Tanner Houck embodies the growth of the young core in a surging year for the Boston Red Sox.

The starting rotation needed a leader and that's exactly what Houck grew into during the first half of the season. Entering the break at 8-6 with a 2.54 ERA, the Red Sox starter more than earned his first trip to the All-Star Game.

"It's been great," Houck shared on "Intentional Talk" on Tuesday. "The past few days have been incredible. Me and my wife have absolutely loved it. We've tried to soak up every second of this as we could because it's a special weekend for baseball. I think this is a great representation of our sport and what we do every day."

Houck reiterated how thankful he is to represent the Red Sox in the game and it is a reflection of his improvements this season, from eliminating struggling pitches to adjusting his footing on the mound,

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"For me, it's pounding the zone," Houck said. "Getting strike one, strike two right away and relying on my best stuff right after that. Ultimately, I had to step forward this year."

Houck may just get a chance to show his stuff when the 2024 MLB All-Star Game begins at 8 p.m. ET.

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