Albies joins Acuña, Freeman on ASG roster

ATLANTA -- Ozzie Albies will be returning to the All-Star Game and savoring the chance to share the experience with his good friend Ronald Acuña Jr.

“We are going to be enjoying it to the max,” Albies said. “As soon as [Braves manager Brian Snitker] told me I made it, we all were happy. [Acuña] jumped on me and hugged me.”

• MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: July 13 on FOX

Albies earned his second career All-Star selection when this year’s reserves were announced on Sunday. This year’s Midsummer Classic will be played on July 13 at Coors Field.

Albies, Acuña and Freddie Freeman will serve as the Braves’ representatives at this year’s All-Star Game. Freeman and Acuña will be part of the National League’s starting lineup.

Albies was arguably deserving of a starting assignment. But he’s just satisfied to once again be recognized as one of the game’s top second basemen.

“I was super happy,” Albies said. “That’s the goal every year, to play good for the [Braves] and make the All-Star team.”

Albies is hitting .265 with 15 homers and a .851 OPS. He's second in the NL with 59 RBIs and tied for second with 43 extra-base hits.

Among NL second basemen who have played a minimum of 25 games at the position, Albies ranked first with a 2.7 fWAR (Fangraphs’ WAR Model) and third with 127 Weighted Runs Created Plus, heading into Sunday's action.

“I’m so happy for him,” Snitker said. “I told [Freeman] the other day, I’m stuffing Ozzie on your flight, because this kid needs to be on the All-Star team.”

Albies' RBI total is the highest produced by a Braves second baseman through 83 games since Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby tallied 67 RBIs through this span in 1928.

Albies enjoyed his first All-Star Game, when he, Freeman and Nick Markakis were all elected in 2018. This year’s experience may prove more memorable as he shares it with Acuña, who has been one of his closest friends dating back to 2015.

Albies is the first Braves second baseman to gain multiple All-Star selections since Felix Millan was selected to represent Atlanta in 1969 and ’71. The only other Braves second baseman to earn multiple selections was Frank Bolling in 1961 and ’62.