Teheran named Braves' lone All-Star

ATLANTA -- As Julio Teheran neared the completion of his strong 115-pitch effort against the Red Sox on April 25, he reacted to the botched defense of a sacrifice bunt attempt by snapping his glove in an agitated manner after receiving the ball back from catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
This one simple reaction signaled Teheran may have indeed regained that same aggressive attitude he had possessed before enduring a frustration-filled 2015 season.
More importantly, Teheran has consistently produced results that provide tangible proof he has indeed distanced himself from last year's miseries and restored his status as one of baseball's most productive starting pitchers. His ability to rebound in an impressive manner was awarded on Tuesday night, when he was the only Braves player selected to participate in this year's All-Star Game presented by MasterCard in San Diego.
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Teheran's selection was announced just a few hours after the Braves announced he would miss Wednesday afternoon's start because of an infection on his right thigh. He returned to Atlanta for evaluation on Monday and was unavailable for comment on this selection. But given that Teheran may still start on Saturday against the White Sox, he could be available to pitch in the All-Star Game presented by MasterCard, which will be played at 7:30 p.m. ET on July 12 at San Diego's Petco Park.
"I think it's very well deserved," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "The record's not how this guy -- this guy's been awesome. Very effective. He's kept us in every game -- just been nails. He's been really good, very deserving of this honor. I'm happy for him. Like I said, it's well deserved. You look at his numbers other than his record, he's as good as anybody in the league."
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After earning his only previous All-Star selection in 2014, Teheran struggled the majority of the 2015 season and provided reason to wonder if he was capable of regaining his previous promise. But through this season's first 17 starts, the 25-year-old hurler has posted a 2.72 ERA. He has limited opponents to a .197 batting average and .251 on base percentage -- the National League's second-best mark. His 3-7 record has been influenced by a MLB-low 2.88 run-support average.

As Teheran has produced a 2.07 ERA over his past 14 starts, he has avoided the struggles he encountered against left-handed hitters last year. He has thrown his two-seam fastball less frequently than he did in the past and has shown the ability to consistently command each of his secondary pitches -- curveball, slider and changeup.
"He's kept us in all the games," Snitker said. "It's needed. It's well deserved. I know the guys are happier than hell for him. It's big. I'm proud of him. It's well deserved. It means a lot to the guys when they do that because he's worked his tail off to get to that position. So for he and his family, it's a big honor. It's well deserved."
Fans can vote for the 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote until 4 p.m. ET on Friday. The winners, as chosen exclusively by online fan voting totals, will be announced during a Final Vote-themed telecast of "MLB Now" featuring commentary from political analyst Jeff Greenfield, live on MLB Network and MLB.com from 4-5 p.m. ET. MLB Network will provide extensive coverage across all of its studio programming during the Final Vote, including interviews with the candidates, frequent updates, heat maps indicating the cities where votes are being cast for each candidate, news on player and club campaigns and a running countdown clock leading up to the announcement.
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For the fifth consecutive year, the Final Vote will include social balloting, as Twitter support for the 10 candidates over the last six hours of balloting will count toward their vote totals. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET on Friday, any tweet that includes a designated player hashtag will be tabulated as part of the official vote total used to determine the winners.
On Tuesday, July 12, watch the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2016 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 87th All-Star Game, in San Diego, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.