Tanner Houck Making MLB Debut Tuesday, Donating $100 Per Strikeout To Pitch For Adoption
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox haven't given fans much of a reason to watch this season. It turns out that gaining financial flexibility off the field has made the product on it pretty unbearable.
But there is a special reason to watch Tuesday night when the Sox visit the Miami Marlins. Righty Tanner Houck is set to make his Major League debut, and he'll be pitching with a purpose when he takes the mound.
Every time Houck strikes out a Marlins hitter, the 2017 first-round pick will donate $100 to his Pitch For Adoption campaign.
"My family and I have been strong supporters of adoption for as long as I can remember, as it's what made our family complete. I hope that our story and my campaign will inspire others to learn more about the life-changing benefits of adoption," Houck's website reads.
Both Houck's father and stepfather were adopted, and when he was in high school, his mother took in a 4-year-old foster child, Reanna. A few years later, she was officially part of the Houck family via adoption.
"I remember meeting her for the first time when my mom brought her to my high school baseball game. I knew even then she was going to change our lives for the better, and we would help change hers. Today Reanna is an avid piano player, swimmer, member of her school's drama club, award-winning robotics team, and most importantly, a beloved daughter and little sister. I want to encourage other people to open their hearts to adoption and see the immense benefits not only for the child, but for the adoptive family," Houck shared.
Reaching the big leagues has always been my dream. Tomorrow, as I make my MLB debut with the @RedSox I'll be donating $100 per K toward my Pitch For Adoption campaign. As I reach my dreams, I hope to make more dreams possible for these deserving kids. https://t.co/nga3RPti9m
— Tanner Houck's Pitch for Adoption (@Pitch4Adoption) September 14, 2020
The 23-year-old Houck has been a project for the Red Sox since they took him out of Mizzou, changing him from a starter to a reliever and now back to a stater. He has revamped his mechanics over the last few years, changing his delivery, and features a four-seam fastball, a nasty sinker and a split-finger fastball that he began throwing last season. He continued to tweak his delivery at the team's alternate training site in Pawtucket this season, and on Tuesday, will finally toe the rubber in a Major League game.
Houck was 8-6 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.40 WHIP over 33 appearances last season, including 17 starts, split between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.