All-Star Game lineups revealed; Kershaw gets the start for National League
The starting pitchers and lineups for the 2022 MLB All-Star Game were announced early Monday morning.
Getting the nod for the hometown Los Angeles Dodgers is longtime ace and perennial All-Star Clayton Kershaw. Now heading to his ninth career ASG, it will be his first ever start in the Midsummer Classic.
The future Hall of Famer highlights a class of stellar players who have put on their best shows this season -- including five other Dodgers -- as the best of the best from the American League and National League face off for bragging rights on Tuesday evening.
Kershaw, 34, has won three Cy Young Awards, one MVP Award, one World Series, led the league in ERA five times and in wins and strikeouts three times each in his 14-year career.
Thus far this season, Kershaw is 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched. He's been fantastic thus far, not to mention becoming the only player in MLB history to take two separate perfect games into the eighth inning of a ball game.
Despite missing a portion of the season due to injury, the move by National League manager Brian Snitker is a classy recognition of what the opportunity means to not only Kershaw, but to the Dodger Faithful.
"Because we are here in Los Angeles, home of the Dodgers, you toss this around, and Clayton's name kept coming to the forefront to start this game," Snitker said to MLB.com. "His reputation and what he's meant to the game of baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers, I think it's just perfect that he start this game for us."
He's the 13th player in All-Star Game history to get the start in front of their home crowd.
With 192 career wins he's currently third all-time in Dodgers franchise history and ranks in the top ten in nearly every other category.
He'll face off against the American League and Tampa Bay Ray's Shane McClanahan.
The lineups and matchups were announced by the managers of each respective club, with Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros representing the American League against Brian Snitker of the Atlanta Braves -- the two clubs to make the 2021 World Series.
With the Dodgers hosting at their beloved Chavez Ravine, the American League settles for visitor this time around. Their lineup on Tuesday will feature another local player in the Angels Shoehei Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP. Barring last minute changes, the AL lineup will be:
- Shohei Ohtani, designated hitter - Los Angeles Angels
- Aaron Judge, right field - New York Yankees
- Rafael Devers, third base - Boston Red Sox
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., first base - Toronto Blue Jays
- Giancarlo Stanton, left field - New York Yankees
- Byron Buxton, centerfield - Minnesota Twins
- Tim Anderson, shortstop - Chicago White Sox
- Andres Gimenez, second base - Cleveland Guardians
- Alejandro Kirk, catcher - Toronto Blue Jays
- Shane McClanahan, starting pitcher - Tampa Bay Rays
The National League lineup features two of the six Dodgers selected to represent their team, with both Mookie Betts and Trea Turner securing their spots via fan vote. Their lineup will be:
- Ronald Acuña Jr., right field - Atlanta Braves
- Mookie Betts, centerfield - Los Angeles Dodgers
- Manny Machado, third base - San Diego Padres
- Paul Goldschmidt, first base - St. Louis Cardinals
- Trea Turner, shortstop - Los Angeles Dodgers
- Willson Contreras, catcher - Chicago Cubs
- William Contreras, designated hitter - Atlanta Braves
- Joc Pederson, left field - San Francisco Giants
- Jeff McNeil, second base - New York Mets
- Clayton Kershaw, starting pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers
Additional Dodgers to make the squad are first baseman Freddie Freeman and starting pitchers Tyler Anderson and Tony Gonsolin. Freeman and Anderson were named as replacements due to other players opting not to participate in the game. Mike Trout was selected as a starter for the American League, but was forced to withdraw due to a lingering back issue.
For the first time since 1980 the game returns to Dodger Stadium, bringing fanfare, festivities and tons of fans along with it. Visitors and locals alike were able to visit a slew of different All-Star game events including the Futures Game, the Celebrity Softball Game, MLB All-Star Oceanfront at the Santa Monica Pier and the Play Ball Park ahead of the Home Run Derby on Monday and the Midsummer Classic itself on Tuesday.
