Tanner Houck strong in potential last start of 2024

BOSTON — Tanner Houck appears to be well over the bout of right shoulder fatigue that limited his availability over the final month of the season.

Boston’s All-Star righty hit the 30-start mark for the first time in his career, mowing through the first 14 hitters he faced in Monday night’s 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

On a pitch count late in the season, as the Red Sox are protecting their valuable starter with the future in mind, Houck allowed one hit and one walk over five innings, throwing 57 pitches. Houck didn’t have any strikeouts, as he pitched to contact and preyed on a Toronto team that was ultra-aggressive early in counts.

At last, Houck notched his ninth win of the season and his first since July 11, though he pitched well enough to win several of those previous starts, exiting with a lead four times, only to watch it disappear in the late innings.

Though Houck did hit some speed bumps down the stretch, the 2024 season is one in which he has made major breakthroughs — his 3.12 ERA puts him seventh in the American League.

Will his 30th start be his last of the season?

“Maybe,” said manager Alex Cora before the game. “Depends on how he finishes [the outing], how he feels tomorrow after this one. We want these guys to go all the way to the end. That’s something that we take very seriously.”