AL outfield takes marquee spot among All-Stars
Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts form a dream outfield for the American League. Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer make up the welcome committee for the National League.
Baseball unveiled the rosters for its midsummer showcase on Sunday night, featuring an imposing lineup for the AL and the Nationals’ Harper in his usual spot at his home ballpark in Washington.
Jose Ramirez, who will start at third base, led five Cleveland Indians selected for the AL team. He will be joined by pitchers Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer, shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Michael Brantley.
“It’s a great life experience to be able to be there with your family,” Ramirez said of making his second All-Star trip. “Everything that they put on there, all the events and the interactions with the fans and everything like that, it’s a great event. So, I give thanks to God that I’m able to be there again.”
For the first time since 2014, the Cincinnati Reds will have three All-Stars: First baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Scooter Gennett and third baseman Eugenio Suarez made it as NL reserves.
“Right now, I feel so, so happy,” Suarez said. “I know my dream came true. … Now I can say I’m an All-Star player.”
Trout is working on perhaps the best season of his stellar career with the Los Angeles Angels. Judge has 25 homers and 58 RBI for the New York Yankees, and Betts is batting .342 with 22 homers for the major league-leading Boston Red Sox.
But that’s just the beginning for the AL, which has won five AllStar Games in a row and 17 of the last 21.
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, the reigning AL MVP, led fan balloting with 4.8 million votes. Altuve was one of five picks from the World Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez was named an American League starter and was one of five Indians to make the team. The Reds had three selections: Joey Votto, Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suarez. Series champions, matching the Red Sox and Indians for most in the majors.
“It’s fun. You’re playing but you’re looking around because you’re playing with all those big boys out there,” said Altuve, who made the AL team for the sixth time.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado will make the short trip down to D.C. for the July 17 game with speculation increasing about his future ahead of the trade deadline.
Harper was voted a starter for the fourth straight year. The slugger, who is eligible for free agency after this season, is batting just .218 for the disappointing Nationals, but he has 21 homers and 50 RBI.
Scherzer, a threetime Cy Young Award winner, could get the start in his home ballpark. “That would be an unbelievable experience,” he told ESPN.
Nick Markakis and Matt Kemp will join Harper in the NL outfield. Markakis has been a key performer for the surprising Atlanta Braves and made it for the first time in 13 major league seasons. Kemp’s return to the Los Angeles Dodgers has been a smashing success.
The Chicago Cubs will have two starters after catcher Willson Contreras and second baseman Javier Baez each won a close race at their position in fan balloting.