Altuve, Alvarez headed to Arlington as All-Star starters

TORONTO -- For a couple of years now, Yordan Alvarez has heard Jose Altuve tell whoever wants to hear it: Alvarez is one of the best hitters Altuve has seen.

That’s high praise coming from a 14-year veteran and former American League MVP.

“I always tell him that he’s putting pressure on me every time he says these things,” Alvarez said in Spanish, smirking from the visitors’ dugout at Rogers Centre. “I have to keep doing things well to make him look good.”

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That extra motivation seems to be paying off, and Alvarez now has one milestone to share with his accomplished teammate.

Both Alvarez and Altuve have been voted as starters for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Globe Life Field in Arlington, the league announced on Wednesday. This is Alvarez’s third selection and his first start, which will come as the designated hitter for the AL team. Altuve reaches his ninth All-Star nod -- a new Astros franchise record -- and his sixth start at second base.

But this is one of those things that never gets old.

“It’s hard to believe, coming from Venezuela at 17 years old and joining the Astros, then [17] years later, [getting my] ninth All-Star [selection],” Altuve said ahead of the game against the Blue Jays. “It’s a dream come true. … It’s another one, but it feels like the first.”

It was a true first for Joe Espada, who got to deliver the good news from the manager’s office alongside his coaching staff.

“First of all, we’re lucky and blessed to have two great players like that,” said Espada. “I’ve been managing and around those guys for the last couple of years. We congratulate them.”

Alvarez and Altuve profile as very different hitters. What they share is the consistency and work ethic that draws high praise from teammates and coaches alike.

A native of Cuba, the 27-year-old Alvarez has hit .297 with a .911 OPS, 18 homers and 46 RBIs heading into Wednesday's game. He found his stride in June, having posted a .355 average with a 1.188 OPS and more walks (12) than strikeouts (10) from the start of last month through Tuesday.

Altuve also returned to dominance last month after an inconsistent month of May, helping the surging Astros climb out of an early slump and find their way back to a winning record. The 34-year-old Altuve owns a .308 average with an .828 OPS and 13 homers this season.

Sharing this selection makes it even more meaningful for both players.

“It's hard to believe everything he does on a daily basis,” Altuve said of Alvarez. “Just yesterday, he hit a 3-0 homer on a [low] changeup -- not a lot of guys are able to do that. I’m happy for him. He’s very humble, he wants to win and help the team … so I’m happy for him.”

Yordan is fired up, too.

While Altuve was a bit tentative when asked about whether or not he will be able to play at the All-Star Game this year, Alvarez left no room for speculation.

“I’m really excited about it, about getting to start,” said Alvarez. “So, yeah, I’m going to play.”

This will be Alvarez’s first appearance in an All-Star Game, as he was unable to participate after his first two selections as a reserve (2022 and ‘23). Alvarez was the top vote-getter at DH, beating the Orioles’ Ryan O’Hearn for the starting spot.

Altuve, meanwhile, hasn’t played in an All-Star Game since 2018. He was previously named an All-Star in ‘12, 2014-18, ‘21 and ‘22. He topped the Rangers’ Marcus Semien in this year’s fan vote.