Houck was called up by Boston on Thursday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

EDGE Analysis

Houck has made five starts and one relief appearance for the Red Sox across last year and the early part of this season, cruising to a 1.98 ERA and a 30.6 percent strikeout rate over 27.1 innings of work. He missed over a month with elbow issues but has been back with Triple-A Worcester since mid-June, though his 5.14 ERA in six starts (none of which have lasted more than four innings) at that level is less than impressive. It's unclear what exactly Houck's role will be during his time with the team, as the Red Sox don't have an obvious hole in their rotation. He could be used as part of a six-man rotation or could pitch in a multi-inning role out of the bullpen.