The Dodgers will be well represented when the All-Star Game is played this month, with four of the team's players voted in as starters and another added to the pitching staff. Shohei Ohtani led the way, drawing the most fan votes of any player in the majors.
Four starters from Los Angeles
Ohtani will start at designated hitter, joined in the National League starting lineup by first baseman Freddie Freeman, third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Andy Pages, ESPN reported. Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was also selected, giving the Dodgers five All-Stars in all and one of the largest contingents in the game.
The turnout reflects the season the Dodgers have put together, and the enduring drawing power of Ohtani, now in his third year with the club. Manager and players have managed his workload carefully, and he is unlikely to pitch in the All-Star Game, according to ESPN.
A starting nod for Trout
The other Southern California team also has a starter. The Angels' Mike Trout was voted in to start in the American League outfield, even as he sits on the injured list. Trout is expected to be activated by early next week, ESPN reported, and the selection is a milestone in a career that has been slowed by injuries in recent seasons.
Snubs and storylines
As always, the rosters produced debate over who was left off. Brewers infielder Brice Turang and catcher Willson Contreras were among the names cited as surprising omissions, ESPN noted.
There were redemption stories, too. Juan Soto was voted in as a starter after being left off the group of starters a year ago, a snub he said he used as motivation, Yahoo Sports reported.
Where and when
The All-Star Game is set for July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. For the Dodgers, it will be a showcase of the core that has kept them near the top of the National League, with Ohtani at the center of it. The game is an exhibition, but the count of stars a team sends is a fair measure of where it stands at the season's midpoint, and by that measure Los Angeles stands very well.
