A full breakdown of the MLB All-Star rosters
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 Friday.
This year's rosters include legends of the game Miguel Cabrera (12th All-Star selection) and Albert Pujols (11th); perennial All-Stars such as Mike Trout (10th, and ninth fan-elected start), Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw (ninth), Jose Altuve (eighth), and Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Bryce Harper (seventh); and a host of new faces. This year, there are 30 first-time All-Stars -- the fourth straight game that MLB has at least 30 new All-Stars.
There are also 28 internationally born All-Stars in 2022, 18 on the AL roster and 10 on the NL roster. They represent the Dominican Republic (11 All-Stars), Venezuela (eight), Cuba and Puerto Rico (two), and Aruba, the Bahamas, Canada, Japan and Mexico (one each). Thirty-nine of the 66 current All-Stars come from diverse backgrounds, including 25 AL All-Stars, making up over 75% of the team.
^ Player-elected pick
* Choice of MLB
# Chosen as All-Star but will not play
+ Named as a replacement
STARTERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C - Alejandro Kirk, TOR (1st All-Star selection)
1B - Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (2nd)
2B - Jose Altuve, HOU (8th)
3B - Rafael Devers, BOS (2nd)
SS - Tim Anderson, CWS (2nd)
OF - Mike Trout, LAA (10th)
OF - Aaron Judge, NYY (4th)
OF - Giancarlo Stanton, NYY (5th)
DH - Shohei Ohtani, LAA (2nd)
There¡¯s no doubting the star power of this year¡¯s American League lineup. It starts with Aaron Judge, who earned an automatic spot in the AL starting lineup as the top American League vote-getter in phase one of voting. Judge leads all of baseball with 30 home runs and is tied for third in RBIs (65) and fourth in OPS (.980). Judge will be joined in the outfield by fellow Yankee Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees are sending a league-high six players to the All-Star Game.
This is Trout¡¯s ninth straight All-Star Game, the longest streak among active players. He¡¯ll be joined in the All-Star Game by fellow Angel Shohei Ohtani, who was selected as both a pitcher and hitter for the second straight year. Ohtani, who posted a historic MVP season in 2021, has mashed 19 home runs at the plate this year and recorded a 2.44 ERA in 14 starts. Ohtani started last year¡¯s All-Star Game and picked up the win on the mound. He was a fan-selected DH and MLB-selected pitcher.
The only other team with multiple starters is the Toronto Blue Jays, who will be represented by Alejandro Kirk and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Kirk, the only first-time All-Star in the American League¡¯s starting lineup, leads all qualifying catchers in batting average (.310) and already has career-highs in home runs (10) and RBIs (33). This is the second straight All-Star Game for Guerrero Jr., who won MVP honors in last year¡¯s Midsummer Classic after he smashed a mammoth home run off Corbin Burnes. At 23 years old, Guerrero Jr. and Kirk are two of the youngest players on this year¡¯s roster.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
C - Willson Contreras, CHC (3rd All-Star selection)
1B - Paul Goldschmidt, STL (7th)
2B - Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA (1st)
3B - Manny Machado, SD (6th)
SS - Trea Turner, LAD (2nd)
OF - Ronald Acu?a Jr., ATL (3rd)
OF - Mookie Betts, LAD (6th)
OF - Joc Pederson, SF (2nd)
DH - Bryce Harper#, PHI (7th)/William Contreras^, ATL (1st)
Dodgers fans who plan on making the trek to Dodger Stadium for this year¡¯s All-Star Game won¡¯t be disappointed, as Los Angeles is the only NL team to boast multiple players in this year¡¯s starting lineup in Betts and Trea Turner. This is the sixth straight All-Star Game for Betts, including his second straight for L.A., and the second straight All-Star Game for Turner, who made it as a Washington National in 2021.
Ronald Acu?a Jr. earned an automatic All-Star berth as this year¡¯s top NL vote-getter. He's batting .274 with eight homers and 57 hits in 53 games. With this year¡¯s selection, Acu?a becomes the first player to lead his league in All-Star voting in consecutive years since Albert Pujols did so with the Cardinals in 2009 and ¡¯10.
