Devenski makes it a six-pack of All-Stars
TORONTO — The Astros’ changeup-firing Dragon will fly to Miami next week.
Astros righthander Chris Devenski has been added to the American League All-Star team, the league announced.
Devenski’s first-time selection gives the Astros six All-Stars: Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. Keuchel will not play because of injury.
Devenski, 26, has a 6-3 record with a 2.09 ERA in 512⁄3 innings. He leads MLB relievers in strikeouts (72) and innings pitched (51.2) while ranking tied for first in wins.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch had wanted to deliver the news to Devenski during a team meeting to celebrate the accomplishment,
but since MLB planned the announcement around midday, Hinch spoke with Devenski over the phone.
“He was pretty speechless,” Hinch said.
Devenski’s selection highlights the trend in baseball of frequently deploying elite relievers in the middle innings to handle high-leverage situations that are more valuable than earning saves for closing out games.
“I don’t title him a middle reliever,” Hinch said. “He’s pitched in as many roles as imaginable. I think people confuse the middle of the game with middle relief.
“That’s pretty remarkable considering the kind of start he got.”
Devenski pitched well from late April to late May this year, but he has dominated since May 26. He has struck out 26 batters and has allowed two earned runs in his last 232⁄3 innings pitched for a 0.76 ERA.
“Any time you see, we have the best record in baseball and we’ve thrown as many innings as we’ve thrown and he’s been the best guy out of that bullpen, that would make anybody deserving,” said
reliever Will Harris, who earned his first All-Star selection last season. “Also with the second half he had last year.”
Devenski’s current stats resemble his second half of 2016, when he posted a 1.99 ERA, with 57 strikeouts in 492⁄3 innings.
Devenski credited the increased use of his slider for his latest stretch.
“I have a lot of confidence in throwing that pitch, and balancing that between my changeup and my fastball,” he said. “Being able to throw that slider for a strike, hitters have to know in the back of their mind I have three pitches.”
The Astros’ six All-Stars are tied with the Dodgers for the most from any team. The last AL team with six All-Stars in a single year was Boston in 2016. Hinch and Correa suggested that Marwin Gonzalez could have been selected for his first half batting line: .319 average, 15 home runs and 50 RBI.
“It’s a special group,” Devenski said.
Devenski plans to bring his mom, dad, sister, a friend and Dominic Johnson, a pitching coach in California with whom he and Joe Musgrove have trained in the offseason.
Other players added to the roster on Friday were Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer, Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano, Twins reliever Brandon Kintzler, Blue Jays reliever Roberto Osuna, and Tigers outfielder Justin Upton in the AL.
For the NL, Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood was added.
Devenski said he grew up dreaming about making All-Star teams and pitching in Game 7 of the World Series.
“It’s something I’ve always had a vision for,” he said.
Still, he chuckled at the notion that seven years ago, he was an unknown shortstop for Golden West, a junior college in Huntington, Calif.
“Nobody knows about Golden West,” he said with a grin.
His name and his abilities will be recognized on Tuesday night in Miami.