Red Sox Demote Key Red Sox Reliever To Create Room For Tanner Houck

The Boston Red Sox have spent months piecing together a pitching staff that truly only featured three starting pitchers and a handful of inexperienced or middling relievers aside from their two back-end forces — Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen.

With Chris Sale, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck out for so long, it allowed some younger hurlers to prove themselves. The player who arguably stood out the most was 25-year-old Chris Murphy.

Unfortunately, his time in Boston is up, at least for the time being.

“The Red Sox have optioned left-handed reliever Chris Murphy to Triple-A Worcester to make room on the active roster for Tanner Houck who will start Tuesday against the (Houston) Astros,” MassLive’s Christopher Smith wrote late Monday night.

Murphy posted a 3.72 ERA with a 39-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .253 batting average against and 1.42 WHIP in 38 2/3 innings across 13 appearances in his unique bulk reliever role.

While his numbers are not overwhelming, one bad outing against the Toronto Blue Jays — in which he allowed six earned runs over 2 1/3 innings — massively skewed his season totals.

In his place will be Tanner Houck, who has failed to establish himself as a starter this season. The right-hander has a 5.05 ERA, 64-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .243 batting average against and a 1.26 WHIP in 67 2/3 innings pitched across 13 games.

With as many converted starters as the Red Sox have, manager Alex Cora can limit Houck’s usage the third time through the order — which should make him much more effective.

As for Murphy, his stint in the minors will be short-lived. Boston will bring him back as a September call-up in less than two weeks.