The reigning NL MVP Harper won the fan vote at DH, but he'll be inactive due to a fractured left thumb and replaced as the starter by the player-elected Contreras. That means both Contreras brothers will be All-Star starters for the NL -- William at DH and Willson at catcher. They'll become the first brothers to appear in the same All-Star Game since Aaron and Bret Boone in 2003, the first brothers on the same team since Roberto Alomar and Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1998 and the first brothers to start alongside each other in the All-Star Game since the Alomars in '92.
This year marks Paul Goldschmidt¡¯s first All-Star appearance as a member of the Cardinals, as his last All-Star appearance came in 2018 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Goldschmidt leads the National League in batting average (.340), on-base percentage (.424), slugging (.610), and OPS (1.034) while leading baseball in hits (107).
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the lone first-year All-Star in the NL starting lineup, and the first-ever All-Star from the Bahamas. He has a 139 OPS+ and leads NL second basemen in homers (14), RBIs (45) and stolen bases (12). Chisholm becomes the sixth Marlin to be voted in by the fans as an All-Star Game starter, joining Hanley Ram¨ªrez, Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Strange-Gordon, Marcell Ozuna and Gary Sheffield. He's rehabbing from a right lower back strain that has kept him sidelined since June 29 and might not be back in time for the All-Star game.
Note: Players are listed in alphabetical order within each position below.
PITCHERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Paul Blackburn*, OAK (1st All-Star selection)
Emmanuel Clase^, CLE (1st)
Gerrit Cole^, NYY (5th)
Nestor Cortes^, NYY (1st)
Clay Holmes^, NYY (1st)
Jorge L¨®pez^, BAL (1st)
Alek Manoah^, TOR (1st)
Shane McClanahan^, TBR (1st)
Shohei Ohtani*, LAA (2nd)
Mart¨ªn P¨¦rez*, TEX (1st)
Gregory Soto*, DET (2nd)
Framber Valdez*, HOU (1st)
Justin Verlander^, HOU (9th)
The 39-year-old Verlander, who has a Major League-leading 11 wins and a 2.00 ERA, adds another highlight to his remarkable comeback season from Tommy John surgery. It's his ninth career All-Star team, tied for the most among active pitchers with fellow 2022 All-Star Clayton Kershaw. Joining Verlander on the staff is the first-time All-Star, AL ERA leader and MLB strikeout leader McClanahan (1.73 ERA, 141 K's).
There are also a trio of Yankees: their ace Cole, who's an All-Star for a second straight season with New York, and breakout first-time All-Stars Cortes and Holmes. Nasty Nestor is 7-3 with a 2.74 ERA and 95 strikeouts, and Holmes might be the best reliever in baseball with a 0.46 ERA and 16 saves.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Sandy Alcantara^, MIA (2nd)
David Bednar*, PIT (1st)
Corbin Burnes^, MIL (2nd)?
Luis Castillo*, CIN (2nd)
Edwin D¨ªaz^, NYM (2nd)
Max Fried^, ATL (1st)
Tony Gonsolin^, LAD (1st)
Josh Hader^, MIL (4th)
Ryan Helsley^, STL (1st)
Clayton Kershaw*, LAD (9th)
Joe Mantiply*, ARI (1st)
Joe Musgrove^, SD (1st)
Kershaw keeps pace with Verlander as a nine-time All-Star, but the ace to watch on the NL All-Star team right now is Alcantara, who's having a brilliant season for the Marlins. The 26-year-old is 9-3 with a 1.73 ERA, 111 strikeouts and an MLB-leading 130 innings pitched, and he's pitched two complete games, thrown eight-plus innings in eight starts and gone at least seven innings in 12 straight starts.
