The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-5 thanks to Valdimir Guerrero Jr’s walk-off hit in the bottom ninth. Although the loss was disappointing for media and fans of the Red Sox, Boston sports journalists are angry at its outcome.
Red Sox closer Pitcher Tanner Houck is a recent success. The Red Sox currently have six saves. However, he could not close the Red Sox’s tight game Tuesday due to his inability to get vaccinated. Canada has still strict vaccine regulations. Houck will not travel to Canada with the team until he gets vaccinated.
Houck chose to make his decision for personal liberty — which is something every American should do. At the moment, Houck does not violate any MLB regulations concerning the vaccination. While the MLB required coaches and players to receive booster shots before the season began, they did not mandate that the player’s. But even that wasn’t good enough for the infamously ruthless Boston sports media, who viciously tore apart Houck on Twitter for “forsaking his team” and ended up blaming the loss on him.
The most well-deserved and deserved loss of all time. The anti-vax Sox closer has returned to Boston and is enjoying his personal freedom while the Sox lead blows a 5-4 lead at the ninth. Pen did not get a hit in the ninth. Sox are now 2-7 vs. Jays. AL East is 7-16. However, Tanner Houck leaving the team was accepted by everyone.
— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) June 29, 2022
Tanner Houck will do whatever it takes to help the Red Sox win. But he should make sure that he is actually there and accessible when the Red Sox really need him.
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) June 29, 2022
You can count that as a win for Dr. Houck.
— Chad Finn (@GlobeChadFinn) June 29, 2022
This is all false.
Back in April, Houck said that he didn’t get the vaccine because he thinks “it’s a personal choice for everyone whether they get it or not.” He’s been available for his team since then and isn’t disloyal to them because he decided to not get the jab, and he further seems to be the only consistent closer the Red Sox currently have.
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Houck is to be blamed for the loss, which also seems absurd. Red Sox has a multitude of capable bullpen options that could have kept them ahead heading into the sixth inning. Even Red Sox manager Alex Cora reiterated that blame should not have been laid on Houck’s shoulders.
“We go with the 26 that are here, and we try to get 27 outs and we didn’t do it,” Cora said postgame.
So the media can blame Houck all they want and try to make him feel guilty for his decision, but it’s not his fault and he should be respected for how he is carrying himself. He will not be in Toronto, and the Red Sox must find another way to win.
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