Red Sox All-Star Lights Up Radar Gun in WooSox Return

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck looked more like himself Wednesday night in Worcester.

Pitching for the WooSox in his first appearance since landing on the injured list in May, the big right-hander allowed one run over one-plus innings. Houck threw 32 pitches, 18 for strikes, surrendering two hits and a walk without recording a strikeout.

The outing marked Houck’s return from a right flexor pronator strain, an injury that followed a disastrous May 12 start in which he gave up 11 runs. Houck is 0-3 with a 8.04 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in nine starts this season for Boston. Though his return to the mound was brief, the results were encouraging.

“It felt good to be back, it felt good to be out there competing,” Houck said, as transcribed by Mac Cerullo of The Boston Herald. “The stretch was a little stiff, but for the first one back, happy to be able to get the two ups. In terms of pitch shapes I like where everything’s at.”

His fastball sat between 94 and 96 mph, and his slider, which had flattened in May, showed improved horizontal movement. He’s scheduled to throw again Tuesday in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he builds toward a full starter’s workload. Houck will hopefully be an important piece in the Red Sox’s rotation during the stretch run.

The game also featured Max Scherzer, who threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the Buffalo Bisons. Both pitchers are University of Missouri alumni and offseason training partners who remain close.

“I keep tabs on him,” Scherzer said. “We talk shop throughout the offseason.”