Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck made his MLB All-Star debut Tuesday, an honor that helped solidify what has been a rather surprising breakout season for the 28-year-old.
Boston initially didn’t even want him in the rotation, but injuries to Lucas Giolito and Garrett Whitlock essentially forced Houck into a permanent starting role. He took that opportunity and ran with it, dominating throughout much of the unofficial first half to the tune of a 2.54 ERA across 19 starts for a Red Sox rotation that would be lost without him.
Did you see that coming?
No, probably not, but San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb did.
“I did talk to (Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey) when he signed there. I was like, ‘Tanner’s going to win the Cy Young this year, huh?'” Webb told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe during All-Star festivities. “I know Bails was kind of champing at the bit.”
Webb, who thrived under Bailey’s tutelage in San Francisco, sees a lot of himself in Houck. He was sort of a late bloomer, as well, coming into his own as a third-year pitcher who finally got the opportunity to be a full-time member of the rotation.
“We have a similar way of doing things, how we throw and how we get guys out. It’s fun for me to watch,” Webb said. “His stuff’s always been unbelievable… I love watching Tanner throw.”
Webb’s prediction likely was made tongue-in-cheek, but Bailey’s track record with the Giants made it less than outrageous. Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodón and Webb all finished in the top six in National League Cy Young voting during that stretch.
Houck, though far away from making it a reality, could just find himself in a similar category for the Red Sox.
