By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

OCEAN SPRINGS — Former Ocean Springs High standout Garrett Crochet is a Major League Baseball All-Star.

Again.

Crochet, a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, was selected to the American League team Sunday afternoon for the upcoming MLB All-Star Game. The annual “MidSummer Classic” is set for next week, on Tuesday, July 15th, at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Last season, in his first as a starter in the Majors, the southpaw Crochett earned his first selection in the prestigious affair as a member of the Chicago White Sox. But, after a blockbuster trade between the two teams in the off-season meant a change in the color of his footwear, Crochet has quickly established himself as the ace of the staff in Beantown.

“Since I’ve been a Red Sox, I’ve done nothing but improve,” Crochet told reporters Sunday. “It’s special. It’s an honor just to represent this organization in an event of that caliber. Whether it’s the first year or not. It just adds a cherry on top, I suppose.”

Crochet just made his 19th start for the Red Sox Sunday, and he currently has a 2.39 earned run average with 151 strikeouts. His strikeout total leads all of MLB.

At this point, Crochet and Detroit’s Tarik Skubal are the co-favorites to win the AL Cy Young Award this season.

Last year Crochet was the only White Sox player at Globe Life Field for the 2024 MLB ASG after posting a 3.02 ERA and striking out 150 batters in his first 20 starts. He went on to throw a scoreless fourth frame in the ASG.

This season, he will make his 20th start before the contest for the Red Sox at home at Fenway Park on Friday against Tampa, meaning that it’s possible he could start for the AL vs. the National League four days later.

“Yeah. Definitely.’” Crochet replied Sunday, when asked if he’d like to become just the 8th different Red Sox pitcher in the 95 year history of the annual affair, following the likes of Chris Sale, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Lefty Grove among others.