Houck had a normal spring training until an implosion in his final Grapefruit League outing, which in retrospect served as an omen for his 2025 season. He opened as expected in the rotation but didn't resemble anything like the pitcher that was touted as a potential ace before the club acquired Garrett Crochet. Nine starts into the season, it was clear Houck was not the same pitcher that shined in 2024. He twice allowed 11 earned runs in starts and landed on the IL with an 8.04 ERA. An attempted rehab assignment was cut short, and the right-hander underwent a hybrid reconstruction on his right UCL, which is expected to keep him out for much of 2026. Boston bolstered its starting rotation during the offseason, and the development of young arms, precipitated in part due to an injury to Houck, likely relegates him to a role as that of a reliever when he's healthy. Read Past Outlooks