Saturday, June 24, 2023

Yordan could earn All-Star start, not play

June 24, 2023

He hasn't played a game in more than two weeks, but Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez's strong start to the season didn't go unnoticed by those voting for the All-Star Game. Alvarez was the only Astros player to advance to Phase 2 of the All-Star voting, which means he still has a shot to start the July 11 Midsummer Classic in Seattle.

Alvarez was leading the Major Leagues with 55 RBIs when he strained his right oblique swinging the bat June 8 in Toronto and was placed on the injured list. He's at least a few weeks away from returning to the Astros, so it's unlikely he would be available to play in the Midsummer Classic for the second year in a row if he is elected.

The second phase of voting, which begins at 11 a.m. CT Monday, features the top two vote-getters at each position and the top six outfielders in the AL based on vote totals from Phase 1, which ran from May 31-June 22. Fans can vote online and via mobile devices at MLB.com/vote, all 30 Club web sites, the MLB App and the MLB Ballpark App, through 11 a.m. CT Thursday. The winners will be announced on ESPN later that night.

Alvarez's 1,453,698 votes ranked fourth among AL outfielders behind Aaron Judge of the Yankees (2,095,328), Mike Trout of the Angels (1,604,762) and Randy Arozarena of the Rays (1,564,098). Kevin Kiermaier of the Blue Jays (960,953) and Adolis García of the Rangers (880,711) are also finalists.

Alvarez and left-handed starter Framber Valdez could be the only All-Stars for the Astros, who will have manager Dusty Baker and his entire coaching staff guiding the AL after winning the World Series last year. The pitchers and reserves for both squads -- totaling 23 for each side -- will be determined through a combination of "Player Ballot" choices and selections made by the Commissioner's Office.

The Astros have had a bevy of players represent the AL in the All-Star Game in recent years. They had five players selected last year – Alvarez, Valdez, Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker and Justin Verlander, though Altuve and Alvarez were injured and Verlander didn't pitch.

The Astros had four players selected in 2021 (but all four opted not to attend the game) and had six All-Stars in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The last time the Astros had as few as two All-Stars was Altuve and reliever Will Harris in 2016.

Altuve missed the first 43 games of this season after fracturing his thumb in the World Baseball Classic.

Valdez is a shoo-in to be selected to his second All-Star team. The winning pitcher in last year's All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Valdez is 7-5 with a 2.27 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through 15 starts, including 12 quality starts. He entered Thursday second in the AL in ERA.

Other Astros with a chance to be selected to the All-Star team are pitcher Cristian Javier, Tucker and infielder/outfielder Mauricio Dubón.

TRIVIA

Who was the last Astros pitcher to be selected to play in the All-Star Game as a representative of the National League?

A. Dallas Keuchel

B. Roy Oswalt

C. Mike Hampton

D. Roger Clemens

THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY

June 25, 2022: Astros pitchers Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly combined to no-hit the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in a 3-0 win in the Bronx. Javier threw seven innings before Neris worked around two walks and some close calls in the eighth, and Pressly threw a 1-2-3 ninth. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton made the final out, grounding to third base to spark a celebration on the diamond.

Javier struck out a career-high 13 batters, throwing a career-high 115 pitches (71 strikes) in the process. It was the first time the Yankees had been no-hit since six Astros pitchers combined to no-hit them on June 11, 2003, at the old Yankee Stadium.

Those are the only two no-hitters thrown against the Yankees since 1958. The Astros returned to Yankee Stadium in October and swept the Yankees in the ALCS, eliminating them from the playoffs for the fourth time since 2015.

"A lot of people are talking about the Yankees and they don't talk much about the Astros," catcher Martín Maldonado said. "I feel like we're still the same team. We love competing out there, especially coming against good teams. We felt like it was the playoffs coming into the series."

HARDER THAN IT LOOKS

The Astros gave struggling veteran José Abreu a day off Wednesday and gave Dubón the start at first base against the Mets. It was Dubón's first appearance at first base as a professional and it came in one of the wildest games of the year, a 10-8 win over the Mets.

Baker put Dubón at first with a fly ball pitcher starting the game, but Javier lasted only 2 1/3 innings. Still, Dubón made six outs at first base and seemed comfortable at the position, which he might play more in the future with Abreu posting a .587 OPS and 63 OPS+ entering Friday's game.

After the game, Dubón, who used the mitt of teammate Yainer Diaz, said playing first base was harder than he thought it was going to be.

"I was telling Abreu, kudos to him," Dubón said. "I don't know how he does that every day. People think you just go in there and stand around and catch a ball. I tell people I'm more tired playing first base than playing in the outfield. I mean, literally pre-pitch every time, you have to be ready. A rocket is going to be hit at you. Honestly, kudos to him. It's crazy what he does every day, to go out there every day. It's amazing. Honestly."

TRIVIA ANSWER

B. Oswalt

After he was an NL All-Star in 2007, the next Astros pitcher to get selected to the All-Star Game was Keuchel in 2015 -- Houston's third year in the AL.

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