Major League Baseball tonight announced the 2017 American League All-Star roster, which consists of five (5) players from the Cleveland Indians, equaling the most individual selections in MLB with the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and Houston Astros. The last time the club sent five players to the Mid-Summer Classic was in 2004.
The American League squad will be managed by Indians skipper TERRY FRANCONA, who will be managing his third All-Star Game. Francona is bringing his entire coaching staff to the July 11th game in Miami, FL and has also invited Tampa Bay Rays Manager and former Indians Bullpen Coach Kevin Cash.
Ramírez, 24, earned his first All-Star selection via the fan voting, becoming the first Indians position player to earn a starting nod via the fan vote since Juan Gonzalez (2001) and youngest since Sandy Alomar (1990). So far this season, José is batting .325 (99-305) with 26 doubles, 4 triples, 15 home runs and 42 RBI in 80 games (.379/.584/.963). He entered play today leading the American League in extra-base hits (45) and was 4th in average and total bases (178), tied for 2nd in doubles, tied for third in hits, 6th in runs and slugging pct. (.584) and 7th in OPS (.963). He set a club record by doubling in 7 straight games, June 14-19, and became the first Indians batter since 1936 to record two-or-more base hits in 9 straight games, June 14-21, on his way to hitting .367 (40-109) in June. He is second among MLB third basemen in fWAR (3.0) and OPS to Washington’s Anthony Rendon. The last Indians All-star third baseman was Travis Fryman in 2000. This afternoon in Detroit he recorded his third two-homer game of the year and became the first switch-hitter in club history to homer from each side multiple times within the same season.
Kluber, 31, was selected to the squad by the Baseball Office of the Commissioner after posting a record of 7-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 12 starts to date in 2017 (80.1IP, 60, 27ER, 20BB, 105SO, .205 avg). Since returning from the disabled list on June 1, he has posted a mark of 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 6 starts (43.0IP, 22H, 6ER, 7BB, 64SO), tied for the second-most strikeouts in club history in June. Despite making 12 starts, Corey entered today tied for 5th in the American League in strikeouts, 4th in fWAR (2.7), ERA, average against and hits per 9.0IP (6.7), 2nd in WHIP (1.00) and 3rd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.25). He is the first Indians starting right-handed pitcher to earn consecutive All-Star bids since Early Wynn (1955-57).
Miller, 32, was selected via player voting and is making his second consecutive/career appearance in the Mid-Summer Classic. He is also the club’s first left-handed reliever to make the A.L. All-Star team since Sid Monge in 1979. So far this season, he has posted a mark of 3-2 with 2 saves, 17 holds and a 1.49 ERA in 36 outings (42.1IP, 20H, 7ER, 10BB, 65SO, .138avg). Among American League relievers he began play today 2nd in fWAR (1.8), holds and reliever strikeouts, 3rd in relief average against (.138) and relief innings and 5th in relief ERA. Major League batters are hitting .152 against (62-for-407) off him since the start of the 2016 season.
Brantley (player vote) is an A.L. All-Star for the second time in his career after being selected as a reserve back in 2014 when he earned a Silver Slugger Award and finished 3rd in A.L. MVP voting. Brantley, 30, holds the distinction of being Cleveland's only outfield representative in the Mid-Summer Classic over the past nine seasons (previous was Grady Sizemore, 2006-08). He has returned to appear in 60 games for the Indians in 2017 after missing nearly all of 2016 while recovering from right shoulder surgery. The Port St. Lucie, Florida resident currently owns the Tribe's 2nd-highest batting average at .303 (11th-best in the A.L.) and is 14th in the Junior Circuit with a .365 on-base pct.
Lindor (player vote) will represent the Indians for the second straight season after being selected as a reserve in 2016 when he became the 4th-youngest All-Star in Cleveland history before going on to win both a Rawlings Gold Glove award at shortstop and the overall A.L. Platinum Glove award in his first full Major League campaign. This marks the second time in seven seasons for an Indians shortstop to be selected to the All-Star team, as Lindor, 23, joins Asdrubal Cabrera (2011-12). Omar Vizquel (1998-99) was the last Indians shortstop to be selected in consecutive seasons prior to Cabrera/Lindor. The Clermont, Florida resident helped his native Team Puerto Rico reach the 2017 World Baseball Classic championship game and currently ranks among Indians team leaders in hits (2nd, 80), doubles (2nd, 23), total bases (147), extra-base hits (38), and home runs (2nd, 14).