Red Sox's Tanner Houck Released from Hospital; Injury Diagnosed as Facial Fracture

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck suffered a facial fracture when he was hit in the face by a line drive during his start against the New York Yankees Friday.

He is at home and in stable condition, the Red Sox said Saturday.

Houck was struck by a ball that left the bat of Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka at an 89.7 mph exit velocity, per Statcast.

"At first, I was hoping he got a glove on it," Higashioka said Saturday, per Gary Phillips for the New York Daily News. "I wasn't sure exactly if it squared him up, but once I was able to turn around, definitely, it looked like it was pretty bad. It seemed like he was doing alright as he was walking off the field. So that was at least good to see. But it's still not something you want to see out there. So I'm just glad that he's doing alright."

Houck, who immediately collapsed with his hands over his bloody face, walked off the mound under his own power and offered a fist pump to the unsettled crowd as he left the game. Manager Alex Cora said Houck was "conscious the whole time" following the hit, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne.

"He knew where he was right away and he kept saying he was fine," Cora said Friday night. "I saw him while he was getting stitches. I mean, he got lucky. Let's put it that way."

Houck has a 3-6 record and 5.05 ERA in 13 starts. He struck out two batters and allowed one run and one walk on four hits before he was forced to exit the game Friday.