All-Star Game
Stanton chosen as a reserve; Bour in Final Vote
Marlins’ Ozuna named starter; Stanton’s a reserve.
MILWAUKEE — The fans got it right in recognizing the merits of the best player on a team that is usually an afterthought, even in its own market.
Marcell Ozuna has been that for the Miami Marlins this season, and his impressive all-around performance during the first half was rewarded Sunday when he was voted to the starting outfield for the National League for the AllStar Game that will be played for the first time in South Florida on July 11 at Marlins Park.
Slugging outfielder Giancarlo Stanton received his fourth All-Star selection, as a reserve. In addition, first baseman Justin Bour was one of five players included in the Final Vote for one additional spot on the NL team.
Ozuna, who is leading the Marlins with a .316 average, 22 homers and 59 RBI, is the fifth Marlin voted into the starting lineup, joining Gary Sheffield, Hanley Ramirez (three times), Stanton and Dee Gordon. He finished third in the outfield voting behind Washington’s Bryce Harper and Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon.
“Formethat means a lot,” Ozuna said. “A lot of people I don’t even know, they voted for me. They appreciated my work and everything I do. Thanks to God first. And thanks to everybody who voted for me. I’m glad about that.”
This will be the second consecutive year Ozuna will be in the starting lineup. He was chosen as a reserve in 2016 and elevated to start in center field as an injury replacement. He went 1 for 2 and drove in a run in the NL’s 4-2 defeat at Petco Park.
Ozuna was one of four Marlins All-Stars last season, including Jose Fernandez whowas killed in a boat crash in September.
“We’re going to dedicate the [game] for our brother who passed away,” Ozuna said. “And we’re going to play hard for him. Everything we do when we cross the line, we’re going to give it for him.”
The 26-year-old native of the Dominican Republic got off to another strong start this season — Ozuna drove in 21 runs in the opening month and in May had a slash line of .343/.413/.611— but received little attention in the early voting.
Fans began rallying on his behalf over the final three weeks as he climbed from eighth to fifth and then to third with three days remaining in balloting at major league parks and various MLB platforms.
Ozuna used Stanton’s bat to hit his the second of two homers in Sunday’s win against the Brewers.
“It doesn’t matter what he’s using right now,” Stanton said. “He’s been huge for us all year, consistent, peppering the ball over the place, and he deserves to start for sure. Stealing my bats.”
Stanton, with 21 homers, has appeared only in the 2014 All-Star Game at Minnesota when hewent 0 for 3 as the designated hitter. Injuries prevented him from playing in 2015, when he was voted into the starting lineup, and in 2012.
He made his mark last year when he put on a memorable display of power in winning the Home Run Derby with a record of 61 homers over three rounds. Stanton has expressed eagerness about defending the title in his home park on July 10.
Asked which is a bigger deal for him, Stanton said, “The Derby’s kind of the icing on the cake. You always want to be in the game or voted in. Because that looks back on the work you put in. The Derby, anyone can be in it.”
Bour will be a longshot to secure the final spot due to a low profile nationally, but the burly first baseman has strong credentials with 18 homers, 53 RBI and a .285 average.
One disappointment from a Marlins perspective was J.T. Realmuto being left off the team despite ranking second among NL catchers in average, on-base percentage and slugging.
But Ozuna was clearly the team’s most deserving All-Star. He has especially thrived at Marlins Park where he is batting .353 with a 1.075 on-base plus slugging percentage, and has hit 14 of his homers.
“I think [Ozuna] in general is hitting for a high average, hitting for power, driving in runs, playing good defense. He’s a guy that I think would be hard to argue that he shouldn’t be there,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly.
Mattingly was previously named to NL manager Joe Maddon’s coaching staff.
For the future
Notable among the 13 players the Marlins signed on the first day of the international signing period were a pair of shortstop prospects. The big prize was Ynmanol Marinez, a 16-year-old Dominican ranked No. 12 on the MLBPipeline.com Top 30 International Prospects list. Marinez signed for $1.5 million.
They also signed Julio Machado, a Venezuelan ranked 31st on the international list by Baseball America.
Ozuna and right-hander Jose Urena are current Marlins who signed as international prospects.