Bullpen ace Devenski hopeful of being named to All-Star team
Second-year pitcher no sure selection for AL despite leading league relievers in strikeouts
Astros stars Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and George Springer look to be locked up as starters at their respective positions in the 2017 MLB All-Star Game based on the final fan ballot update this week.
Teammate Chris Devenski — one of the top relievers in the American League — however, won’t know if he’s headed to Miami until the All-Star selection show, which airs at 6 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.
“I don’t see why not,” Devenski said Saturday on a potential All-Star bid. “It’s definitely something I’ve dreamed about. It would be cool to go and experience that.”
Pitchers — five starters and three relievers — and reserves are not selected by fan balloting, but through a combination of player votes and selections made by the commissioner’s office. Before this year, it was a combination of player votes and picks from the All-Star team’s manager.
For that reason, Astros reliever and 2016 All-Star Will Harris thinks it was and may still be difficult for talented non-closing relievers like Devenski to garner an invite.
“You have guys who are perennial All-Stars, and their spots can be kind of locked up,” Harris said. “You look at the (Dellin) Betances’ of the world, guys like that are pretty much going to do what they do and are going to be there every single year.”
“But for a non-closer to crack the All-Star Game, I think you either have to put up absolutely ridiculous numbers for the first half or you have to create some type of momentum is what I call it. Where you have articles written about you or you do some interviews or something. … How are (the managers) supposed to know about a middle reliever in some other city that’s not closing games?”
It’s unclear how the commissioner’s office will vote in its first season with the responsibility. An AL full of talented closers will make it tough for Devenski (4-3, three saves, 2.23 ERA entering Saturday) to break through onto the All-Star roster, but he certainly has the credentials.
Entering Saturday, the second-year righthander paced AL full-time relievers this season in strikeouts (66) and innings pitched (481⁄3) and owned the fourth-best WAR (1.7) in the majors.
Devenski, 26, capped a stellar month of June, in which he gave up just two runs in 171⁄3 innings of work for a 1.04 ERA, by posting two scoreless frames against Oakland on Thursday — good for his 11th hold this season.
“I feel like my slider has been a lot better,” Devenski said. “It kind of is where it was at the end of last year. … Just having better command with that and being able to strike guys out with that and get ahead in the count with that has spread out my changeup and my fastball a little bit.”
Devenski’s 2.23 ERA is thirdbest among Astros pitchers — just behind Harris’ 2.16 — and part of an Astros bullpen that leads the MLB with a 7.9 WAR, per FanGraphs.
“He’s done a little bit of everything this season,” Harris said. “He’s set up, he’s closed a few games, he’d done middle relief. He’s done his job very well, so definitely a deserving guy to go (to the All-Star Game). Hopefully, he gets a shot.”
Only two Astros pitchers — Harris and ace Dallas Keuchel in 2015 — have appeared in the AllStar Game since 2007.
The 2017 All-Star Game will be played at Marlins Park at 6 p.m. July 11.
“I’m just here to help this team win and perform at my best and give my best effort every time I go out there,” Devenski said. “Whatever happens with (the All-Star Game) is kind of out of my control, something that would be an honor if it happens.”