
Red Sox place struggling starting pitcher on injured list
After delivering one of the worst outings of his career on Monday, Tanner Houck is going to have some time off to get himself right.
The Red Sox placed the struggling right-hander on the injured list with a right flexor pronator strain prior to Wednesday’s series finale in Detroit. To fill his spot the club recalled right-hander Cooper Criswell from Triple-A Worcester.
Houck’s IL placement is retroactive to May 13.
So far this season Houck is 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA through his first nine starts. The 28-year-old has given up 39 earned runs in 43.2 innings, with a significant chunk of those coming in two terrible outings in which he allowed double-digit runs in fewer than three innings.
The first of those came on April 14 against the Tampa Bay Rays, when Houck allowed 12 runs (11 earned) in 2.1 innings. He followed that with a string of significantly better outings before Monday, when he gave up 11 runs in 2.1 innings.
Criswell has appeared in three games for the Red Sox this season, allowing eight runs (five earned) in 4.1 innings. Criswell has also posted a 1.99 ERA in five games for Worcester.
According to the WooSox game notes, the Red Sox also placed right-hander Josh Winckowski on the 7-day IL with right elbow inflammation prior to Worcester’s game.