Alex Cora under fire for prematurely pulling Tanner Houck against Yankees
By Mark Powell
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is under fire for pulling starter Tanner Houck in favor of the bullpen. That decision did not go in his favor.
The Red Sox went from up a run to down several very quickly, especially with the performances of Garrett Whitlock and Josh Taylor. Whitlock is one of the best pitchers the Boston bullpen has to offer, and if Cora is truly treating this like a playoff game (he is), then having a quick hook isn’t necessarily all that controversial of a decision.
Except when it backfires.
Houck had been pitching quite well in the Bronx. Through four innings, he was starting to find his form, giving up just five hits and two runs despite a rocky start.
Boston Red Sox fans unhappy Alex Cora pulled Tanner Houck
It’s easy to play revisionist history after the Yankees took the lead, but even in the moment, it seemed odd that Cora chose to go to one of his best relief pitchers when Houck wasn’t in trouble.
People are complaining about Cora giving Houck the quick hook and that's just hindsight being 20/20. The numbers are not good when Houck sees a lineup for a third time. Both Whitlock and Taylor have been great. They just happened to shit the bed today. Right call, wrong result.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) August 17, 2021
Houck can/will be a stud for the Sox… just need to take the training wheels off.
— Will Middlebrooks (@middlebrooks) August 17, 2021
Still not sure why Cora even pulled Houck so early. He's thrown 80+ pitches three times this season, and wasn't even at 60 today.
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) August 17, 2021
Houck hadn't walked anybody. Three so far this inning.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) August 17, 2021
They didn't want him seeing the lineup a third time. That blew up.
CORA IS A GOOD MANAGER BUT HE DID US A HUGE FAVOR LIFTING THAT HOUCK KID OUT AFTER 4 INNINGS!!
— Big Nick Turturro (@NickTurturro1) August 17, 2021
Cora’s management of the rotation/bullpen is maddening. 58 pitches and he pulls Houck out. Inevitable bullpen implosion.
— Joe M (@joe_meehan11) August 17, 2021
Let Tanner Houck pitch please
— Steven Carlberg (@stevencarlberg) August 17, 2021
Tanner Houck isn’t a baby, you don’t take him out after 4 innings. Bullshit managing, idc if the 4th is viewed like the 6th-7th
— Matt // SN (@Sox_Network) August 17, 2021
Cora's going to get some criticism for taking out Houck, and I get it, but I thought it was the right move. Houck struggles 3rd time through, and it's a 7-inning game. Whitlock and Taylor just have to be better. This is on the pitchers imo
— OverTheMonster (@OverTheMonster) August 17, 2021
This turned to shit in a hurry. I would've left Houck in and tried to limit the bullpen as much as possible.
— BoSox Injection (@BoSoxInjection) August 17, 2021
Hindsight is 20/20 in this case, and Cora is too good of a manager to second guess on a consistent basis. It was his call, and while he may have gotten it wrong this time around, he set the tone this entire season and arguably has the team playing above the sum of its parts.
You win some, you lose some.
Next. 3 Red Sox who won’t be back next season if they miss the playoffs. dark