Red Sox Rumors: Easy free agent target, Marcelo Mayer mashing, Tanner Houck shuffle

Red Sox Rumors: Could Tanner Houck follow Nick Pivetta to bullpen?

Earlier this week, despite Nick Pivetta seemingly getting testy with reporters who suggested the possibility in previous weeks, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora made the move to put the starter in the bullpen.

This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen the club make that type of move this season. Josh Winckowski started games for the Sox last season but has been a stud long reliever this year. Meanwhile, Kutter Crawford didn’t lose his spot in the rotation but got pushed out by players returning from the IL and has been in a imilar long relief role too. Now Pivetta is heading into something similar.

Could that not be the end of it, though?

It’s no secret that the Red Sox have long been trying to find any kind of a solution for a bullpen that has been an absolute problem holding the club back from winning games. Recently, though, it seems as if Cora has taken it upon himself to try and remedy that, along with the front office. Ryan Brasier is goine and the long relief options have seemingly been in favor.

In the case of Tanner Houck, one has to wonder if that becomes an option for him, something floated on Twitter in this context by Red Sox Stats.

Soon enough, Garrett Whitlock is set to return from the IL. The team just got James Paxton back. Chris Sale appears to be healthy. Brayan Bello is starting to come into his own. When you then factor in a near two-year trend now of Houck struggling more often the second and third times through the order, perhaps a long relief role is where he could thrive the most and help the Red Sox the most substantially.

There’s nothing concrete in this regard yet but, given the situation and the moves with Pivetta, Winckowski and Crawford, it can’t be ruled out as a possibility for Houck.