Team-by-team breakdown of 2019 All-Stars
After weeks of anticipation, intrigue and millions of votes, the American and National League All-Star rosters are set. Now the countdown begins to the 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on July 9 at Cleveland’s Progressive Field.
There is no Final Vote this year, though rosters can still change between now and first pitch if players drop out due to injury or other factors. Any replacements will be added here when they are announced, but for now, here is a breakdown of who will represent each of the 30 MLB teams at this year’s Midsummer Classic.
• 2019 All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard July 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX
^Indicates player is a starter
ASTROS (6): Michael Brantley, OF^; Alex Bregman, 3B^; Gerrit Cole, RHP; Ryan Pressly, RHP; George Springer, OF^; Justin Verlander, RHP
The Astros had three position players start the All-Star Game for the first time in franchise history in 2017, and now they are matching that franchise record. Springer is the only common link between those trios, with Brantley and Bregman replacing Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa.
BREWERS (5): Yasmani Grandal, C; Josh Hader, LHP; Mike Moustakas, 2B/3B; Brandon Woodruff, RHP; Christian Yelich, OF^
Milwaukee has acquired four of these five All-Stars within the past five years, making opportunistic trades for Hader (Astros) and Yelich (Marlins), and signing Grandal and Moustakas to one-year free-agent deals this past offseason. Woodruff has developed into a frontline starter after being drafted by the Brewers in the 11th round of the 2014 Draft.
YANKEES (5): Aroldis Chapman, LHP; DJ LeMahieu, 2B^; Gary Sánchez, C^; Masahiro Tanaka, RHP; Gleyber Torres, SS
LeMahieu and Sanchez give the Bronx Bombers multiple starting position players in the All-Star Game for the first time since 2012 (Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter). Chapman made four straight scoreless All-Star appearances for the Reds from 2012-15 but is looking to make his first appearance as a Yankee after being selected but not participating last year. This will be Tanaka's second trip to the Midsummer Classic after making the team during his rookie campaign in 2014. Torres earned his second All-Star nod, making him just the third Yankee in history alongside Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio to make multiple All-Star teams before turning 23.
DODGERS (5): Cody Bellinger, OF^; Walker Buehler, RHP; Clayton Kershaw, LHP; Max Muncy, 1B/2B; Hyun Jin Ryu, LHP
In Bellinger and Ryu, the Dodgers might have the frontrunners for both NL MVP and NL Cy Young honors. If Ryu, Buehler and Kershaw all make it into the game, it would be just the second time in Dodgers history that the club had three pitchers appear in an All-Star Game, along with 1973's team (Jim Brewers, Claude Osteen, Don Sutton). Muncy will be playing in his first All-Star Game after representing the Dodgers in the 2018 Home Run Derby.
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ROCKIES (4): Nolan Arenado, 3B^; Charlie Blackmon, OF; David Dahl, OF; Trevor Story, SS
The Rockies have had their share of big-time hitters over the years, but if each member of this quartet plays on July 9, it would be the first time in franchise history that four Colorado position players appeared in the same Midsummer Classic. Arenado’s fifth career appearance would tie Todd Helton for the most by a Rockies player.
INDIANS (4): Shane Bieber, RHP; Brad Hand, LHP; Francisco Lindor, SS; Carlos Santana, 1B^,
These four will get to enjoy the experience of appearing in the All-Star Game in front of the home fans at Progressive Field. That can bring a lot of pressure, however. In the past six seasons, six All-Star hitters appearing in their home ballparks have combined to go 2-for-16 with a double and six strikeouts.
BRAVES (3): Ronald Acuña Jr., OF^; Freddie Freeman, 1B^; Mike Soroka, RHP
Acuña will be the first player 21 or younger to start an All-Star Game since Bryce Harper and Mike Trout in 2013. He and Freeman give the Braves a pair of starting position players for the second year in a row -- Nick Markakis joined Freeman in ‘18 -- after the club previously had not pulled off that feat since ‘03.
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CUBS (3): Javier Báez, SS^; Kris Bryant, 3B; Willson Contreras, C^
Cubs hitters have made their mark on the All-Star Game in recent years, with Bryant homering off Chris Sale in 2016 and Contreras off Blake Snell last year. Before that, the Cubs didn’t have an All-Star homer since Andre Dawson went deep in 1991. No player in franchise history has multiple ASG big flies to his credit.
