ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—Chris Sale, the left-hander for the Philadelphia Phillies, will start for the Braves on Sunday and will not pitch in the Midsummer Classic. Sánchez will make his first appearance in an All-Star Game in lieu of Sale.
With Sánchez’s inclusion on Saturday, the Phillies now have eight All-Stars, setting a new franchise record and leading the MLB.
The Texas Rangers’ home field will host the contest on Tuesday night. As the only major league team with at least 60 wins heading into the break is Philadelphia.
Sánchez is the only player in Philadelphia’s rotation who has been nominated for an All-Star team, despite being the third overall.
Ranger Suárez has now joined right-hander Zack Wheeler, who was already ruled out due to back spasms. Max Fried, a right-hander from Atlanta who is scheduled to make his second All-Star appearance, took the lefty’s spot on Saturday.
Fried, who is the tenth replacement and the sixth from the National League, joins Sánchez as the 38th first-time All-Star. With their additions, there are now 74 All-Stars in total.
Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations for the Phillies, explained that Suárez’s exclusion from the All-Star Game was a precaution. The 28-year-old’s lower back started to tighten and spasm during Friday night’s 6-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
“Obviously, you want to play in the All-Star Game, but health should come first,” Suárez remarked, speaking via an interpreter, following Philadelphia’s 11-5 victory over Oakland on Saturday. “I believe it would be best if I rested.”
Suárez (10-4) has an 8.62 ERA in his last three games after starting 16 games with a 1.83 ERA. In his last four starts, he has lost three of them.
Dombrowski stated, “We want to make sure he stays fresh because he’s pitched a lot of innings.” “He’ll have a nice break from it.”
Sánchez is 7-4 with a 2.96 ERA as a 27-year-old pitcher. In his final start before the break on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated him 4-3 with two runs allowed in six innings.
First baseman Bryce Harper, shortstop Trea Turner, and third baseman Alec Bohm are the Phillies’ three starters.
Comforters According to MLB, the Phillies becomes the first team with five All-Star pitchers when Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm complete the group.
On Tuesday, Sale defeated Arizona 6-2 to record his 12th victory in MLB. For the 35-year-old, this is his ninth All-Star selection.
Teammate Andrés Muñoz relieved Logan Gilbert of Seattle, who was scheduled to start for the Mariners on Sunday.
Rafael Devers (sore left shoulder), Kyle Tucker (bruised right shin), and Jose Altuve (sore left hand) of Houston were replaced earlier on the AL roster by infielder/outfielder Willi Castro of Minnesota, outfielder Anthony Santander of Baltimore, and infielder Jordan Westburg of the Orioles.
Wheeler, Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (broken left hand), right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back tightness), and San Diego outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (right thigh) were replaced in the National League by Pittsburgh right-hander Paul Skenes, Cincinnati shortstop Elly De La Cruz, right-hander Hunter Greene, and San Francisco outfielder Heliot Ramos.
In the AL starting lineup, Marcus Semien of the visiting Texas team took Altuve’s spot.
After just 11 big league starts, Skenes is expected to start for the National League.
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