Scherzer will become the 12th pitcher to start the game on his home field, while Sale becomes the third pitcher to start three straight All-Star Games.
For the second year in a row, Chris Sale of Boston and Max Scherzer of Washington will be the starting pitchers in the All-Star Game, the managers announced Monday.
American League manager AJ Hinch of the Houston Astros selected Sale to start Tuesday’s game. This will be the third consecutive start for left-hander, who joins Lefty Gomez (American League, 1933-35) and Robin Roberts (National League, 1953-55) as the only pitchers to start three All-Star games in a row.
Sale is 10-4 on the season with a 2.23 ERA. The 29-year-old has started 20 games and struck out a league-high 188 batters in 129 innings.
« Obviously, I appreciate it. It’s a big honor, » Sale told the media of earning another start. « I know this hasn’t happened very often in a long time. I appreciate it. I’m going to try and have some fun with it. That’s why we’re all here, too. Grip and rip, and try to get a win. »
Related: See the American League starters:
Scherzer, 33, will start for the National League squad, managed by the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, in his home ballpark. The Nationals’ right-hander is 12-5 in 20 starts on the year. His 182 strikeouts and 134 2/3 innings lead the NL.
He becomes the 12th pitcher to start an All-Star Game on his home field. The last one time that occurred was 2013, when former New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey started the game at Citi Field.
Related: See the National League starters:
Game time is at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday. Coverage begins on FOX at 7:30 p.m.
–Field Level Media