Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet will not be partaking in the MLB All-Star Game next week, Major League Baseball announced Friday.
Crochet was named to the American League staff after an incredible start to his Boston career, but is opting to sit out the Midsummer Classic in Atlanta to rest up for the second half of the season. He’ll make his final start before the All-Star break on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park, when he takes the mound in the third game of a four-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays.
While Detroit’s Tarik Skubal will likely get the start for American League manager Aaron Boone, Crochet figured to be one of the first arms out of the bullpen for the AL squad. But the 26-year-old lefty has put in quite a lot of work for Boston so far this season, and is tied for the MLB-lead in innings pitched with 120.1 over his 19 starts.
Last season with the White Sox, Crochet threw 146 innings over his 32 starts in his first full year as a starter. The Red Sox have made sure to manage his workload when possible, and he’s getting an extra day of rest ahead of his start against Tampa. Sitting out the All-Star Game will give Crochet a nice break before his first start of the unofficial second half of the season.
Boston’s first game after the break will be Friday, July 18 against the Cubs in Chicago. If Crochet gets the ball for that game, he’ll have had five days off since his start against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Crochet has been everything the Red Sox could as for from an ace this season, sporting a 2.39 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He leads baseball with 151 strikeouts and has issued just 34 walks.
Detroit’s Casey Mize, who is 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA on the season, is taking Crochet’s spot on the American League roster.
Boston closer Aroldis Chapman and third baseman Alex Bregman were also named All-Stars, but Bregman isn’t going to participate in Tuesday’s game either as he’s just getting back from a quad injury.
Crochet wasn’t the only ace to drop out of the All-Star Game on Friday. Yankees lefty Max Fried, who is 11-2 and tied for the MLB-lead in wins, was replaced by teammate Carlos Rodon on the American League roster on Friday.
