Alex Cora Refutes Tanner Houck Narrative After Rough Outing

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck hasn’t looked the same ever since being named an All-Star last season.

And it hit an extreme low point for the veteran right-hander on Monday night in a 16-1 bludgeoning at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Houck last only 2 1/3 innings after giving up an eye-popping 11 runs on 10 hits. The Rays battered Houck from the get-go, starting when Yandy Díaz took Houck’s first pitch of the game over the wall in left-center. Tampa Bay had six hits off Houck with an exit velocity over 100 mph and a couple more in that category that went for outs.

The Rays were clearly dialed in on something with Houck, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora refuted that Houck tipped his pitches in the lopsided loss.

“I don’t believe so,” Cora told reporters, per NESN. “If you look at the balls they hit hard, they were in the middle of the plate. There were of course some balls that went by, we didn’t play good defense behind him. Good approach and they put some good swings on him.”

Houck had a similar performance in his final spring training start against the Rays. He surrendered 10 runs on 12 hits in 3 2/3 innings in that contest.

Unlike Cora, Houck left it more up in the air on if he had tipped his pitches.

“I’m not sure,” Houck told reporters, per NESN. “We’ll figure it out tonight and come back tomorrow and discuss.”

Houck is 1-5 with a 5.38 ERA in 15 starts since last year’s All-Star break. His last outing prior to facing the Rays was promising as he allowed just one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.

But it’s back to the drawing board again for Houck as he looks to regain a semblance of that All-Star form.

“Delivery is kind of been struggling in spring training,” Houck said. “But not going to go into it too much right now. We’re going to take the night, come back tomorrow and figure it out.”