Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck gave an encouraging update on his rehab from Tommy John surgery
Ahead of Saturday afternoon's game against the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck gave an encouraging injury update as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.
It has been 355 days since Houck last took the mound for the Red Sox, undergoing the procedure in August of last year. According to MassLive.com's Christopher Smith, Houck is ramping up his throwing progression, now throwing six days a week. "That's a big step," Houck told Smith. "This is the first week of six days a week. Three of the days are just 60 feet, 20 throws. The other three days consist of I'm out to 105 feet. And then I just finished up 25 throws at 105 feet. But now this, next week, I'll be at 50 throws at 105 feet. So chipping away at the days, going good, feel great, feel strong. The training staff has been great. Working with them, kind of coming back from this. Things are going well."
Houck entered the 2025 season coming off the best year of his big league career, posting a 3.12 ERA across 178.2 innings pitched en route to his first All-Star appearance in 2024.
Houck was unable to replicate the success he had in 2024, struggling mightily, posting an 8.04 ERA over 43.2 innings in nine starts before hitting the injured list with elbow problems that eventually required Tommy John surgery.
Per Smith, Houck was initially given a 12-14 month recovery period when he underwent the surgery. However, he is still holding out hope to return to the Red Sox this season, "I wholeheartedly believe I can be back at least by September, getting ready for a playoff push, I still firmly believe that we'll be there. And so I'm busting my tail to get to that point," he told Smith.
At this point in his recovery, it is far too early to know how the Red Sox will use him if he returns at all in 2026.
In other Red Sox news
As shown by WEEI, starter Sonny Gray threw live batting practice ahead of Friday night's win over the Astros. "Sonny looked good," Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters. As for the next steps, those are still to be determined, "We're going through with Brez and everybody." Tracy continued. Gray hit the 15-day injured list on April 20 with a right hamstring strain. He is eligible to be activated on Wednesday.
The Red Sox are 13-19 and in last place in the American League East.
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