Verlander, Ryu to Start All-Star game
Astros ace making his second all-start; Dodger leads NL in ERA.
Justin Verlander CLEVELAND — will start the All-Star Game for the American League for the second time, and Hyun-Jin Ryu will make his first start for the National League.
Verlander, a 36-year-old righthander, is 10-4 with a 2.98 ERA this year for the Houston Astros, striking out 153 in 126 2/3 innings.
He allowed five runs in the first inning during the 2012 All-Star Game at Kansas City, including the first-bases loaded triple in AllStar history, to Pablo Sandoval. Verlander, who played for the Detroit Tigers, threw five pitches clocked at 100 mph and another at 101 during a 35-pitch inning.
Ryu, a 32-year-old left-hander from South Korea, is 10-2 with a major league-leading 1.73 ERA for the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers. He is the second Asian All-Star starter after Dodgers rookie Hideo Nomo of Japan in 1995.
Houston’s George Springer leads off and plays right field for the AL and is followed in the batting order by New York Yankees second baseman D J LeMahieu,
Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana, Boston designated hitter J.D. Martinez, Houston third baseman Alex Bregman, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, Astros left fielder Michael Brantley and Minnesota shortstop Jorge Polanco.
Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich tops the NL order and plays left field. Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez hits second, followed by Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Cody Bellinger, Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado, Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell at designated hitter, Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras, Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte and Atlanta center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr.