Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani was selected to the American League All-Star Team as a pitcher and hitter for the second year in a row, while brothers William Contreras and Willson Contreras will both start for the National League.
Ohtani, 28, was selected as the designated hitter for the AL team and then selected as a pitcher by MLB. He’ll be showing his talent not far from his home with the Angels when the All-Star game takes place on July 19 at Dodger Stadium.
He will be joined in Los Angeles by Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, who fielded his ninth All-Star team and first since 2019. Kershaw was an MLB selection, while William Contreras was chosen as the batsman-designate by his peers.
Phillies batter Bryce Harper won the fan vote to start the game as batsman-designated for the NL, but is injured, leaving William in the starting lineup to join Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras. It’s the first time two brothers have started in an All-Star game since Roberto Alomar and Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1992.
“We were just two kids who dreamed of making it into the big leagues, and now we’re making it into the All-Star Game,” Willson said. “It’s a dream. There are a lot of brothers who would love to do that. Being able to play against each other with my brother and then against each other will be the best time of our lives.”
The Contreras brothers have already faced each other twice this year when the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs played during the regular season, but this is the first time they’ve donned a jersey for the same team in the major leagues. Harper will be replaced in the squad in the next few days.
The New York Yankees lead with six All-Star selections while the Houston Astros have five, including 39-year-old right-hander Justin Verlander, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Like Kershaw, this is Verlander’s ninth time making an all-star team.
Other notable veterans making up the team include Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, who joins teammate Paul Goldschmidt as a seven-time pick. Yankees starter Gerrit Cole made his fifth All-Star Team while Brewers closer Josh Hader is his fourth.
Overall, the American League has 18 first-time All-Stars, including nine pitchers and both catchers. The NL team consists of 12 newcomers and a total of 23 first or second place finishers.
Alongside Ohtani, Verlander and Cole on AL’s pitching staff are right-handers Paul Blackburn, Emmanuel Clase, Clay Holmes, Jorge Lopez and Alek Manoah. Left-handers Nestor Cortes, Shane McClanahan, Martin Perez, Gregory Soto and Framber Valdez also joined the team.
AL reserves include catcher Jose Trevino and infielders Luis Arraez, Xander Bogaerts, Andres Gimenez and Jose Ramirez.
AL’s all-star outfielders include Andrew Benintendi, Byron Buxton, Julio Rodriguez, George Springer, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez.
NL pitchers joining Kershaw and Hader include right-handers Sandy Alcantara, David Bednar, Corbin Burnes, Luis Castillo, Edwin Diaz, Tony Gonsolin, Ryan Helsley and Joe Musgrove.
Left-handed pitchers Max Fried and Joe Mantiply also formed the team.
NL reserves include Pete Alonso, CJ Cron, Jeff McNeil and Dansby Swanson. Ian Happ, Starling Marte, Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto are the NL outfield reserves.
Veterans Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols will join all of these players, as well as Los Angeles starters announced Friday, for the game. Cabrera and Pujols were commissioner selections.