METS (3): Pete Alonso, 1B; Jacob deGrom, RHP; Jeff McNeil, 2B/OF
Alonso is the first rookie position player to make the All-Star team in Mets history and will be joined by McNeil, who only debuted in the Majors last July but is leading the 2019 MLB batting race. The Mets last had multiple position players appear in the All-Star Game in 2007 (Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright).
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RANGERS (3): Joey Gallo, OF; Mike Minor, LHP; Hunter Pence, DH
Pence would have been the Rangers’ first All-Star starter since 2012, but he won't play in the game. All three Rangers All-Stars are helping Texas stay in the postseason chase this year after the club went 67-95 in 2018, with Gallo an elite slugger and Minor putting himself in the Cy Young Award race.
WHITE SOX (3): José Abreu, 1B; Lucas Giolito, RHP; James McCann, C
While this is the third selection for Abreu, batterymates Giolito and McCann both came out of nowhere to snag their first trips to the Midsummer Classic. Just a year ago, Giolito posted a 6.13 ERA, while McCann had a .581 OPS for Detroit.
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ANGELS (2): Tommy La Stella, 2B; Mike Trout, OF^
Trout in the All-Star Game -- what else is new? He now has made it in each of his eight full seasons and this will be his seventh appearance, having missed due to injury in 2017. That will break a tie with Jim Fregosi for the most in franchise history. Trout brings a .467/.556/1.133 All-Star Game line into this one, with a pair of MVP Awards.
ATHLETICS (2): Matt Chapman, 3B; Liam Hendriks, RHP
Chapman is the franchise’s fifth third basemen to make the AL squad -- joining Josh Donaldson, Carney Lansford, Wayne Gross and Sal Bando -- since the franchise moved to Oakland in 1968. Hendriks has had a career year in his new role as a reliever for the A's and has an MLB-best 0.94 ERA out of the bullpen this season.
D-BACKS (2): Zack Greinke, RHP; Ketel Marte, 2B^
This makes three straight All-Star nods for Greinke in Arizona (and six career), as the veteran joins the NL starting second baseman Marte, a first-time All-Star. The D-backs have now had at least one position player and one pitcher on the NL roster for three straight seasons (Paul Goldschmidt, Patrick Corbin and Greinke made it in 2018, and Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb, Greinke and Robbie Ray in '17).
NATIONALS (2): Anthony Rendon, 3B; Max Scherzer, RHP
Scherzer has started three All-Star Games, but he won't pitch this year. This is still Scherzer's seventh All-Star nod overall, and he's been close to lights out in his previous five Midsummer Classic appearances, surrendering just one earned run while striking out 10 hitters and walking only one across six innings.
This is the first All-Star selection, believe it or not, for Rendon. He’s the second Nationals third baseman to make an All-Star team since the team moved to Washington, D.C., and just the fourth All-Star third baseman in the history of the Expos/Nationals franchise alongside Ryan Zimmerman (2009), Tim Wallach (1984-85, ‘87, ‘89-90) and Larry Parrish (1979).
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PIRATES (2): Josh Bell, 1B; Felipe Vazquez, LHP
Bell is the first Pittsburgh first baseman to make the NL All-Star team since Jason Thompson in 1982. (Bobby Bonilla in 1990 was actually the last Pirate to play in the All-Star Game at first base, but he was primarily an outfielder.) Bell has already set a new career high in home runs, with 27, and he leads the Majors in RBIs. Vazquez has established himself as one of the best relievers in the game as the flamethrower heads to his second All-Star Game.
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RAYS (2): Austin Meadows, OF; Charlie Morton, RHP
Meadows is the Rays’ first primary outfielder to make the All-Star team since Matt Joyce back in 2011. Morton will represent two different clubs at the Midsummer Classic in as many years; he allowed a pair of solo homers in last summer’s All-Star slugfest.
RED SOX (2): Mookie Betts, OF; J.D. Martinez, DH^
Betts is heading to his fourth straight All-Star Game, while this is Martinez’s third overall selection, and he'll replace Pence as the starting AL DH. They rank second and third, respectively, in the American League by OPS+ since the beginning of last season.
