A massive, season-defining week for Alex Cora and the Red Sox got off to a rocky start Monday night in Houston, as the Red Sox dropped a 9-4 final to the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
With the loss, and with a win by the Mariners, the Sox dropped to four games behind Seattle for the final wild card spot in the American League. Houston’s victory also (obviously) moved them to four and a half games clear of the Red Sox for the second wild card spot in the jam-packed American League race.
The loss also dropped Boston’s chances of qualifying for the postseason down to 12.2 percent, according to Fangraphs.
In essence, the door is beginning to shut on the Sox.
But in what was a good news-bad news kind of pregame for the Sox, the club did confirm that some help is on the way.
Tanner Houck of the Red Sox pitches against the Yankees at Fenway Park on June 16, 2023. (Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
The big move of note will come on the mound, with starting pitcher Tanner Houck officially activated and slated to start tonight’s contest against the Astros.
Out of action since a June 16 comebacker left him with a facial fracture, Houck’s return to Boston comes after three rehab assignments with Triple-A Worcester from Aug. 5 through Aug. 16. The 27-year-old Houck’s final rehab appearance included four strikeouts and just one hit surrendered over four innings of work.
Overall, Houck’s rehab run included a 2.08 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work.
On the hill for 13 starts this season, Houck has posted a 3-6 record and 5.05 ERA.
Jul 30, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Murphy (72) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. (D. Ross Cameron/USA TODAY Sports)
With Houck back on the MLB roster, the corresponding move on the pitching staff came with long reliever Chris Murphy optioned down to Triple-A Worcester.
Murphy’s move to the minors comes after the lefty was on the hill for four innings of Monday’s loss to Houston, with Murphy surrendering seven hits and two home runs over that outing.
Murphy has posted a 3.72 ERA and fanned 39 banners in 38.2 innings of MLB work this season, with one win, a loss, and one save to his name over that 13-game run with Boston.
Murphy’s move to the minors is likely a short one, as the club will always certainly recall the versatile lefty arm when rosters expand in September. In the now, however, Murphy’s option does leave the Red Sox with Brennan Bernardino as the club’s lone lefty option out of the bullpen.
Aug 2, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox player Jarren Duran celebrates his two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. (John Froschauer/USA TODAY Sports)
The club also made a move on the injured list front, with outfielder Jarren Duran moved to the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 21) due to a toe sprain.
Duran’s move to the injured list comes amid what’s been an ugly August for the breakout talent, with Duran hitting just .192 in 17 games this month. It’s Duran’s worst month of the season, and is a brutal drop from his July, which came with a .384 average.
The 26-year-old Duran is hitting .295 with eight homers and 40 RBIs this season.
WORCESTER – Worcester outfielder Wilyer Abreu hits a triple in the fifth inning against Buffalo at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. (Credit: USA TODAY IMAGES)
And with Duran unavailable, the Red Sox have decided to give Wilyer Abreu a look at the MLB level.
Rated as the 23rd-ranked prospect in the pipeline per SoxProspects.com, Abreu’s MLB call-up comes with the 24-year-old hitting .274 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs with Worcester this season.
Abreu, coincidentally enough, was acquired by the Red Sox from the Astros in the 2022 trade that sent Christian Vazquez to Houston, and could be set to make his MLB debut against ’em.
