Red Sox Insider Reveals Expected Tanner Houck Decision Before Non-Tender Deadline

Will Houck throw a pitch for the Red Sox this season?

Apr 26, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck (89) reacts after giving up his fourth run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Tanner Houck was everyone's Boston Red Sox regression candidate this past season, but the year still went far worse than anyone anticipated.

Houck pitched to an ERA of 8.04 and cost the Red Sox negative-1.4 wins above replacement in only nine starts. Then, he hit the injured list with an elbow injury that led to Tommy John surgery in August, which will keep him out of most of, it not the entire 2026 season.

Just one year after making his first All-Star team, there was reason to wonder whether Houck's time in a Red Sox uniform could be up, as the non-tender deadline looms on Friday. He made $3.95 million this year, so the Red Sox could save a few bucks by refusing to pay a similar salary again for the upcoming season.

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Houck non-tender not expected, per insider

However, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported on Monday that Houck is expected to be tendered a contract, according to multiple sources within the Red Sox organization.

"At this point, Boston is unlikely to non-tender injured righty Tanner Houck, multiple sources said Monday," Cotillo wrote. "With a 40-man roster crunch coming, there was some thought that cutting bait with Houck was possible due to his current situation.

"Considering the 2027 season is in jeopardy due to labor tensions and Houck is set to hit free agency after that year, the possibility existed that the Red Sox could non-tender (release) Houck into free agency to save a bit of money knowing he won’t be ready to pitch for most of 2026. But sources indicate the Red Sox plan to tender him a contract."

The storyline to keep an eye on could be whether the Red Sox and Houck work on some sort of extension, since he'll only be under team control for one more year after this one. The 29-year-old might not want to risk getting to free agency, and Boston may not want him pitching in 2027 with that uncertainty looming over his head.

The only real non-tender candidate the Red Sox have at their disposal is first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. The 40-man roster is full, and Tuesday is the deadline to protect eligible prospects from the Rule 5 Draft, so Lowe is undoubtedly in jeopardy.

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