts the previous season, Houck has already thrown 300 splitters in 13 starts this season.
Opponents hit.310 with a.452 slugging percentage in 2023 against the pitch. This season, Houck has reduced batters to a.183 average and a.247 slugging percentage on the split, while receiving less whiffs on the splitter (40.4% last season, 26.3% in 2024).
His splitter has been improved, making it even harder to smash his slider. In terms of run value, the Houck slider is the most valuable pitch in the Major League this year.
“I think the split is a game-changer,” Alex Cora, manager of the Red Sox, stated. He has the ability to grow with it and toss it for a strike. It’s no secret that he can throw 94 and 95, but his slider-split combo is very effective.
