New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon was named to the American League All-Star team on Friday, replacing teammate Max Fried.
Rodon was one of three pitchers added to the AL roster on Friday. The others are Kansas City Royals right-hander Carlos Estevez and Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia also was added to the team.
Pulling out Friday were Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom and Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet and Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (side soreness).
In addition, Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez also announced he was skipping the All-Star Game. He was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena, a fellow outfielder.
It is the third All-Star selection for Rodon, 32, who made the AL squad with the Chicago White Sox in 2021 and the National League roster with the San Francisco Giants in 2022.
Rodon entered Friday with a 9-6 record and a 3.30 ERA through 19 starts this season. He has struck out 127 batters and walked 40 in 111 2/3 innings.
Rodon was New York’s scheduled starter for Friday night’s series opener against the visiting Chicago Cubs, which gives him three days of rest before Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Atlanta.
Fried, 31, is the Yankees’ scheduled starter on Saturday. The three-time All-Star is 11-2 with a 2.27 ERA through 19 starts this season. He leads the majors in wins and winning percentage (.846) and has struck out 111 batters with 24 walks in 119 innings.
The AL All-Star team will be managed by Yankees skipper Aaron Boone and includes two other New York players: starting outfielder Aaron Judge and reserve infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Rodriguez, 24, said he withdrew from the game to recharge for the second half of the campaign. He is batting .244 with 11 homers and 44 RBIs.
“I’m incredibly honored that my peers voted me into the All-Star Game — that means a lot to me,” Rodriguez said on Instagram.
“As much as I would love to be out there, I want to take this time to take care of my body and fully prepare for the second half of the season. It’s definitely rough to miss out on the All-Star experience, but I’ll be cheering on all the guys and wishing them and their families an amazing week.”
This is Arozarena’s second All-Star berth. He also made the team in 2023 while playing for the Rays. Arozarena, 30, is batting .247 with 15 homers, 44 RBIs and 15 steals.
Garcia, 25, is a first-time All-Star. He is batting .305 with eight homers, 40 RBIs and 18 steals.
Estevez, 32, is an All-Star for the second time. He also made the squad in 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels. Estevez is tied for the AL lead with 25 saves and a 2.03 ERA in 39 appearances.
Mize, 28, is a first-time All-Star. He is 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 15 starts.
DeGrom, who is 9-2 with a 2.29 ERA, and Crochet were replaced because their Saturday starts wouldn’t allow them to pitch in the All-Star Game. Crochet is 9-4 with a 2.39 ERA and said his increased activity over the past several years also played a part in his decision to opt out of the All-Star Game.
“For me, it’s just looking at my past four years. In 2022, I threw zero innings. In ‘23, I threw 13. Last year, I threw 146. And this year I’m on pace for 200. From my standpoint, it makes no sense to make that 201, to throw in a game that doesn’t determine my team’s fate throughout the season,” Crochet said Friday, per MassLive.
“It’s a huge honor to be (selected). I threw last year, with it being my first one. If I were to go next year, I would probably throw. But just with the way my continued growth is, and my workload ceiling, I’d rather not add to it.”
–Field Level Media
