07/12/26 03:08:00
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07/12 15:07 CDT Philadelphia's Snchez to start All-Star Game at home for NL.
Toronto's Cease the pick for AL
Philadelphia's Snchez to start All-Star Game at home for NL. Toronto's Cease
the pick for AL
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
Cristopher Snchez of the Philadelphia Phillies will start Tuesday night's
All-Star Game in his home ballpark, taking the mound for the National League
against Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays announced Sunday that Cease will be the American League's
starter. Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who is managing the NL, said
Sanchez is his starter.
"I think he deserves it. He's the hometown ballplayer and I think the city of
Philly will enjoy watching him and supporting him," Roberts said. "I had a
conversation with him this morning. ... He was very grateful. In a time when
guys are not wanting to participate, this guy in the Midsummer Classic for
fans, I think this is a good thing. He's very excited about pitching."
Also Sunday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said New York right-hander Cam
Schlittler is not planning to pitch in the All-Star Game. Schlittler will still
be at the game and there is no replacement planned for the AL roster.
Sanchez is 11-4 with a 2.62 ERA this season. He's third in the major leagues
with 144 strikeouts. The left-hander's streak of 50 2/3 scoreless innings was a
highlight of the major league season so far.
Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski, who leads the majors in ERA (1.62), WHIP (0.76)
and strikeouts (167), was replaced on the All-Star team earlier in the week,
when it appeared he would be starting for the Brewers on Sunday. Then Milwaukee
scratched him from that start because of arm fatigue.
Cease is 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA for the Blue Jays. He nearly threw his second
career no-hitter Wednesday against San Francisco, but it was broken up in the
ninth inning.
Cease is the first Toronto pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roy
Halladay in 2009.
Cease got the word from his manager, John Schneider, who will skipper the AL
squad, during a team meeting before Sunday's series finale at San Diego.
"It's pretty surreal. I didn't know what to say. Everyone's saying, ?Give a
speech,' and I'm like, I was pretty speechless, so it was just a really cool
experience," Cease said.
"It's really cool how all of these things have lined up, you know, even being
able to pitch in it and having a good enough first half to be in the running
for it and all that. And the fact that pretty much our entire staff is going,
it's really a really great recipe," Cease added.
Schlittler was a candidate to start, boasting an AL-leading ERA of 2.05, but he
pitched for the Yankees on Saturday.
"Just feels like on his recovery day to go back out there throwing 100 mph is
something that I think he felt a little apprehensive about," Boone told
reporters before New York's game at Washington. "Certainly support that
decision and obviously I think he understands what's at stake here in the
second half too for us and for him."
Schlittler could start the opening game of the second half against the Dodgers
on Friday at Yankee Stadium.
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AP freelance writers Bernie Wilson in San Diego and Doug Padilla in Los Angeles
contributed to this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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