7 Phillies, 6 Dodgers picked for MLB All-Star Game
Share this post:
The major league-leading Philadelphia Phillies had a big league-high seven selections for the MLB All-Star Game on Sunday.
Three rookies were picked for the July 16 game in Arlington, Texas: Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes, Chicago Cubs pitcher Shoto Imanaga and San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill.
Philadelphia pitchers Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm were chosen to join three starting Phillies position players: first baseman Bryce Harper, shortstop Trea Turner and third baseman Alec Bohm.
Philadelphia has seven All-Stars for the first time, though Harper’s availability depends on when he returns from a hamstring strain that has sidelined him since June 27. Wheeler is lined up to pitch for the Phillies next weekend, and the team told MLB he won’t be available for the All-Star Game.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have six All-Stars after pitcher Tyler Glasnow, catcher Will Smith, first baseman Freddie Freeman, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and injured shortstop Mookie Betts joined starting DH Shohei Ohtani on the NL roster.
Cleveland topped the AL with five after first baseman Josh Naylor, closer Emmanuel Clase and designated hitter David Fry joined a pair of starters: third baseman Jose Ramirez and outfielder Steven Kwan.
Atlanta pitcher Chris Sale earned his eighth All-Star selection, the first for the 36-year-old left-hander since seven straight from 2012-18. The gap is the longest for an All-Star since Albert Pujols earned his 11th trip for his final season in 2022, his first since 2015.
Texas closer Kirby Yates at 37 is the oldest All-Star and will be joined by second baseman Marcus Semien of the host World Series champion Rangers.
Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez was picked for the ninth time, matching Houston second baseman Jose Altuve for the most among the 67 players on this year’s rosters.
Merrill at 21 is the youngest All-Star and among 32 first-time picks.
San Diego outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr., elected by fans to start, will miss the game because of a stress reaction in his right thigh bone. Betts, voted in by players for his eighth straight All-Star appearance, has been out since breaking his left hand June 16.
Cincinnati’s 22-year-old speedster, Elly De La Cruz, got Betts’ spot after finishing second to him on the player ballot.
Skenes and San Francisco outfielder Heliot Ramos were picked by MLB to replace Wheeler and Tatis.
Starting pitchers Corbin Burnes of Baltimore, Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox, Tanner Houck of Boston, Seth Lugo of Kansas City and Tarik Skubal of Detroit were voted to the AL staff by players, managers and coaches along with Clase, Yates and Mason Miller of Oakland.
AL reserves picked by players included Fry, Naylor, Perez, Semien, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. of Kansas City, third baseman Rafael Devers of Boston and outfielders Jarren Duran of Boston, Riley Greene of Detroit and Kyle Tucker of Houston.
MLB used four of its AL picks on players whose teams weren’t already represented: pitchers Tyler Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels and Logan Gilbert of Seattle, shortstop Carlos Correa of Minnesota and third baseman Isaac Paredes of Tampa Bay. Pitchers Clay Holmes of the New York Yankees and Cole Ragans of Kansas City also were selected.
Glasnow, Sale, Ranger Suárez and Wheeler were voted to the NL staff along with fellow starter Reynaldo López of Atlanta, while Hoffman, Strahm and Robert Suarez of San Diego won bullpen balloting.
NL reserves voted by players were Betts, Freeman, Hernández, Merrill, Smith, second baseman Luis Arraez of San Diego, third baseman Ryan McMahon of Colorado, Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna of Atlanta.
All six of MLB’s NL selections were for players on teams still without All-Stars: pitchers Ryan Helsley of St. Louis, Imanaga, Tanner Scott of Miami and Logan Webb of San Francisco, along with shortstop CJ Abrams of Washington and first baseman Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, also an MLB pick last year.
Notable players left off include Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, second baseman Jordan Westburg, who finished second in the final round of fan balloting, and outfielder Anthony Santander, fourth in fan voting.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto and DH Kyle Schwarber, both of Philadelphia, and San Diego third baseman Manny Machado were omitted despite finishing second in the last stage of the fan balloting. Schwarber has a strained groin.