Article: Boston's 3 All-Stars Deserve Celebration From Red Sox Fans

[Finley Rogan]

The Boston Red Sox will be sending three players to the All-Star Game in Atlanta next week. All three players have been All-Stars before and all three were acquired this winter either by trade or free agency. It is a very positive note for Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, who has received a lot of pushback throughout the season. However, we can discuss Breslow’s doings at any time—this piece is for the All-Stars.

Beginning with Crochet, it is not a surprise to anybody that he is headed to Atlanta. If Tarik Skubal didn’t exist, Crochet would likely be the American League starter at the Midsummer Classic. Crochet currently leads MLB in strikeouts with 151 and innings with 120 1/3. He is third among all starters in WAR, and he is inside the top 10 on the ERA leaderboard. There were lofty expectations for Crochet after the Red Sox acquired him from the White Sox in exchange for a haul of prospects, two of whom have debuted already in Chicago. It is safe to say Crochet has been worth such a package, and it is difficult to imagine where the team would be without him this season.

Crochet has been dominant in large part due to his ability to strike batters out consistently. He has a 31.3% K rate to go with a scant 7% BB rate. He mixes in five pitches including his dominant four-seam fastball. Crochet’s total Stuff+ ranks third in MLB.  He is also currently second behind Paul Skenes in win probability added among starters. It is no surprise either to anyone who regularly watches him pitch—the guy gets outs when it matters. 

The other pitcher the Red Sox are sending to Atlanta is closer Aroldis Chapman. He is in the top 10 of Ks/9, WAR, and ERA among relief pitchers. Chapman also has 15 saves, although that is a statistic largely out of his control. Aside from being the most reliable pitcher out of the bullpen, it has been a real joy to watch Chapman pitch for the Red Sox. After years of seeing him pump 100 mph fastballs in the zone with the Yankees, there is a satisfying aspect about seeing the same for the Red Sox. Chapman is having his best season since 2019 in New York, and he is actually on pace to surpass his WAR from that year. He is the best Red Sox closer since Craig Kimbrel, and, for what it's worth, the most likely Hall of Famer on the team (although he does have a myriad of off-the-field issues). 

A huge part of Chapman's revival season has been his command. He is currently walking just 2.5 batters per nine innings, which is the lowest mark of his long career. Assuming the Red Sox keep him through the trade deadline, you would have to imagine they will try to extend him this offseason. However, that is something to worry about later; for now, Red Sox fans should enjoy having an opportunity to see their best reliever in the All-Star game next week, and perhaps even close it out.

Lastly, there is Alex Bregman. If the Red Sox had a captain, it would probably be him. Bregman has been everything fans wanted and more when the Red Sox signed him this offseason. Though he has only played in 51 games prior to the voting process due to a quad injury he sustained at the end of May, Bregman did enough to receive All-Star honors. He was the one of the lone bright spots offensively in the dark early days of the season and has now transitioned to a beacon of hope for the second-half. Bregman still leads the team in wRC+, wOBA, and OBP. He remains in the top five in most of the counting categories on the team as well, including home runs (11) and RBIs (35).

Bregman has also played above-average defense at third this season, something Red Sox fans have not been accustomed to after years of watching Rafael Devers play the position. Beyond just his performance, Bregman is a crucial leader in the Red Sox's clubhouse. Bregman may return this weekend, though he'll miss the All-Star game after avoiding a rehab assignment. Though unfortunate, Bregman’s prospective return is much more important to the Red Sox. The offense which has been waking up recently, is all of the sudden that much scarier. The team needs another reliable right-handed bat and Bregman is not only that, but also a stabilizing presence in a young lineup.

It’s been a polarizing summer in Boston, but the chance to see three players in the Midsummer Classic is a privilege for any fan. Red Sox fans should sit back and enjoy the game next week before the resumption of living and dying every day of the MLB regular season. Each player has brought a unique skillset to the team, and each of them being All-Stars is better than anyone could have imagined when the Red Sox brought them in this winter.

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