Dodgers Land Five On All-Star Roster
The Los Angeles Dodgers have five selections headed to this year’s MLB All- Star Game- Freddy Freeman, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The Los Angeles Dodgers have five selections headed to this year’s MLB All- Star Game- Freddy Freeman, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. Smith, the Dodgers’ starting catcher, will be playing in his first ever All-Star Game. Betts, Freeman and Martinez will be starters after being picked by the fans.
Freeman, who last week became the 98th player in major league history to accumulate 2,000 hits and 300 home runs, pulled away Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson, accumulating 60% of the vote to Olson’s 40%, to earn the seventh All-Star selection of his 14-year career. He entered Thursday with a .317 average, .938 OPS, 14 homers and 49 RBIs.
Betts, has 20 homers and 50 RBIs (at Press time), also earned his seventh All-Star selection by earning 40% of the vote, the second most among NL outfielders behind Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr.
“It’s always special to be in an All-Star Game — it means you’re doing something pretty good,” Betts said. “We have a great group of guys here, and [to have three starters] is a testament to our team, to our organization and the coaches.”
Martinez DH- hit two homers last week to become the 156th member of baseball’s 300 home run club, earned his sixth All-Star selection by earning 53% of the fan vote, edging out Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper (47%). Martinez has a .257 average, .874 OPS, 18 homers and 51 RBIs (at press time)
They will be joined by starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw was named to the National League roster earlier this week. It will be his 10th trip to the Midsummer Classic, tying him with Pee Wee Reese for most All-Star appearances in DODGER history. Reese also went to 10 All-Star Games when the team still played in Brooklyn.
Kershaw is the only Dodger to make 10 All-Star appearances since the team relocated to Los Angeles for the 1958 National League season.
The 35-year-old is also only the 74th player in Major League history to make at least 10 appearances in the game, and only the ninth pitcher joining Warren Spahn (17), Mariano Rivera (13), Tom Seaver (12), Roger Clemens (11), Steve Carlton (10), Whitey Ford (10), Randy Johnson (10) and Juan Marichal (10) according to MLB.com.
Kershaw who already has a place among the greatest pitchers in league history, and certainly one of the best left-handed pitchers in league history. The ace is still going strong and has been a top starter in the National League this season. Through July-2 his 10 wins lead the league, while he also owns a 2.55 ERA in 95.1 innings in 16 starts.
