A sit-down with potential Red Sox ace Tanner Houck
One definition of an "ace" pitcher is someone who protects the bullpen the day before his start, the day of his start, and the day after his start. Wednesday night, Tanner Houck was an ace ... and then some.
This was a true "get on my back, boys," effort. This was the epitome of an ace.
Tanner Houck not only offered the kind of performance the Red Sox desperately needed, but simply haven't seen in years upon years upon years. It was a complete game shutout, using 94 pitches, while striking out nine and all in just 1 hour, 49 minutes.
The Red Sox desperately needed this 2-0 win over the Guardians. What they got was so much more.
The term "Maddux" when talking about these sort of feats refers to notching a complete game in under 100 pitches. The last pitcher to manage what Houck just did with at least nine strikeouts? That would the Godfather of the designation, Greg Maddux, who accomplished the feat on Aug. 20, 1995.
All in all, it was the jolt of optimism the Red Sox were craving.
Through this first wave of games, there is no question which piece of the puzzle is carrying the Red Sox to their current 10-9 record - the starting pitchers. Understand, the starters have allowed just 27 runs (21 ER) in 102.0 innings with 105 SO and 24 BB, leading Major League Baseball in ERA (1.85). It is the Red Sox' lowest starter ERA through 19 games in the Live Ball Era (1920-present), eclipsing the start in 2018 (2.17).
And representing the potential and promise as much as anyone is Houck.
Houck has a 1.35 ERA after four starts despite turning in one outing which included giving up four earned runs (7 total) in 5 2/3 frames. The other three starts has seen him not given up a single run while pitching at least six innings.
Houck currently possesses the fourth-most innings thrown of any starter in baseball (26 2/3), while carrying the eighth-best ERA. (Teammate Kutter Crawford leads all starters with an 0.42 ERA.)
Remember that search for an innings-eating ace? Look what the Red Sox found ...