Seven Phillies Selected for All-Star Game

The Philadelphia Phillies, who lead the major leagues, have a league-high seven selections for the July 16 All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.

Pitchers Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suárez, Jeff Hoffman, and Matt Strahm were chosen, along with three starting position players: first baseman Bryce Harper, shortstop Trea Turner, and third baseman Alec Bohm.

This marks the first time Philadelphia has had seven All-Stars. However, Harper’s participation is contingent on his recovery from a hamstring strain that has kept him out since June 27. Wheeler is scheduled to pitch for the Phillies next weekend, and the team has informed Major League Baseball he won’t be available for the All-Star Game.

Despite finishing second in the final fan balloting, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, DH Kyle Schwarber, and San Diego third baseman Manny Machado were not selected. Schwarber and Realmuto are currently on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was selected for the All-Star Game just eight weeks after his debut. Skenes, who turned 22 in May, was the Pirates’ top pick in last year’s amateur draft and made his first big league start on May 11. He has a 5-0 record with a 2.12 ERA, 78 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings, and has thrown 74 pitches of 100 mph or more.

Skenes might start for the National League, depending on his final outing before the break. “That’d be cool. No expectations,” he said. “I don’t know who gets to decide that kind of thing, but that’d definitely be cool.”

Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill join Skenes as the only rookie All-Stars for the game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have six All-Stars, including pitcher Tyler Glasnow, catcher Will Smith, first baseman Freddie Freeman, outfielder Teoscar Hernández, injured shortstop Mookie Betts, and starting DH Shohei Ohtani.

Cleveland leads the American League with five All-Stars: first baseman Josh Naylor, closer Emmanuel Clase, DH David Fry, third baseman José Ramírez, and outfielder Steven Kwan. San Diego also has five All-Stars.

Atlanta pitcher Chris Sale earned his eighth All-Star selection, his first since seven straight from 2012-18. The gap is the longest for an All-Star since Albert Pujols’ 11th trip in his final season in 2022, his first since 2015. “It is definitely satisfying. I appreciate it for sure,” said Sale, acquired by the Braves from Boston in December. “They took a chance and I’m happy to be able to do this for them.”

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 one of 32 first-time picks.

Skenes’ 11 games make him the player with the fewest appearances in an All-Star Game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Detroit’s Mark Fidrych in 1976, the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo in 1995, and Florida’s Dontrelle Willis in 2003 each had 13 appearances.

San Diego outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr., elected by fans to start, will miss the game due to 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 on June 16.

Cincinnati’s 22-year-old speedster Elly De La Cruz takes Betts’ spot after finishing second in player balloting. 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 were also selected.

Glasnow, Sale, Ranger Suárez, and Wheeler were voted to the NL staff along with fellow starter Reynaldo López of Atlanta. Hoffman, Strahm, and Robert Suarez of San Diego won bullpen balloting.

NL reserves voted by players included Betts, Freeman, Hernández, Merrill, Smith, second baseman Luis Arraez of San Diego, third baseman Ryan McMahon of Colorado, outfielder Bryan Reynolds of Pittsburgh, and DH Marcell Ozuna of Atlanta.

All six of MLB’s NL selections were players from 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.

De La Cruz is preparing for the All-Star trip in his own way. “I’m learning Japanese to speak to Ohtani,” he said through a translator.