Red Sox reactions: Tanner Houck (12 runs) shelled, offense (1 run, 6 hits) shut down (2025)

TAMPA — Instant reactions from the Red Sox‘ 16-1 loss to the Rays on Monday here at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

1) Tanner Houck’s bad spring training has carried over into the regular season. In his final spring training start, Houck gave up 10 runs and 12 hits (one homer) in 3 ⅔ innings against the Rays.

Tampa shelled him again Monday. Houck lasted just 2 ⅓ innings and allowed 12 runs, 11 earned runs, 10 hits (two homers) and two walks while striking out just one. He has a 9.16 ERA (18 ⅔ innings, 19 earned runs) in four starts after posting an 11.20 ERA (13 ⅔ innings, 17 earned runs) in four spring training starts.

2) The Rays’ temporary home, the Yankees’ spring training facility George M. Steinbrenner Field, has been a launching pad. There have been 31 homers hit here over the past seven games (4.4 per game).

It was certainly a Boom Box (as the Rays called it in their notes) for the Rays on Monday. They belted four homers and stroked 16 hits.

Meanwhile, Boston managed just six hits. Kristian Campbell had two of them (homer, single).

Boston entered Monday sixth in the majors in runs with 77 but 40.2% of those runs came in two games against the Cardinals. Boston has scored 47 runs in its other 16 games (including Monday), an average of just 2.9 runs per game.

3) Alex Bregman made his fourth error of the season during the Rays’ nine-run third inning. Boston leads MLB with 20 errors.

4) Overall, the Red Sox played bad defense Monday. There were a couple other hits that could have been ruled errors. Also: Jarren Duran allowed a runner to score all the way from first base on Brandon Lowe’s 100.2 mph, 242-foot single to left field in the second inning. Campbell (in center field) seemed to slightly misjudge Jonathan Aranda’s 390-foot ground-rule double in the third inning as it bounced on the dirt of the warning track.

5) Boston dropped to 8-10 on the season. It has lost six of its past eight games.

6) Campbell belted his third homer of the season in the third inning, cutting it to 5-1. He pulled it 381 feet to left field with a 104.5 mph exit velocity.

7) The Red Sox and Rays will play the second game of their three-game series Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Righty Walker Buehler (1-1, 5.74 ERA) will start for Boston opposite righty Ryan Pepiot (1-1, 3.38 ERA).