star struck

Garrett Crochet, who starred at Ocean Springs High, and Brent Rooker, who did same at Mississippi State, were named Sunday to the American League All-Star team. It’s the second time each has been selected. Left-hander Crochet, who beat Washington on Sunday, is 9-4 with a 2.37 ERA and 151 strikeouts in his first season with Boston. Rooker, picked as a DH, is batting .273 with 18 homers and 48 RBIs for the A’s heading into a Sunday night game against San Francisco. At least one Mississippian (native or school alum) has been on an All-Star Game roster every year since 2014. (There was no game in 2020.) Also going to Atlanta next week are former Biloxi Shuckers Josh Hader, now with Houston, and Freddy Peralta (Milwaukee) and Mississippi Braves alum Max Fried (New York Yankees). The pitchers and reserves were announced on Sunday. Last week, former M-Braves stars Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta) and Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers) were voted in as starters for the National League. The Midsummer Classic is July 15 at Truist Park. P.S. Brandon Woodruff, a former All-Star, flashed all-star form in his first appearance since September 2023 (see previous post). Starting for Milwaukee on Sunday, MSU alum Woodruff got the win vs. Miami, throwing six innings (70 pitches) and yielding just two hits and a run with eight strikeouts. He reportedly hit 96 mph.