NEW YORK (AP) – Time to make those close calls on picking players for the All-Star Game.
Rest assured, Yankees rookie sensation Aaron Judge and perennial Washington slugger Bryce Harper have secured their spots for July 11 in Miami. But there’s a logjam at the corners in the National League, and both rosters are smaller now that the Midsummer Classic no longer determines home-field advantage in the World Series.
So let’s take a swing at sorting it all out – ignoring fan and player balloting. Simply our choices. Online voting for the starters at each position ended at midnight Thursday.
Both teams get 32 players, including 12 pitchers. That’s down from 34 last year, with at least 13 pitchers. But all 30 clubs still must be represented, and that’s where it really gets tricky.
For the purpose of these selections, we eliminated players expected to remain on the disabled list through Sunday night, when the rosters will be revealed. That means stars like Mike Trout and Dallas Keuchel, who were having All-Star seasons before they got injured, were left out because it’s unclear if they’ll be healthy enough to participate in the summer showcase at Marlins Park.