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Unvaccinated Tanner Houck roasted after Red Sox lose to Blue Jays in walk-off fashion

Unvaccinated Tanner Houck roasted after Red Sox lose to Blue Jays in walk-off fashion

Boston Red Sox closer Tanner Houck's decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 means he is not currently allowed to play games against the Toronto Blue Jays north of the border.

His absence was felt in a huge way on Tuesday as the Red Sox blew a ninth-inning lead and fell to the Blue Jays in walk-off fashion.

After grabbing the lead in the eighth inning, Boston manager Alex Cora turned to right-hander Tyler Danish for the home half of the frame, then left him out to begin the ninth. After allowing the first two batters to reach, Hansel Robles replaced Danish on the mound and served up back-to-back RBI singles to Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to end the game.

Despite not physically pitching in the game — or even being in the same country at the time of the loss — it was Houck who took the heat from fans.

Cora gave a very diplomatic answer when asked about the bullpen in his postgame press conference, while Danish shouldered the blame for the loss.

“We go with the 26 [players] that are here,” Cora said. “We tried to get 27 outs and we didn’t do it.”

“After a game like that, fighting back from a deficit, down early, that one hurts,” Danish said. “This one goes on me.”

Tanner Houck, left, wasn't available to close Tuesday's game for the Red Sox, and the Blue Jays took advantage. (Photos via Getty)
Tanner Houck, left, wasn't available to close Tuesday's game for the Red Sox, and the Blue Jays took advantage. (Photos via Getty)

We may not have heard the last of this storyline. After they leave town on Wednesday, the Red Sox still have one more series in Toronto in 2022. That three-game set begins on Sept. 30 and could carry massive playoff implications.

Boston is currently half a game behind Toronto for the top wild-card spot in the American League. There's still more than half the season to be played, but if the standings hold up, the Red Sox would begin the playoffs on the road against the Blue Jays.

The Red Sox are 1-4 in games played at Rogers Centre this year and 2-7 against the Blue Jays overall.

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