The Detroit Tigers have the best record in the majors. Now they are tied for having the most All-Stars, too.
Zach McKinstry was picked Wednesday to replace Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, who has been dealing with a rib injury. The infielder-outfielder will join Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders Javier Baez and Riley Greene — all AL starters — and staff ace Tarik Skubal, who also is among the candidates to start the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, Houston third baseman Isaac Paredes was picked Wednesday to replace the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez, who had been the starting third baseman. That gives the Astros four All-Stars in Peña and pitchers Hunter Brown and Josh Hader.
The Guardians said Ramírez wanted “to focus on recovery and preparation for the second half of the season.”
The five All-Stars for Detroit gives them the most of any team as they surpassed the World Series champion Dodgers, who have DH Shohei Ohtani, catcher Will Smith and first baseman Freddie Freeman starting for the NL along with pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Yamamoto is scheduled to start Sunday for Los Angeles, so Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott has been picked to replace him.
McKinstry and Paredes make four total replacements and 69 players between the two All-Star teams. The other substitution was Rays third baseman Junior Caminero for Boston’s Alex Bregman, who has been dealing with a strained right quadriceps.
The Tigers have been one of the surprise stories of the first half of the season. After going 86-76 and tying for second in the AL Central last season, 6 1/2 games behind the division-winning Guardians, they were off to a 59-34 start heading into Wednesday night’s series finale against Tampa Bay — three games ahead of the Dodgers for the best record in the majors.
The versatile McKinstry has been a big reason why.
Along with playing every infield position besides catcher, and both corner outfield spots, McKinstry entered Wednesday hitting .283 with seven homers and 27 RBIs. The 30-year-old needs just three more homers and nine RBIs to set career highs.
Peña, who is hitting a career-best .322 with 11 homers and 40 RBIs in 82 games for the Astros, has been out since June 28 with a fractured rib. He had hoped to return by the All-Star break, but has not been cleared to resume baseball activity.
Paredes, his teammate, is headed to his second straight All-Star Game in his first season in Houston. He’s hitting a career-best .255 with 19 homers and 49 RBIs for the Astros, who have a comfortable lead over Seattle in the NL West.
Ramírez was hit by a pitch in a game against Toronto on June 26 and has struggled at the plate ever since. But the seven-time All-Star was still hitting .299 with 16 homers, 44 RBIs and 24 stolen bases through 87 games for the Guardians.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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