The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Burnes is also on the staff, as his followup campaign includes a 2.20 ERA and a league-leading 134 strikeouts for the NL Central-leading Brewers. The ace of the defending World Series champion Braves, Fried, is also an All-Star for the first time, as is the MLB ERA leader Gonsolin (1.62 ERA), who's also tied with Verlander for the MLB lead in wins at a perfect 11-0.
RESERVES
CATCHERS
American League
Jose Trevino^, NYY (1st All-Star selection)
Trevino has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees in his first season in pinstripes. He ranks third among catchers with 2.4 WAR, behind only the two All-Star starters, and has been the best framing catcher in baseball, saving the Yankees 8 runs from pitch framing, per Statcast.
National League
Travis d'Arnaud^, ATL (1st)
The 10-year veteran d'Arnaud adds his first career All-Star selection to his 2020 Silver Slugger Award and 2021 World Series ring. d'Arnaud is batting .267 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs, and he's saved the Braves five runs with his pitch framing, tied for second-most among catchers.
INFIELDERS
American League
Luis Arraez^, MIN (1st All-Star selection)
Xander Bogaerts^, BOS (4th)
Miguel Cabrera, DET (12th) (special selection)
Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez^, CLE (1st)
Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez^, CLE (4th)
The 2022 All-Star Game will celebrate Miggy, who recorded his 3,000th hit in April, and Albert Pujols as special All-Star selections of the Commissioner. Joining the 12-time All-Star in the AL infield are two first-time All-Stars in Arraez -- who's leading the MLB batting race with a .348 batting average -- and Gim¨¦nez. So is the AL leader in RBIs (66) and doubles (29), Ram¨ªrez.
National League
Pete Alonso^, NYM (2nd)
Nolan Arenado^, STL (7th)
C.J. Cron*, COL (1st)
Jeff McNeil^, NYM (2nd)
Albert Pujols, STL (11th) (special selection)
Dansby Swanson^, ATL (1st All-Star selection)
Pujols joins his fellow legend Cabrera in the Midsummer Classic, marking the future Hall of Famer¡¯s 11th All-Star selection in his 22nd and final season. Pujols and Cabrera are two of three Major Leaguers all-time with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs and 600 doubles, along with Hank Aaron. Mets slugger Alonso, who has 23 home runs and a Major League-leading 70 RBIs, and Arenado, who's an All-Star for a seventh consecutive season, help round out the rest of the NL infield.
OUTFIELDERS
American League
Andrew Benintendi*, KC (1st All-Star selection)
Byron Buxton^, MIN (1st)
Julio Rodr¨ªguez*, SEA (1st)
George Springer^, TOR (4th)
Kyle Tucker^, HOU (1st)
Rodr¨ªguez is the only rookie All-Star, as well as the youngest All-Star at 21 years old. Rodr¨ªguez is also the fifth Mariners rookie All-Star in franchise history and the first since Ichiro in 2001. The AL outfield features four first-time All-Stars in J-Rod, Benintendi, Buxton and Tucker, as well as a familiar face in Springer, who made three straight trips to the Midsummer Classic from 2017-19 as an Astro but makes the AL team for the first time as a Blue Jay.
National League
Ian Happ^, CHC (1st)
Starling Marte^, NYM (2nd)
Kyle Schwarber^, PHI (2nd)
Juan Soto*, WSH (2nd)
Marte¡¯s All-Star selection marks his first since 2016, back when he played for the Pirates. Schwarber will be making his first appearance in the All-Star Game after missing last year¡¯s contest in Denver due to a hamstring injury. Despite his relatively slow start, Soto returns to the Midsummer Classic as the youngest player on the NL squad at 23 years old.
DESIGNATED HITTER
American League
Yordan Alvarez^, HOU (1st)
Alvarez is having a monster season at the plate for the AL West leaders. The 25-year-old Cuban slugger is batting .306 with 26 home runs and 60 RBIs, and he leads the Majors with a .653 slugging percentage, 1.058 OPS and 196 OPS+. Alvarez adds his first All-Star selection to the AL Rookie of the Year Award he won in 2019.