New York Yankees rookie pitcher Masahiro Tanaka and Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish were selected to the MLB All-Star Game, the league announced July 6.
Tanaka (12-4, 2.51 ERA) leads the majors in wins and becomes the seventh Japanese player to be named an All-Star in his rookie season.
Darvish (8-4, 2.63 ERA) makes his third consecutive appearance in the midsummer classic after recording 134 strikeouts in 16 games while holding batters to a .224 average.
Joining the right-handers on the American League roster is Minnesota Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki, who was picked for the first time. He leads A.L. catchers with a .300 batting average.
Suzuki is the second Hawai‘i-born position player to be named to play in the game. Shane Victorino participated in the 2009 and 2011 contests. He is the fourth Japanese American to play in the All-Star Game overall after then-San Francisco Giant pitcher Atlee Hammaker in 1983, Victorino, and then-Seattle Mariner relief pitcher Brandon League in 2011.
Tanaka is scheduled to start the Yankees’ last game before the All-Star break and is unlikely to play in Minneapolis on July 15. Suzuki and Darvish are probable for the game.
The All-Star Game will be held July 15 at Target Field in Minnesota.
Drew Morita, a Yonsei from Kaua‘i, writes from San Francisco. Follow him @drewmorita or e-mail him at drew_morita@yahoo.com.
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