As usual, the Dodgers will be well-represented in this year’s Midsummer Classic.
After getting Shohei Ohtani voted in by fans as the National League’s starting designated hitter last week, five more Dodgers were selected to the NL All-Star team during a full roster announcement Sunday afternoon: starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, first baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith, outfielder Teoscar Hernández and shortstop Mookie Betts.
“It’s awesome,” said Glasnow, the lone first-time All-Star of the group. “It’s always been a goal of mine, to go to the All-Star game.”
The Dodgers’ six All-Star selections were second most among the league’s 30 clubs, behind only seven from the Philadelphia Phillies. It also marked the third time since 2017 that the Dodgers had six All-Star selections, a total the franchise hadn’t previously reached since 1991.
The team’s only real snub was rookie pitcher Gavin Stone, who was not picked for the NL roster despite his team-leading 9-2 record and rotation-best 3.03 ERA.
“You never know with some guys who can’t pitch over the weekend, or in that game, hopefully there’s an opportunity for Gavin,” manager Dave Roberts said, “because everyone knows he’s had an All-Star first half.”
Outside of that, though, all of the Dodgers’ likely All-Star picks were selected.
“When you got over 20% of your team going to an All-Star Game,” Freeman said, “that means you’ve got a pretty good team.”
Glasnow’s candidacy was the most uncertain in recent weeks, after consecutive five-run starts raised his ERA from 2.88 to 3.47. However, his eight wins, team-high 109 innings pitched, and NL-leading 143 strikeouts was enough to earn a first career All-Star selection — an honor that had eluded him in his first eight MLB seasons mostly because of injuries.
“It’s just a big honor,” said Glasnow, whose 18 starts are most on the Dodgers and whose 109 innings are just 11 shy of his previous career-high. “[I’ve been] just trying to post up every start, and log innings and do well for your team. I’m just glad I was able to make every start and pitch well this season.”
Freeman, Smith, Hernández and Betts were obvious reserve picks for the NL, after each of those four finished as runners-up for starting spots in a fan vote that ended last week.
Betts (.304 average, 10 home runs, 40 RBI) appeared likely to be the NL starter at shortstop before breaking his hand last month, an injury that will force the now eight-time All-Star to sit out the July 16 game in Arlington, Texas.
Freeman (.301 average, 13 home runs, 58 RBI) also earned his eighth career selection, and Smith (.271 average, 15 home runs, 55 RBI) and Hernández (.259 average, 19 home runs, 60 RBI) were picked as All-Stars for the second time in their careers.
Hernández is hoping the game won’t be his only action of All-Star week.
On Sunday, he confirmed having interest in participating in the Home Run Derby, and said he was waiting for MLB to decide on a final list of participants.
“Why not?” Hernández said with a laugh when asked about his Derby interest. “Obviously, in my career, I wanted to be a part of it. See how it feels. So why not try to go for it and win everything.”
At least one of his teammates was already predicting a potential Derby victory.
“He can punish a baseball,” Freeman said. “If he wants to do it, I’ll put all my chips on him.”
