A star-studded lineup will take the field next Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. By definition, the All-Star Game always features the best players in baseball, and this year is no exception.
With the full roster revealed on Sunday, there are facts and statistics that The Free Agent will reveal for you:
• The Yankees lead the All-Star Game with six All-Stars – Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Clay Holmes, Jose Trevino, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. It’s their maximum since 2011, when they had eight.
• The reigning World Series champions are also well represented, with five All-Stars, most in the National League. Max Fried, Travis d’Arnaud, Dansby Swanson, Ronald Acuña Jr. and William Contreras. It’s also their maximum since 2011, when the Braves also had five.
• With the Contreras, it’s a family affair, as he joins his brother, Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, on the National League lineup. They are the first brothers to play in the All-Star Game in the same season since Aaron and Bret Boone in 2003.
They are the first to be on the same roster together since Sandy Jr. and Roberto Alomar in 1998 for the American League. With William named starting designated hitter in place of injured Bryce Harper, they will be the first to start for the same league since the Alomars in 1992.
• The Contreras will be the fifth group of brothers to start the All-Star Game for the same league in the same year, joining the Alomars (1991-92 AL), Joe and Dom DiMaggio (1949 AL), Dixie and Harry Walker (1947 NL) and Mort and Walker Cooper (1942-43 NL).
• Julio Rodríguez of the Mariners is the only rookie All-Star this year. He is the sixth Mariners rookie to be a star, joining Michael Pineda (2011), Ichiro Suzuki (2001), Alvin Davis (1984), Matt Young (1983) and Ruppert Jones (1977).
He is one of three players in Mariners history to be an All-Star at 21 or younger, joining Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr., who were each All-Stars at 20 and 21.
• If Julio Rodríguez gets a hit, he would be the youngest player to get a hit in an All-Star Game since Mike Trout, 20, in 2012. Only eight players have gotten a hit in the Midsummer Classic at 21 years, 202 days or younger, Rodríguez’s age: Trout, Garry Templeton (1977), Butch Wynegar (’77), Claudell Washington (’75), César Cedeño (’72), Henry Aaron (’55), Al Kaline (’55) and Richie Ashburn (’48).
• Julio Rodríguez is part of a group of 30 All-Stars on the roster for the first time. This is the fourth consecutive All-Star Game with at least 30 players making their debut on an All-Star roster.
Let’s talk about the legends and especially the special selection of Albert Pujols, who is 42 years old. If he enters the game, he will be the seventh player to get a plate appearance in the All-Star Game at 42 or older, joining 2007 Barry Bonds, 1991 Carlton Fisk, 1985 Pete Rose, 1982-83 Carl Yastrzemski, 1973 Willie Mays and 1963 Stan Musial.
The only player to get a hit in the All-Star Game at 42 or older was Fisk, at 43 in 1991.
• This is Clayton Kershaw’s ninth All-Star selection, the second in Dodgers history behind Pee Wee Reese (10). He broke a tie at eight selections with Steve Garvey, Don Drysdale, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges.
• For the second consecutive year, Shohei Ohtani is both a hitter – elected starting designated hitter of the American League – and a pitcher. Last year, he was the first player to be on the All-Star team as both a hitter and a pitcher, and now he’s done it twice.
2022 All-Star Game
Starting lineups:
• As announced on Friday, Mike Trout is a starter. This is his 10th All-Star selection overall, and he’s only 30 years old. He is one of nine players to have made at least 10 All-Star selections at the age of 30, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (11), Johnny Bench (11), Al Kaline (11), Mickey Mantle (11), Rodriguez (10), Iván Rodríguez (10), Rod Carew (10) and Henry Aaron (10).
• The starters include three players who will have now started for both leagues in the All-Star Game. Manny Machado will be the second player to start at least one All-Star Game at third base for both leagues, joining Graig Nettles, who also finished the set as a Padres starter in 1985 (started in 1975 and 1980 with NYY).
Mookie Betts and Giancarlo Stanton will be the sixth and seventh players to start an All-Star Game in the outfield for both leagues of their career, joining Vladimir Guerrero Sr., Ken Griffey Jr., Dave Winfield, Jason Bay and Frank Robinson.
• Trea Turner will be the first Dodgers player to start an All-Star Game at shortstop since Bill Russell in 1980, the last time the club hosted the Midsummer Classic.
• At 23 years and 255 days on All-Star Game day, Alejandro Kirk will be the youngest starting catcher since Iván Rodríguez, 23, in 1995. Pudge started three All-Star Games before turning 24. The only other catchers to start at 23 or younger are Johnny Bench (three times) and Joe Torre.
• Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton will be the first Yankees outfield duo to be All-Star starters in the same year since Rickey Henderson and Dave Winfield in 1988.
The complete list of Yankees starting duos in All-Star Games, which they will join:
1985-88: Rickey Henderson, Dave Winfield
1981: Reggie Jackson, Winfield
1960-62: Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris
1953-54: Hank Bauer, Mantle
1942: Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Henrich
1940: DiMaggio, Charlie Keller
1939: DiMaggio, George Selkirk
1933: Ben Chapman, Babe Ruth
The free agent
