Breaking down the full 2023 All-Star Game rosters
The full 2023 MLB All-Star teams have been unveiled.
Major League Baseball announced the full All-Star rosters for the American League and National League on Sunday, adding the pitchers and reserves to the fan-elected starting lineups that were revealed on June 29.
The 93rd Midsummer Classic takes place on July 11 at T-Mobile Park.
This year's rosters include perennial All-Stars such as Nolan Arenado and Salvador Perez (eighth) and Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts (seventh). But the rosters also feature a host of new faces. This year, there are 31 first-time All-Stars, including 17 from the NL.
There are also 32 internationally-born All-Stars in 2023, 19 on the AL roster and 12 on the NL roster. They represent the Dominican Republic (11 All-Stars), Cuba (eight), Venezuela (six), Curaçao (two), Japan (two), Canada (two) and Puerto Rico (one). Eight Cuban-born players being named All-Stars is the nation’s all-time record.
Here's a breakdown of the 2023 All-Star rosters -- the starters, pitching staffs and reserves for each league (stats through Sunday's games):
* (Choice of MLB)
^(Player-elected pick)
# (Chosen as All-Star but will not play)
+ (Named as a replacement)
Starters
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C: Jonah Heim (TEX)
1B: Yandy Díaz (TB)
2B: Marcus Semien (TEX)
3B: Josh Jung (TEX)
SS: Corey Seager (TEX)
OF: Adolis García (TEX)
OF: Randy Arozarena (TB)
OF: Austin Hays (BAL)
DH: Shohei Ohtani (LAA)
The Rangers lead all MLB teams with five starting position players, including three of the AL’s four infielders, and that comes as no surprise given their offensive dominance this season. And two of the Rangers’ starters are first-time All-Stars, as 28-year-old Heim and 25-year-old Jung have both had breakout seasons. After finishing 38 games behind Houston in 2022, Texas is in a position to win the AL West, and all five of its All-Star starters have played major roles in the turnaround.
Elsewhere in the AL West, Ohtani and Trout were once again selected as starters, although Trout will not play due to a left hamate fracture he suffered on July 3. As for Ohtani, who ranks as one of the sport's best hitters and best pitchers this season, it remains to be seen if he will also be picked to start on the mound as he was in 2021 when he earned the win.
The other AL team with multiple starting position players is the Rays, who have the AL’s best record. Díaz and Arozarena, both Cuba natives, will each be making his All-Star Game debut. Díaz became the only first baseman in franchise history to win the fan voting, while Arozarena joined Carl Crawford (2010) as the only Rays outfielders ever to do so.
García and Hays were both named as starters due to the injuries to Trout and Judge.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
C: Sean Murphy (ATL)
1B: Freddie Freeman (LAD)
2B: Luis Arraez (MIA)
3B: Nolan Arenado (STL)
SS: Orlando Arcia (ATL)
OF: Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL)
OF: Mookie Betts (LAD)
OF: Corbin Carroll (AZ)
DH: J.D. Martinez (LAD)
Coming off an incredible 21-4 showing in June, the Braves had three position players win the fan vote. For Murphy, who was acquired by Atlanta this offseason in a blockbuster three-team trade that also featured William Contreras and Esteury Ruiz, a change of scenery has been very welcome, as the catcher is producing the finest offensive season of his career. Arcia has stepped up in a major way following the departure of Dansby Swanson, while Acuña has continued to set records left and right.
The other NL team with three starters is the Dodgers, who continue to benefit from their bold strategy of acquiring baseball’s best players every offseason. Betts (acquired via trade in 2020), Freeman (signed in 2022) and Martinez (signed in 2023) all had made at least four All-Star rosters prior to joining the Dodgers, and each has continued to be in top form in Los Angeles. Freeman, specifically, became the first Dodgers first baseman to win the fan voting since Steve Garvey back in 1980.
But despite their star power, the Dodgers are getting all they can handle in the NL West race, and that’s largely due to the phenomenal season of Carroll in Arizona. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound rookie has done it all for the D-backs, not only dominating on the basepaths but also ranking among the MLB leaders in slugging percentage despite his stature. He is set to become the first Arizona rookie to start an All-Star Game, and between him and Jung, this year’s All-Star Game is slated to be the first one ever in which both sides have a rookie starter.
PITCHERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Félix Bautista ^, BAL (1st All-Star selection)
Yennier Cano ^, BAL (1st)
Luis Castillo *, SEA (3rd)
Emmanuel Clase #, CLE (2nd)
Gerrit Cole ^, NYY (6th)
Nathan Eovaldi ^, TEX (2nd)
Carlos Estévez +, LAA (1st)
Kevin Gausman *#, TOR (2nd)
Sonny Gray ^, MIN (3rd)
Kenley Jansen *, BOS (4th)
George Kirby +, SEA (1st)
Pablo López +, MIN (1st)
Michael Lorenzen *, DET (1st)
Shane McClanahan #, TB (2nd)
Shohei Ohtani ^, LAA (3rd)
Jordan Romano +, TOR (2nd)
Framber Valdez #, HOU (2nd)
Ohtani, voted the AL's designated hitter for the third time in his career, was again selected by the players as a pitcher, also for the third time. The right-hander has so many ways to attack hitters and continues to rack up strikeouts while remaining one of the most difficult pitchers in the Majors to hit.
