MLB names 2017 American League All-Star starters, pitchers and reserves
By John Buhler
The 2017 MLB All-Star Game rosters have been announced. Here is a list of the pitchers and reserves that made the American League All-Star team this season.
With the 2017 MLB All-Star Game less than a few weeks away, it was only a matter of time before the rosters for the glorified exhibition would be announced. MLB let the world know which players would be representing the two leagues in the Mid-Summer Classic on Sunday, July 2.
The American League starters consist of a lot of Houston Astros and a few starting regulars like Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout.
Starters
- C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
- 1B: Justin Smoak, Toronto Blue Jays
- 2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
- SS: Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
- 3B: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians
- OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
- OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
- OF: George Springer, Houston Astros
- DH: Corey Dickerson, Tampa Bay Rays
This year’s American League club will be managed by Cleveland Indians skipper Terry Francona, who led the 2016 Indians team to an American League pennant. He helped put together the All-Star pitching staff, the reserve players and the five who will be available for the final vote. Here’s how he put his roster together for Miami.
Here are the pitchers that will represent the American League at the 2017 MLB All-Star Game.
Pitchers
- Dellin Betances, New York Yankees
- Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
- Michael Fulmer, Detroit Tigers
- Craig Kimbrel, Boston Red Sox
- Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
- Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
- Lance McCullers, Houston Astros
- Andrew Miller, Cleveland Indians
- Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox
- Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins
- Luis Severino, New York Yankees
- Jason Vargas, Kansas City Royals
The American League has a stacked pitching staff. Aces like Houston’s Dallas Keuchel and Cleveland’s Corey Kluber made the squad. Fireballers like Boston’s Craig Kimbrel and Cleveland’s Andrew Miller compose a formidable bullpen. It was nice to see players like Minnesota’s Ervin Santana and Kansas City’s Jason Vargas get the nod to the American League pitching staff for their excellent first halves.
Here are the position players that will compose the roster for the American League at the 2017 MLB All-Star Game.
Reserves
- Yonder Alonso, Oakland Athletics
- Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
- Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians
- Starlin Castro, New York Yankees
- Avisail Garcia, Chicago White Sox
- Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners
- Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians
- Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins
- Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees
- Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore Orioles
There are a lot of new faces on the American League reserves list. Nelson Cruz and Michael Brantley have made All-Star Games before, but many of these guys are very much in the beginning of their promising major league careers. Some of those guys include Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor, Minnesota’s Miguel Sano and New York’s Gary Sanchez.
There is still one more guy that fans need to figure out that will make the American League roster. Here are the five candidates for the American League Final Vote.
Final Vote
- Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
- Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox
- Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees
- Logan Morrison, Tampa Bay Rays
- Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals
Francona opted for a bigger names to compose the last infield spot on his roster. Boston’s Xander Bogaerts might be the front-runner, but Didi Gregorius does play for a charged-up Yankees team and Logan Morrison is pure power for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Expect there to be a few, maybe several, changes to the 2017 American League All-Star roster. It’s almost always the case. Congratulations to these guys for making it to Miami to represent the Junior Circuit.