Red Sox ace explains why pitching in All-Star Game ‘just didn’t make sense’

BOSTON — Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet originally wanted to pitch in next Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Atlanta after being selected to the American League roster for the second straight year. After further consideration, however, he pulled himself out of the game.

Crochet, who was replaced on the AL’s active roster by Detroit’s Casey Mize on Friday, said the decision was workload-based. The lefty has already logged 120 ⅓ innings (tied for the MLB lead) over 19 starts for the Red Sox this year and on Saturday, will make his final start of the first half against the Rays.

“For me, it’s just looking at my past four years,” Crochet said. “In 2022, I threw zero innings. In ‘23, I threw 13. Last year, I threw 146 and this year I’m on pace for 200. From my standpoint, it makes no sense to make that 201 to throw in a game that doesn’t determine my team’s fate throughout the season.

“Especially because we’re looking at the postseason,” he continued. “If I threw 20 innings in the postseason, I’m almost 100 innings over last year which was over 100 innings above the year prior. It just didn’t make sense to me.”

Crochet said his decision may have been different if he was on four days rest. After getting an extra day this week before pitching Saturday, he’d be going on three days rest in Atlanta. It was important to Crochet, he said, that the All-Star break represents “an actual break” this time around.

Crochet will still travel to Atlanta along with teammates Alex Bregman (who also won’t play) and Aroldis Chapman early next week. But unlike last year, when he pitched a scoreless fourth inning at Globe Life Field, he will watch from the dugout.

“It’s a huge honor to be there,“ Crochet said. ”I threw last year with it being my first one. If I were to go next year, I would probably throw. But just with the way my continued growth is, and my workload ceiling, I’d rather not add to it.”