(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, FIle)

National League All-Star Roster Announced

Major League Baseball announced the National League All-Star roster Sunday and some premier talent will be on display. Former Florida Gator Pete Alonso was selected as a reserve as he will play in his second career All-Star Game.

National League Starters

Ronald Acuña Jr. was the National League’s top vote-getter as he was given an automatic bid into the starting lineup. Acuña has not had his most outstanding season at the plate as he is coming of a torn ACL last year. However, the Atlanta star has put up decent numbers by hitting .274 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs in 53 games. This marks Acuña’s third All-Star selection of his career and second in a row.

Paul Goldschmidt has been what many consider to be the best player in the MLB this year. He is the frontrunner for National League MVP as he has put up insane numbers through the first half of the season. Goldschmidt leads the NL in batting average, runs, on-base percentage, slugging and hits. He will be appearing in his seventh career All-Star Game in 2022.

There is some major family history this year as a pair of brothers will appear in the same All-Star starting lineup for the first time since 1992. Willson and William Contreras will bat in the same lineup for the first time since the Alomar brothers. William is subbing in for fan-selected starter Bryce Harper as Harper will not play because of a fractured left thumb.

National League Pitchers

Sandy Alcantara is seemingly the ace of this National League pitching staff. Alcantara has put up absurd numbers in the first half as he is 9-3 with a 1.73 ERA. He has thrown two complete games this year and at least seven innings in his last 12 starts.

The Dodgers will have three All-Stars on the pitching staff as Kershaw (9th selection), Gonsolin (1st), and Musgrove (1st) will all represent LA. Gonsolin has been the best of the three as he leads the MLB in ERA at 1.62, and wins, as he is a perfect 11-0.

National League Reserves

Catcher

Travis d’Arnaud will appear in his first career All-Star Game this year. The veteran is putting up one of his best seasons as he is batting .267 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs.

Infielders

Former Florida Gator first baseman Pete Alonso will play in his first All-Star Game since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2019. Alonso leads the majors in RBIs with 70 and has mashed 23 home runs to boost his Mets into first place.

Albert Pujols, alongside Miguel Cabrera, was a special selection for the All-Star Game this year by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. Manfred decided to add Pujols to the roster because of what he has done for the game of baseball. Pujols has said he will retire after the 2022 season. This is his 11th career All-Star selection, giving him the most selections of any National League player on the roster.

Outfielders

Kyle Schwarber will play in his first All-Star Game this season as he was unable to play in the Midsummer Classic last season due to injury. He leads the National League in home runs with 28 and has collected 57 RBIs in the first half.

Starling Marte is one of four Mets to be selected on the All-Star team as they currently sit in first place in the NL East. This is the most All-Stars they have had since 2016 when they also sent 4.

About Hugh Green

Hugh is a third year student majoring in Journalism: Sports and Media at the University of Florida.

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