Darvish selected to 4th All-Star team
Pitcher voted in by American League players, managers.
The Rangers’ Yu Darvish was selected as the team’s lone representative to the July 11 All-Star Game in Miami, his fourth All-Star appearance in six major league seasons. He was not selected in 2015 when he missed the full year recovering from Tommy John surgery and was on the disabled list last year. Darvish was one of five starting pitchers selected in voting by AL players and managers.
Other pitchers selected include Dellin Betances (Yankees), Michael Fulmer (Tigers), Dallas Keuchel (Astros), Corey Kluber (Indians), Lance McCullers (Astros), Chris Sale (Red Sox), Ervin Santana (Twins), Luis Severino (Yankees), Jason Vargas (Royals), Andrew Miller (Indians) and Craig Kimbrel (Red Sox).
“Itmeansalottometomake it back there after Tommy John,” Darvish said through an interpreter Sunday. “When I had Tommy John, I didn’t know how I’d come back. To do all that work and all that rehab, it means a lot to be rewarded and selected.”
Darvish is among the top six pitchers in the AL in ERA (3.11, 6th), innings pitched (107, 4th), strikeouts (115, 3rd) and batting average allowed (.205, 3rd). He has only six wins, but wins have become reduced in terms of their weight in the eyes of most evaluators.
Gallo declines invite to home run derby: Joey Gallo declined an opportunity to participate in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby, the young slugger said Saturday.
Gallo, tied for fifth in the AL in home runs with 21, said he did not think he was as deserving of the opportunity as others. Gallo is known for hitting jaw-dropping home runs, including one that went a projected 466 feet earlier this year, according to MLB’s Statcast system. He also has another 460-foot blast.
Rangers add veteran to bullpen: Reliever Jason Grilli will join the Rangers after the team reached a deal with Toronto.
The Rangers are sending cash and minor league outfielder Eduard Pinto to the Blue Jays, who designated Grilli for assignment earlier in the week.
Grilli, 40, was 2-4 with a 6.97 ERA for the Blue Jays. He is being brought in, however, as much for his veteran presence as he is for anything he can do on the mound.
The Rangers have a very inexperienced bullpen and the hope is Grilli, known as a strong clubhouse figure, could help that group galvanize.
Grilli was with the Rangers in 2009 and went on to have several seasons as a closer with Pittsburgh, where Jeff Banister was the bench coach. Grilli could also be used in a mentor’s role for Matt Bush, as he tries to regain confidence to close games, and Keone Kela, who could be given an audition as the closer.
Grilli will join the Rangers in Arlington on Monday. A roster move will be made at the time to make room for him. A day after Major League Baseball suspended Astros starter David Paulino for 80 games, effectively ending his season, for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, manager A.J. Hinch described the news as either a “reality check or a slap in the face to an entire team that things aren’t the same every day.”
Paulino will not appeal his suspension. He will not be eligible for the playoffs.
The 23-year-old Dominican right-hander tested positive for Boldenone, a derivative of testosterone used on horses,