Three National League pitchers are headed to the All-Star Game for the first time after Tuesday’s roster shuffle, with the Pirates’ Braxton Ashcraft, the Phillies’ Jesús Luzardo and the Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien stepping in for three starters who won’t be available next week.
Ashcraft, Luzardo and O’Brien replace Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes and Miami’s Max Meyer. All three original selections are lined up to start for their clubs on Sunday, which makes them ineligible to pitch in the Midsummer Classic.
That means the NL will be without three arms that have been central to the league’s pitching conversation. Misiorowski, who drew plenty of attention as a rookie All-Star last summer, was in the mix to start this year’s game. The Brewers right-hander leads the majors with 167 strikeouts, a 1.62 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP in his second big-league season.
Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, hasn’t matched the peak of his first two major league seasons, but he still entered Tuesday’s start with a 3.62 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 119 strikeouts in 18 outings. Meyer, 27, was set for his first All-Star Game after putting together a breakout year with a 2.53 ERA and 112 strikeouts.
The three replacements all get their first career All-Star nods.
Ashcraft has settled in nicely behind Skenes in Pittsburgh’s rotation during his first full season as a big-league starter. The 26-year-old leads the Pirates in ERA at 3.24, FIP at 3.16, WHIP at 1.10 and strikeouts with 122 across 108 1/3 innings. He also sits in the NL’s top 10 in K/9 and BB/9.
Luzardo, 28, has logged a 3.75 ERA, 2.96 FIP and 1.27 WHIP while striking out 125 batters over 103 1/3 innings. His selection gives the host Phillies six All-Stars, the most of any team.
O’Brien has been a steady force in St. Louis’ bullpen. He shares the NL lead in saves with Mason Miller at 22 and has posted a 3.72 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, along with 35 strikeouts and only two home runs allowed in 36 1/3 innings.
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