Tanner Houck has been back and forth from Worcester to Boston quite a few times this season, and that trend continued Tuesday.
The Red Sox pitcher was optioned to the WooSox after the 2-0 loss in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees. It's something Houck has become accustomed to, and isn't taken by surprise because the team has been straightforward about the strategy since Day 1.
Houck's continued option essentially creates roster flexibility for the Red Sox, but Alex Cora continually has said the right-hander will be a big part of the team as they make their push for the postseason.
Naturally, given Houck has been up every five days of late to make a start, inquiring minds wanted to know if that still was the case going forward.
"Tanner, he got optioned to Triple-A," Cora said over Zoom prior to Boston's finale against the Yankees. "So, we'll go from there."
Is there an actual plan for Houck, though?
"He'll travel with us tonight, but he has to report to Worcester tomorrow," Cora said. "I can't go into details with that, but as you guys know he's an important part of what we're trying to accomplish here."
The Red Sox have an off day Thursday before welcoming the Texas Rangers to Fenway Park for a three-game set. Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriugez and Nate Eovaldi are slated to pitch throughout the weekend, so we'll see if Houck returns for a start next week.
