Starting lineups set for MLB All-Star Game, Texas Rangers dominate
With the end of Phase 2, all fans votes have been counted and the Texas Rangers set the bar this year for starters in the MLB All-Star Game
The All-Star Game is something special in MLB. It is the only game of the year where the fans get to tell the managers who they want to see play, with fan voting setting the roster and a second round of fan voting setting the starting lineup.
With that setup, you can expect the popular teams to have their star players feature regularly. Yankees and Dodgers, no matter what. But this time around, the lineups look a little different.
The Texas Rangers have four starters for the American League, the most ever in franchise history. With Jonah Heim behind the plate, Josh Jung at third, Marcus Semien at second, and Corey Seager at short stop, the Rangers make up the entire infield barring first base. That spot went to Tampa’s Yandy Díaz.
Heim will be in his first All-Star game after having a breakout season, as will Seager, after that big-money middle infield started to click in May. His partner in that middle infield, Marcus Semien will be in his second All-Star game, having represented the Blue Jays in 2021.
Third baseman Josh Jung is the first Rangers rookie to ever start an All-Star game. The franchise moved to Dallas in 1972, previously existing as the third version of the Washington Senators.
No other team is fielding more players than Texas, with the Braves and Dodgers fielding three players apiece in the National League lineup. Tampa and the Angels each have two players in the lineup, with Arizona, Miami, St Louis, and the Yankees each providing one player.
Things could get interesting now that the pitching rotations are being set, since it is not the fans but the All-Star managers who chose the pitchers. Dusty Baker will be running the show for the American League and while he may want to go a different way, it is difficult to see a starting pitcher in the American League hotter than Nathan Eovaldi. Should the Rangers ace get the nod, it would be a fifth starter for Texas in a game in which they are already the dominant force.
Jonah Heim has been clear about his opinion on the matter. “Everybody that’s there is going to be an ace or an A+ type of pitcher, but hopefully I’m catching Eovaldi. It’ll be easy on me.”
When looking at the bench players, Texas will have six total players in the game, with outfielder Adolis García not getting a starting spot. But they are actually tied in that regard with Toronto, who will have a total of six players starting the game from the dugout as well.
Here is a full list of the position players who will start the 2023 MLB All-Star Game.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
- Jonah Heim (Texas) - C
- Yandy Díaz (Tampa Bay) - 1B
- Marcus Semien (Texas) - 2B
- Josh Jung (Texas) - 3B
- Corey Seager (Texas) - SS
- Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels) - DH
- Mike Trout (LA Angels) - OF
- Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay) - OF
- Aaron Judge (NY Yankees) - OF
Bench: Adley Rutschman (Baltimore), Vladimir Guerrero Jr (Toronto), Whit Merrifield (Toronto), Matt Chapman (Toronto), Bo Bichette (Toronto), Brandon Belt (Toronto), Yordan Alvarez (Houston), Adolis García (Texas), Kevin Kiermaier (Toronto)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
- Sean Murphy (Atlanta) - C
- Freddie Freeman (LA Dodgers) - 1B
- Luis Arraez (Miami) - 2B
- Nolan Arenado (St Louis) - 3B
- Orlando Arcia (Atlanta) - SS
- JD Martinez (LA Dodgers) - DH
- Ronald Acuña Jr (Atlanta) - OF
- Mookie Betts (LA Dodgers) - OF
- Corbin Carroll (Arizona) - OF
Bench: Will Smith (LA Dodgers), Matt Olson (Atlanta), Ozzie Olbies (Atlanta), Austin Riley (Atlanta), Francisco Lindor (NY Mets), Bryce Harper (Philadelphia), Michael Harris II (Atlanta), Lourdes Gurriel Jr (Arizona)