Xander Bogaerts is part of an online poll to see whether he’ll join Mookie Betts, Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel on the AL team.
NEW YORK — Outfielder Mookie Betts joined pitchers Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel as members of the Boston Red Sox named Sunday to the American League team for the All-Star Game at Miami on July 11.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts may join them. Bogaerts will join Elvis Andrus, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Logan Morrison and Mike Moustakas in online voting to determine the final spot on the team.
Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa and Nolan Arenado were among the 12 first-time starters – the most since voting was returned to fans in 1970.
Just one player was picked from the World Series champion Cubs: reliever Wade Davis, who wasn’ t even with Chicago when it ended a 108-year title drought last fall. The Cubs had seven All-Stars last season.
Two of the first-time starters are from the Houston Astros, who have the best record in the major leagues: shortstop Correa and outfielder George Springer. Second baseman Jose Altuve was elected to his third start.
Ppitchers Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. also were picked, giving the Astros five All-Stars, tied for the most with the New York Yankees, Cleveland and Washington. Keuchel is hurt and won’ t pitch.
Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, second baseman Daniel Murphy and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman were elected to start, and Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg were selected for the pitching staff. Harper led fan voting with 4.63 million ballots. At 32, Zimmerman is an All-Star for the first time since 2009, when he was a reserve third baseman.
Judge, the 6-foot-7 rookie who leads the major leagues with 27 home runs, topped the AL with 4.49 million votes. He’s joined in the outfield by Springer and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, who hopes to return in time from a torn thumb ligament. Jose Ramirez of Cleveland overtook Miguel Sano of Minnesota in the final days of balloting to win the AL third- base spot by about 54,000 votes, Justin Smoak of Toronto bounced back to beat Eric Hosmer of Kansas City by 555,000 at first base, and Corey Dickerson of Tampa Bay rallied to win at designated hitter by nearly 75,000 over Nelson Cruz of Seattle. Salvador Perez of the Royals won at catcher.
Arenado overtook Kris Bryant of the Cubs, last year’s NL MVP, to win at third base by 180,000. Arenado will be joined in the NL lineup by Cincinnati shortstop Zack Cozart, Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon, Miami outfielder Marcell Ozuna and San Francisco catcher Buster Posey.
There were 11 first-time starters last season in San Diego, the last year the winning league got home-field advantage in the World Series. Under the new labor contract, the Series starts in the ballpark of the pennant winner with the better record.
Catcher Gary Sanchez, injured second baseman Starlin Castro, and pitchers Dellin Betances and Luis Severino also were picked from the Yankees. Cleveland is sending pitchers Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller, shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Michael Brantley.
The AL has won four straight and went 11-3 in the years the All-Star Game determined the World Series home field.
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