Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been named a starter for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Guerrero will represent the American League in this midseason classic for the fourth time in his career. He has participated in every All-Star game since 2021.
The 25-year-old was voted into the starting lineup of the American League by baseball fans, beating out Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.
Very happy, very happy, that’s all you work for as a baseball player,” Guerrero said through translator Hector Lebron in the Rogers Centre dugout. “I mean, four in a row is great.
Guerrero is the reigning champion of the traditional major league home run contest. He won the 2023 edition against Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays. However, the main interested party indicated that he did not want to take part this year.
I’m very focused on helping my team win, Guerrero replied.
It’s something that can tire you out a little bit, so I’m going to skip my turn, but maybe in the future I will be there, he added.
The only other Blue Jays players to appear in at least three All-Star Games are Jose Bautista (four), Roberto Alomar (four) and Joe Carter (three).
Heading into Monday’s game between the Houston Astros and the Blue Jays in Toronto, Guerrero was batting .298 and hitting .376 on base. He also has 13 homers and 50 RBIs in 84 games this season.
“I never questioned myself,” Guerrero said of his struggles in April. “You’re never going to accomplish that if you doubt yourself.”
The son of the former Montreal Expos star won his arbitration case against the Blue Jays this winter, which allowed him to receive the sum of $19.9 million for the current season.
The Dominican was born in Montreal when his father was playing in the Quebec metropolis.
The father has participated in nine All-Star games and has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame since 2018. Guerrero Jr. has indicated that he would like to have a career similar to that of his father.
Not just for the All-Star games, but for everything in general, he said. I want to be like him in everything.
The Texas Rangers’ home in Arlington will host the All-Star Game on July 16.
Also selected in the American League are second baseman Jose Altuve (Astros), third baseman Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians), shortstop Gunnar Henderson (Baltimore Orioles), catcher Adley Rutschman (Orioles), designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (Astros), and outfielders Aaron Judge (New York Yankees), Juan Soto (Yankees) and Steven Kwan (Guardians).
In the National League, they are Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies), Ketel Marte (Arizona Diamondbacks), Trea Turner (Phillies), Alec Bohm (Phillies), William Contreras (Milwaukee Brewers), Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers), Christian Yelich, (Brewers), Jurickson Profar (San Diego Padres) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres).
2024-07-04 01:28:16
#Vladimir #Guerrero #Selected #Major #League #Baseball #AllStar #Game
