Due to setback of the team. The all-time Boston Red Sox player, Tanner Houck, has officially announced his retirement.

Due to setback of the team. The all-time Boston Red Sox player, Tanner Houck, has officially announced his retirement.

BOSTON — In a scary scene that hushed the Fenway Park faithful, Red Sox starter Tanner Houck was struck in the face by a line drive Friday night and had to leave the game, finally a 15-5 win over the Yankees.

Cruising along with a 13-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, Houck had his face bruised by the liner — with an exit velocity of 89.7 mph — off the bat of Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka.

The ball ricocheted toward third base for an infield single as Houck dropped to his knees and quickly put his hands over his face.

Houck was surrounded by teammates and attended to by trainers, but the 26-year-old righty got to his feet and left the mound on his own power, with a towel covering what appeared to be a large gash on his right cheek.

“He was conscious the whole time, so that’s good,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of Houck after the game. “He’s got a cut; he’s in the hospital right now getting further tests.

“Obviously, we’ll know more at the end of the night. But he got lucky.”

Tanner Houck #89 of the Boston Red Sox is helped off of the field after being hit by a ball during the fifth inning of a game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on June 16, 2023
Tanner Houck (89) of the Boston Red Sox is helped off of the field after being hit by a ball during the fifth inning of a game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on June 16, 2023. Getty Images
Grounds-crew members cleaned blood off the field while reliever Joe Jacques warmed up to the side before the game continued.

The Red Sox later announced Houck suffered a face contusion.

Houck, who is 3-6 with a 5.05 ERA in 13 starts this season, allowed one run on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

“Just a scary moment,” Red Sox partner Justin Turner said. “To see him go down like that, I’m not sure where it got him. But seeing him get up and walk off the field, I didn’t get a chance to talk to him in the locker but a couple of other guys did.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck kneels on the mound, bleeding after being struck on the cheek by a line drive by the New York Yankees’ Kyle Higashioka during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck kneels on the mound, bleeding after being struck on the cheek by a line drive by off New York Yankees’ Kyle Higashioka during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday. AP
“He was in pretty good spirits before he went to the hospital to get some scans. I’ll check in on him. Hopefully it’s just a few stitches and he’ll be back out there.”