The Boston Red Sox have had three different Opening Day starters in each of the last three seasons. But with last season’s No. 1 starter, Tanner Houck, returning in 2025, it appeared as though the pattern might be coming to an end.

Except it wasn’t. Instead of going with last season’s ace, manager Alex Cora has decided to give the ball to newcomer Garrett Crochet for Boston’s season opener March 27 against the Texas Rangers. Houck would fill the No. 2 slot, followed by Walker Buehler at No. 3.

Plenty of major league starters in Houck’s position would have felt snubbed or disrespected by Cora’s decision — but not Houck.

“Talked to Tanner. He was our best starter last year. He was an All-Star,” Cora said (via Christopher Smith of MassLive). “He just said, ‘Give me the ball whenever.'”

Houck broke out as the Red Sox’s first-half ace in 2024, finishing the season with a 9-10 record and a 3.12 ERA and 154 strikeouts over 178 2/3 innings en route to his first career MLB All-Star appearance. But Crochet was the big fish that Boston landed on the offseason trade market; considering the massive prospect haul they had to give up in order to get him from the Chicago White Sox, it was clear from the onset that the Red Sox had every intention of making him their No. 1 starter.

Tanner Houck has awesome response for Alex Cora after being named Red Sox No. 2 starter

Even with Crochet supplanting him as the new No. 1 starter in Boston, Houck confirmed that his ego hasn’t been hurt in the slightest.

“ I think my entire career I’ve always been that way,” Houck said (via Smith). “Just give me the ball. That’s all I want to do. This is what I love to do. I’ve never worked a day in my life because I get to go out there and throw a ball for a living. I’m not going to be picky by any means. Give me a ball every five days and I won’t complain otherwise.”

Houck and the Red Sox avoided arbitration this offseason and agreed to a one-year, $3.95 million contract that will keep the homegrown starter in Boston through the end of the 2025 season. The two sides haven’t yet begun contract extension talks, but Houck’s mature attitude about his placement in the rotation will undoubtedly only help his stock value moving forward.

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