Red Sox
Houck missed two months after a line drive hit him directly in his face.
Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck has undergone some trauma this season.
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Houck threw a sinker to Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka at Fenway Park during a game between the two rivals on June 16. Higashioka swung at the ball, which bounced off his bat right into Houck’s face. The pitcher collapsed to the ground and covered his face, which was pouring out blood from his left side.
He immediately left the game and was soon placed on the injured list. That line drive had fractured his face, a scary injury that potentially could have been much worse.
“It’s part of the game. Houck told MLB.com’s Ian Browne after he was injured. “Injuries and unfortunate events are gonna happen.”
He underwent surgery on June 27 to insert a metal plate in his face, and had abstained from eating solid foods until early July. But he eventually began to return to normal, and began a rehab assignment on August 5. He made his return to the major leagues a few weeks later against the Houston Astros on August 22.
Now, Houck is back in the major leagues with his injury behind him. But he doesn’t forget that injury, nor does he apparently intend to. He took a 3D mold of his fractured face and placed it on a chain for him to wear. WEEI’s Rob Bradford took photos of Houck holding up the chain, smiling.
The smile on Houck’s face in Bradford’s photos suggests that he has moved on from his injury and has returned to his normal self. The injury certainly does not define him, but it is something that he will remember going forward with this chain.
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