REDS (2): Luis Castillo, RHP, Sonny Gray, RHP
Castillo and Gray are the first Reds pitchers to make the All-Star team since Aroldis Chapman in 2015, and their first starting pitchers since Johnny Cueto and Alfredo Simon in '14. Cueto that season was the last Reds starter to take a sub-2.50 ERA into the All-Star break; Castillo sits at 2.29 in 2019. Gray, meanwhile, has had a fantastic turnaround in Cincinnati after his struggles in New York with the Yankees.
TWINS (2): Jorge Polanco, SS^, Jake Odorizzi, RHP
Polanco will be the first Twins shortstop to start an All-Star Game since Roy Smalley in 1979, and just the franchise’s third overall since moving to Minnesota along with Zoilo Versalles in 1963. Odorizzi is the Twins’ third straight starter to make an All-Star roster, following Jose Berrios last year and Ervin Santana in 2017.
BLUE JAYS (1): Marcus Stroman, RHP
Stroman heads to the Midsummer Classic for the first time, and he’s Toronto’s fourth starter to make the All-Star team in the last four years. He follows J.A. Happ (2018), Marco Estrada and Aaron Sanchez (2016).
CARDINALS (1): Paul DeJong, SS
St. Louis has a rich tradition of All-Star shortstops. DeJong’s first selection joins him with Aledmys Diaz (2016), Jhonny Peralta (2015), Rafael Furcal (2012), David Eckstein (2005-06), Edgar Renteria (2000, 2003-04), Royce Clayton (1997), All-Star mainstay Ozzie Smith (1982-96), Gary Templeton (1977, ‘79), Dick Groat (1963-64), Marty Marion (1943-44, 1946-50) and Leo Durocher (1936)
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GIANTS (1): Will Smith, LHP
The Giants have had more starters than relievers on the All-Star team in recent seasons -- Sergio Romo in 2013 was the last to make the NL roster, and Brian Wilson in '11 was the last to pitch in the game -- but Smith is a worthy addition to the list. He's a perfect 22-for-22 in save chances and has a 2.04 ERA.
MARINERS (1): Daniel Vogelbach, 1B/DH
With Edwin Encarnacion, Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano now with new teams, Vogelbach steps in as the newest Mariners big-slugging All-Star. A Mariner has homered in each of the last two All-Star Games (Jean Segura last year and Cano in 2017) -- can Vogelbach make it three?
MARLINS (1): Sandy Alcantara, RHP
Alcantara is the ninth Marlins starting pitcher to make an All-Star team, joining Jose Fernandez, Henderson Alvarez, Josh Johnson, Dontrelle Willis, Carl Pavano, Ryan Dempster, Kevin Brown and Al Leiter.
ORIOLES (1): John Means, LHP
Means has been one of the bright spots for the rebuilding Orioles this season, and now he's their first All-Star starting pitcher since Chris Tillman in 2013. The last O's starter to actually pitch in the Midsummer Classic? Mike Mussina in 1999.
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PADRES (1): Kirby Yates, RHP
Yates makes it three straight seasons that the Padres' sole All-Star representative has been a reliever -- the honor went to Brad Hand in 2017 and '18 (Hand is an All-Star again this season, but in the AL with the Indians). Yates leads the Major Leagues in saves, something no Padres reliever has done since Trevor Hoffman in 1998.
PHILLIES (1): J.T. Realmuto, C
In his debut season in Philadelphia, Realmuto is the Phillies' only All-Star. He's the first Phillies catcher to make the All-Star team since Carlos Ruiz in 2012. If he gets a hit in the All-Star Game, he'd be the first Phillies catcher to do so since Mike Lieberthal in 2000.
ROYALS (1): Whit Merrifield, 2B/OF
The defending AL hits leader is at it again, leading the Majors with 116 base knocks. Merrifield could become the first Royals second baseman to play in the All-Star Game since Frank White in 1986.
TIGERS (1): Shane Greene, RHP
Greene's lights-out season makes him the first Tigers closer to make the All-Star Game since Jose Valverde in 2011. His 1.09 ERA is the third-lowest by a Tigers pitcher in the first half in the live-ball era, behind Al Benton in 1945 (0.84) and Valverde in 2010 (0.92).
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