COLLINSVILLE, Ill. – Tanner Houck, a Boston Red Sox ace from St. Louis suburb Collinsville, pitched in his first MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Tanner Houck pitched the third inning for the American League All-Stars in a 5-3 victory over the National League. MLB phenom Shohei Ohtani tagged him for a three-run home run, though Houck battled back to work through a full inning, finishing his night with a strikeout of William Contreras.
Family, friends and loved ones from the Collinsville community gathered Tuesday night to watch Houck’s performance at the Gateway Convention Center.
“Tanner has worked so hard his entire life,” said his mother, Jennifer Houck, in a Zoom call with FOX 2. “He has always loved baseball. It’s all he’s ever wanted to do.”
“Regardless if he is an All-Star or not, he’s somebody this whole town is extremely proud of,” said Collinsville baseball coach Kevin Muniz.
Houck carries a 2.54 ERA over 117 innings pitched heading into the All-Star break, which respectively rank in the Top 5 and Top 10 of MLB starting pitchers.
Houck, now 28, is midway through his fifth MLB season. Throughout his career, he has navigated through various injuries and alternated between starting and relief pitching roles, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.
“It’s something I’ve enjoyed the entire time,” Houck told media members in Texas on his MLB journey ahead of Tuesday’s game. “I’ve had ups and downs, but each time I feel like I’ve come out better. All the little things add up over a long period of time that have helped me succeed.”
A 2014 graduate of Collinsville High School, Houck also thrived in three years with the Mizzou Baseball program to earn a first-round draft selection, 24th overall in 2017. He worked his way up to the big-league level within three years.
Tuesday’s watch party consisted of decorations, food, baseball activities and giant TV screens to watch Houck and the game. Those who attended said it’s a testament to his hard work and passion for baseball.
“The town brags about him, and it’s so proud. To have this kind of honor for him, it’s pretty special,” said Muniz.
“It makes me so proud to be there, in the wonderful small community, for all of them to be able to share this, share in Tanner’s life and Tanner’s journey has been excellent,” said Jennifer.
She continued, “I know what I’ll be doing [while watching the game]. I’ll be crying. Because when he hits these big, pivotal moments, that’s exactly what I do.”
FOX Sports gives Houck the fifth-best odds of winning the 2024 American League Cy Young Award, which honors the league’s best pitcher each season.
