Red Sox Fans Will Love Meaning Behind Tanner Houck’s All-Star Cleats

The Red Sox 2024 All-Stars made their statements in differing ways, and each carried special messages into Texas.

Jarren Duran’s clutch home run in the bottom of the fifth inning lifted the American League to a 5-3 win over the National League at Globe Life Field on Tuesday. The Boston outfielder earned MLB All-Star Game MVP honors for his performance, which highlighted the 27-year-old’s breakout season.

Before the Midsummer Classic, Duran was decked out in a custom suit that carried the personal mantras that he leans on for his mental health struggles.

Fellow Red Sox All-Star Tanner Houck made a fashion statement of his own when he showed off his custom-designed cleats. The cleats featured the Boston skyline and the logos of his “Pitch for Adoption” campaign and the 2024 All-Star Game. The cleats were signed by kids from The Home for Little Wanderers after they had presented him with signs to autograph for his birthday.

“I’m very blessed to have an incredible platform in the realm of MLB and the Red Sox,” Houck told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “I try to take advantage of that.”

The All-Star Game didn’t pan out as well as Houck might have hoped. The 28-year-old pitched in the third inning and gave up a three-run home run to Shohei Ohtani. However, it still was a memorable experience for the first-time All-Star, and his community efforts will continue to be seen when the Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon kicks off next month.