Tanner Houck has been an extremely effective starter for the Red Sox in 2024, pitching into the sixth inning in all five starts. This puts him in a position to record the victory every time he takes the mound. With the Cubs turning to swingman Hayden Wesneski, who is not stretched out to a full starter's workload, Boston could be facing one of baseball's worst bullpens earlier than normal, giving Houck an even better advantage to record the win.