Four Texas Rangers have been selected as starters for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle, the most in franchise history and the most of any MLB team this season.
The league wrapped up Phase Two of its fan voting on Thursday, and catcher Jonah Heim, second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager, and rookie third baseman Josh Jung had the most votes at their positions, while Adolis Garcia lost to Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena in the outfield.
“It’ll be cool,” Semien told the media shortly after the results were announced. “Obviously, we play together, so it’ll be fun to compete with the other guys — whoever’s on the team… We all strive to be the best we can be, and if the fans acknowledged us this year, it means we’re doing something.”
Joining the four Rangers and the outfielders mentioned above in the American League’s starting lineup will be Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Diaz.
The National League starting lineup will include Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., catcher Sean Murphy and shortstop Orlando Arcia, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, outfielder Mookie Betts and designated hitter J.D. Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez, and Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll.
The club’s overall record for All-Stars is eight players, achieved in 2012. Garcia and others can still make the roster as reserves, which will be announced on Sunday.
Position player reserves and pitchers are chosen by player vote, and the starting pitchers will be selected by the managers of the defending AL and NL champions — the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
The 2023 MLB All-Star Game will be played at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, July 11.
***
The Rangers and the Frisco RoughRiders were both in action Thursday.
Here is what happened on the field and behind the scenes.
MLB
Texas Rangers (49-32, first in American League West)
Last Game: Detroit Tigers 8, Rangers 5
Andy Ibanez broke a 3-3 tie and gave Detroit a 4-3 lead with an RBI single in the seventh, and the Tigers added four more in the eighth.
Texas loaded the bases and scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, but Adolis Garcia lined out to end the game. Detroit first baseman Spencer Torkelson hit two home runs and had four RBIs, while Ezequiel Duran and Leody Taveras homered for the Rangers.
Noteworthy: The Rangers lead the AL West by five games over the Houston Astros after splitting their four-game series with Detroit. Houston comes to town on Friday for a four-game series.
— Duran has now homered in three consecutive games and is third on the team with 12 this season. Adolis Garcia has 20, while Josh Jung has 16.
— Texas drops to 21-10 in day games this season.
— Jon Gray and Nathan Eovaldi are scheduled to start the first two games of the series against Houston.
Next Up: Houston Astros (44-37) at Rangers, 7:05 p.m. CT Friday
***
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Frisco RoughRiders (32-38, fifth in Texas League South division, eighth in AA Texas League, 1-1 in second half)
Last Game: San Antonio Missions 3, RoughRiders 2
San Antonio scored all three runs in the sixth as Juan Fernandez and Ray-Patrick Didder singled with the bases loaded. Frisco brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth but only managed to score once and trim the lead to one before outfielder Evan Carter ended the game on a groundout. Carter and Luisangel Acuna had the RBIs for the RoughRiders.
Noteworthy: Frisco starting pitcher Ryan Garcia allowed two runs in five-and-a-third innings while tying a career-high with nine strikeouts.
— Carter is 5-9 in the current series after a 2-5 performance on Thursday.
— Infielder Thomas Saggese’s 15-game hitting streak was snapped as he went 0-3. He is still second in the Texas League with 85 hits and leads the team in home runs, batting average, and RBIs.
Next Up: RoughRiders at Missions (38-33), 7:05 p.m. CT Friday
***
NHL
Dallas Stars (Offseason)
Noteworthy: General Manager Jim Nill was named the NHL’s General Manager of the Year
— The Stars made six picks in this week’s NHL Draft:
- Round 2, Pick 61: Tristan Bertucci, defenseman (OHL)
- Round 3, Pick 79: Brad Gardiner, center (OHL)
- Round 4, Pick 125: Aram Minnetian, defenseman (USA)
- Round 5, Pick 157: Arno Tiefensee, goalie (DEL)
- Round 6, Pick 189: Angus Macdonell, center (OHL)
- Round 7, Pick 221: Sebastian Bradshaw, forward (Canada)
***
NBA
Dallas Mavericks (offseason & Summer League)
Noteworthy: NBA Free Agency officially begins on July 6, but teams can start negotiating with free agents at 5 p.m. CT on Friday. The Mavericks are hoping to re-sign guard Kyrie Irving and have been linked to Nuggets guard Bruce Brown and veteran center Andre Drummond.
–The Mavericks have announced their Summer League roster, which includes first-round picks Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, second-year guard Jaden Hardy, undrafted free agent and former TCU standout Mike Miles Jr., and former UAB star Jordan Walker.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks