Red Sox All-Star Reveals Thoughts On Long-Term Boston Future

What's next for the Red Sox All-Star?

Sep 6, 2020; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; An empty Fenway Park is seen during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox's starting rotation can compete with any other staff in the big leagues right now on paper.

Boston entered camp with six guys in the mix for the rotation in Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler, Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford. That doesn't even include young guys like Richard Fitts and former first-round pick Quinn Priester.

Of the six initially expected to be in the mix, there are four All-Stars and two young guys with that level of upside.

Houck without a doubt was Boston's best pitcher last year. He earned his first All-Star nod and gave the Red Sox consistency at the top of the rotation that the team desperately needed. The 28-year-old had a 3.12 ERA across 30 starts. He had 154 strikeouts to just 48 walks in a career-high 178 2/3 innings pitched.

He's a guy worth keeping around as long as possible. He recently spoke to the Boston Globe's Pete Abraham recently shared that he hasn't had conversations about an extension with the Boston front office but that he would like to stay in Boston.

"Nothing," Houck said about potential extension talks, as transcribed by Abraham. "We’re just hanging out, business as usual. Me and the wife are happy. I’m not worried about it. I plan to play this game for a long time. I’ll be fine. But if you’re asking me if I’d like to stay here, sure I would. I love it here."

There's obviously been a lot of chatter about possibly locking up Crochet for the long term. Houck is a guy that should also be in the mix for a new deal as well.

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