Young generation leads All-Star picks
NEW YORK — Nolan Arenado, Carlos Correa and Aaron Judge led a new generation of All-Stars, with the trio among 12 first-time starters elected by fans for the July 11 game at Marlins Park.
“I’ve got to call my family and tell them to book a flight to Miami. They’re going to be excited,” Judge said after rosters were announced Sunday.
The dozen first-time starters are the most since voting was returned to fans in 1970. One of them is Atlanta center fielder Ender Inciarte, the Braves’ lone selection.
Another team with just one All-Star picked: the Chicago Cubs, last year’s World Series champions — and reliever Wade Davis wasn’t even with the team when it ended a 108-year title drought last fall. The Cubs had seven All-Stars last season, including their entire starting infield.
“Frankly, we haven’t had many guys who were all that deserving,” said Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta, whose team is 41-41 just past the season’s midpoint.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who will manage the National League, saw the bright side: rest for his players.
In a sign of the generational change, the AllStars with the most career selections are Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (eight) and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina (seven). Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, the senior All-Star last year with 11 selections, wasn’t picked for the first time since 2009.
Two of the first-time starters are from the Houston Astros, who have the best record in the major leagues: Correa, the shortstop drafted first overall in 2012, and outfielder George Springer. Second baseman Jose Altuve was elected to his third start.
“It’s something that you dream about since you are a little kid, since you get drafted, since you sign a professional contract,” Correa said.
Houston pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. were picked as well, giving the Astros five AllStars, tied for the most with the New York Yankees, Cleveland and Washington. Keuchel is hurt and won’t pitch.
Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, second baseman Daniel Murphy and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman were elected to start, and Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg were selected for the pitching staff. Harper led fan voting with 4.63 million ballots.
Judge, the 6-foot-7 Yankees rookie who leads the major leagues with 27 home runs, topped the American League with 4.49 million votes. He is joined in the outfield by Springer and Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, who hopes to return in time from a torn thumb ligament.
Colorado’s Arenado overtook the Cubs’ Kris Bryant, last year’s NL MVP, to win the spot at third base by 180,000 votes.
There were 11 first-time starters last season in San Diego, the last year the winning league received home-field advantage in the World Series. Under baseball’s new labor contract, the Fall Classic now starts in the ballpark of the pennant winner with the better record.
Rosters were cut from 34 per league to 32 under the new labor deal, and online voting determines the last spot on each roster. Elvis Andrus, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Logan Morrison and Mike Moustakas are the AL candidates, and Justin Bour, Bryant, Anthony Rendon, Mark Reynolds and Justin Turner are on the NL ballot.