Max Scherzer and Tanner Houck face off…in Triple A at Polar Park

WORCESTER — In one bullpen was a 2024 first-time All-Star, a rising star in Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck.

In the other bullpen was a three-time Cy Young award winner, eight-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion and future Hall of Famer: Max Scherzer.

It was a marquee matchup, but it wasn’t taking place at a sold-out MLB stadium; rather, 5,755 WooSox fans were treated to a top-caliber showdown at Polar Park on Wednesday night.

“At the very least, you get to sit over there and watch a a future Hall-of-Famer pitch,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said. “And for our guys, if you’re hitting off of him, if it was me, I’d be like, ‘I’m going hit [against] a future Hall-of-Famer, and I’m going to get him. And Tanner’s an All-Star last year, so to get to watch watch these two guys throw, it certainly will add some interest to the game.”

The marquee pitching matchup didn’t last too long, as Houck was on a strict pitch count. A couple of hits in the first inning pushed his count to the high 20s, but he was able to escape the inning without giving up a run and went back out for one batter in the second. He finished the evening with 32 pitches, 18 going for strikes, allowing a walk and two hits.

“It was good to be back, good to be out there competing. All in all, the the wind up was definitely really good today in terms of how I was feeling, it felt in sync,” Houck said. “The stretch was a little stiff. But for the first one back, being able to get the two ups and in terms of pitch shapes, I like where everything’s at now.”

Houck, who was placed on the injured list on May 14 with a flexor pronator strain of his right elbow. He said he’s not feeling any pain or stiffness in his arm now.

“Which is definitely a step in the right direction compared to before,” Houck said. “I felt like I was able to execute the slider with a good shape, good velocity. Uh, before, I was getting too depth-y, more of like a a curveball-style shape, not as much horizontal. All in all, just happy with where the shapes are at and where the wind up is, but by no means complete. That’s why you got a few of these things.”

Houck said his next outing will be with the WooSox in Scranton on Tuesday, and then likely five days later, also with the WooSox.

On the other side, Scherzer, further into his rehab from a thumb injury that’s kept him on the sideline since late March. Scherzer, making his second rehab start, hit 75 pitches and was promptly removed, even in the middle of an at-bat. He was impressive, but not without blemishes. Tyler McDonough had the only hit off Scherzer – a single to left – and advanced to second on a balk. Wilyer Abreu (in his second game of his rehab assignment) drew a walk, as did Nathan Hickey. Vaughn Grissom was hit by a pitch.

“Too many walks,” Scherzer said. “Especially that four-pitch walk [to Hickey]. That’s where my arm was kind of getting a little fatigued. That’s a bad walk, but then I was able to clock myself and be able to get the pitches back to where I wanted to on the next at bat.”

Overall, it’s not clear if this will be Scherzer’s final rehab assignment, as the important part of his recovery is seeing how his thumb feels the day after a start.

Scherzer also noted a mechanical adjustment he was trying to work through.

“I’ve actually picked up this weird kind of pause on my delivery, and it’s starting to show up sometimes in the game, and so I have to get that out,” he detailed. “I’ve got a bad habit right now, so I’m constantly telling myself to not pause. I want to have a good quick leg kick, and I get this little slight pause in there that I [have to] get rid of. From that mechanic standpoint, I don’t know. I have a bad tick right now and I just have to break it.”

Scherzer, who got a nice standing ovation from the Polar Park crowd on his way off the field, was not sure of what the next steps will be on his way back to the Blue Jays.

“I won’t know exactly how this goes until tomorrow,” Scherzer said. “[Until] I’m actually in Major League games recovering from Major League starts, I don’t have a smile on my face. I don’t feel like I’m out of the woods.”

Scherzer and Houck have another connection besides being part of one of the best Triple-A matchups in recent memory. They are both University of Missouri grads, and have cultivated a relationship through that connection, working out together in the offseason.

“He’s been around the game for for a long time. He’s a guy I’ve always looked up to being another Mizzou grad,” Houck said. “I’ve had the privilege of working out with him in the offseason and just being around a competitor like that, it’s awesome. He’s such a great leader and mentor on and off the field and I feel like I learned a lot every time I talk to him.”

Bisons 14, WooSox 1

Even after Scherzer left the game, the WooSox struggled to get any offense going. Blaze Jordan drove in the only run with a solo home run, his second with the WooSox.

On the pitching side, the only bright spots for Worcester after Houck were Hobie Harris (one inning, one hit, two strikeouts) and Jose Adames (one inning, two strikeouts).

What’s Next

Robert Stock gets the ball for the WooSox as they continue their series against the Bisons. First pitch is at 6:45 p.m.

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