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Four more Houston Astros players will join second baseman Jose Altuve as members of the American League (AL) squad in the 2022 Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 19, according to a team-issued press release.
The Astros said that designated hitter (DH) Yordan Alvarez, starting pitchers Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez and right fielder Kyle Tucker were named additional participants in the Midsummer Classic on Sunday.
Houston Daily reported that Altuve secured 57% of the fan vote to start at second base for the AL All-Stars.
It’s the veteran infielder’s eighth overall All-Star Game appearance and fifth time starting for the AL.
Altuve’s first All-Star selection was in 2012, which was the Astros’ final year in the National League (NL).
The Astros said in the release that Alvarez, Valdez and Tucker are first-time All-Stars while it’s the ninth time for the 39-year-old Verlander.
"It means a lot," Verlander, who is a Cy Young Award hopeful with an AL-best 11 wins and a 2.00 earned run average (ERA) to his name, said in a report on the Astros’ website.
According to the Astros, the 25-year-old Alvarez crafted a .306 batting average, launched 26 home runs (HR) and knocked 60 runs batted in (RBI) to lead the team in those categories while Tucker is the leader in stolen bases with 14 and has bounced back from an early season slump at the plate to bat .259 with 16 HR and 58 RBI.
Alvarez, who was beaten by the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani for the starting DH spot in fan voting, won’t play in the All-Star Game since the Astros placed him on the 10-day injury list (IL), per the report.
Valdez, who’s part of a rotation considered one of the best in the AL, has started 17 games, compiling an 8-4 mark and 2.64 ERA, the report said.
Astros manager Dusty Baker and his staff will coach the AL All-Stars.
Houston is currently 56-29 after winning its weekend road series against the Oakland Athletics.