Red Sox Likely To Tender Contract To Tanner Houck

"Teams and players don't need to decide on a salary by that date. They have until January 8th to file salary figures. But the team needs to make a decision by Friday as to whether they are committed to paying the player or not. If the player is still on the roster beyond the deadline, the team will have to eventually pay him something, with various outcomes still possible at that point. A non-tender on Friday allows the team to walk away without paying anything."

"With 2026 likely to be a recovery year for Houck, the decision is more about 2027. The Sox could pay him for the 2026 season, hoping that the investment pays off in the following year. That's something that teams often do in free agency. Pitchers recovering from surgery often sign two-year pacts, with the signing team knowing that they are probably only going to get meaningful return on investment in the second year, while the player banks a bit of cash while recovering."

The Red Sox plan to tender a contract to right-hander Tanner Houck. Teams must decide by Friday at 7pm Central whether to tender contracts to pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players. Salary figures do not need to be set until January 8th, but a tender decision commits the team to eventual payment while a non-tender allows the team to walk away without owing anything. Houck underwent Tommy John surgery in August and will likely miss the entire 2026 season. He can be retained via arbitration through 2027, when he becomes a free agent. Tendering Houck represents an investment in potential 2027 value, mirroring recent two-year recovery deals for pitchers.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors