The Red Sox are dealing with a massive headache in the lineup. While Tanner Houck is showing real signs of life on the mound, the news about Masataka Yoshida is a total gut punch for the roster.
The Yoshida injury is a season killer
Losing a guy like Yoshida when he is hitting well is just bad luck. According to MLB.com, the left-handed hitter suffered a left hamstring strain on Saturday night while trying to reach second base at PNC Park. It was not a small tweak either. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said, “Masa has a significant hamstring strain.”
The damage looks deep. Tracy noted that the injury might keep the hitter down for a long time and could push his return toward the end of the year. This is a disaster because he was in one of his best stretches in his four years with Boston. The team is already looking at other options like Mickey Gasper in the DH spot.
Houck is finally finding his rhythm
At least we have something to smile about with the pitching staff. Tanner Houck is moving in the right direction after his Tommy John surgery from last year. He faced hitters in Fort Myers on Tuesday, and the numbers look solid. Tracy said, “Houck threw to hitters today.”
The velocity is there, too. Tracy said he thought the pitcher averaged about 93 mph during the live BP session. That is exactly what you want to see. The pitcher threw between 20 and 25 pitches to hitters, which is a huge step forward. Tracy mentioned that throwing 25 pitches to hitters while on a mound is a positive sign.
It is not a done deal yet. The staff still needs to see how he handles more sessions. However, Tracy believes the pitcher is still a part of the rotation plans. He stated, “I would say that he’s in the picture.”