Joining Ohtani, in part, are the staff's leader in career All-Star selections (Cole, with six) and two pitchers who represent the hometown Mariners (Castillo and Kirby).
NATIONAL LEAGUE
David Bednar +, PIT (2nd)
Corbin Burnes +, MIL (3rd)
Alex Cobb +, SF (1st)
Alexis Díaz ^, CIN (1st)
Camilo Doval ^, SF (1st)
Bryce Elder #, ATL (1st)
Zac Gallen ^, AZ (1st)
Josiah Gray *, WSH (1st)
Josh Hader ^, SD (5th)
Mitch Keller *, PIT (1st)
Craig Kimbrel +, PHI (9th)
Clayton Kershaw #, LAD (10th)
Kodai Senga +, NYM (1st)
Justin Steele *, CHC (1st)
Spencer Strider #, ATL (1st)
Marcus Stroman #, CHC (2nd)
Devin Williams #, MIL (2nd)
10 of the National League's 17 selected pitchers are first-time All-Stars, with their ranks including a couple of pitchers, in Steele and Elder, who have been battling for the NL ERA lead. Strider continues to pile up strikeouts at a historic rate in his second big league season, while Díaz and Doval have served as shutdown closers for a pair of feisty contenders.
RESERVES
CATCHERS
American League
Salvador Perez *, KC (8th All-Star selection)
Adley Rutschman ^, BAL (1st)
Perez's strong start to the season has him returning to the All-Star Game for the eighth time in his 12-year career. Joining him will be Rutschman, making his first career All-Star appearance in his second MLB season after finishing as the AL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2022.
National League
Elias Díaz *, COL (1st)
Will Smith ^, LAD (1st)
With Díaz and Smith backing up Murphy, the NL will have three first-time All-Stars behind the plate in Seattle. Díaz becomes the first Rockies catcher ever selected for the All-Star Game. Smith, just edged out by Murphy in the final round of fan voting, finally gets an All-Star nod in his third full season as one of the game's top catchers.
INFIELDERS
American League
Bo Bichette, SS ^, TOR (2nd All-Star selection)
Wander Franco, SS +, TB (1st)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B ^, TOR (3rd)
Whit Merrifield, 2B ^, TOR (3rd)
José Ramírez, 3B ^, CLE (5th)
The Blue Jays are sending three-quarters of their infield to Seattle: Guerrero at first base, Merrifield at second and Bichette at shortstop. Franco, in his age-22 season, has broken out as one of the best players in the Majors. Ramírez has now made the roster in five of the past six All-Star Games going back to 2017.
National League
Ozzie Albies, 2B ^, ATL (3rd)
Pete Alonso, 1B *, NYM (3rd)
Matt Olson, 1B ^, ATL (2nd)
Geraldo Perdomo, SS +, AZ (1st)
Austin Riley, 3B ^, ATL (2nd)
Dansby Swanson, SS #, CHC (2nd)
There is a definite NL East tilt to this group: one Met, one D-back, three Braves and one longtime Brave who left as a free agent this past offseason. That would be Swanson, whose departure cleared the way for NL starter Arcia at shortstop in Atlanta but who is enjoying a strong debut season himself in Chicago. Swanson, who is dealing with a left heel contusion, was replaced on the roster by Perdomo, a first-time All-Star. Olson and Alonso have been battling for the NL home run lead, while Albies and Riley have been significant contributors to a Braves offense that is mashing its way to the top of the Majors.
OUTFIELDERS
American League
Yordan Alvarez ^, HOU (2nd All-Star selection)
Aaron Judge #, NYY (5th)
Luis Robert Jr. *, CWS (1st)
Mike Trout #, LAA (11th)
Kyle Tucker +, HOU (2nd)
Alvarez, Judge and Trout will all be out of the All-Star Game due to injury. Replacing Alvarez and Trout in the starting lineup are García and Hays, the latter of whom is a first-time All-Star. It's a bit of a different look for the AL outfield that will not feature some of the top players in the Majors.
National League
Nick Castellanos ^, PHI (2nd)
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ^, AZ (1st)
Juan Soto ^, SD (3rd)
Castellanos endured a disappointing 2022 debut with Philadelphia after making the NL All-Star team with Cincinnati in ‘21, but he has returned to form in a big way this year. Gurriel now gets some bragging rights over his older brother, Yuli, who can boast two World Series rings and a batting title -- but no All-Star selections. Soto has shaken off a slow start in San Diego and is back to putting up monster offensive numbers, sending him to his third consecutive Midsummer Classic at age 24.
DESIGNATED HITTERS
American League
Brent Rooker ^, OAK (1st All-Star selection)
Rooker has cooled off as of late, but his torrid April (.353/.465/.779 with nine homers and 22 RBIs) helped propel him to his first All-Star roster. It’s quite a story, considering the 28-year-old had only played 81 MLB games entering this season and was selected off waivers by the A’s from the Royals last November.
National League
Jorge Soler ^, MIA (1st)
Soler has been enjoying a resurgent season in Miami after an injury-shortened 2022 campaign. The 2019 AL home run champ (48 with Kansas City) has a chance to win the NL crown this year while leading the Marlins to the postseason.