Mike Trout elected to 11th All-Star Game, 4 Texas players chosen to start

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Trout will see a bunch of new faces surrounding him at this year’s All-Star Game.

The Los Angeles Angels center fielder was selected for his 11th appearance on Thursday, and four Texas Rangers were chosen by fans for the American League’s lineup for the July 11 game at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

Nine first-time starters were picked by fans, including three Rangers: catcher Jonah Heim, shortstop Corey Seager and rookie third baseman Josh Jung. Arizona rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll, who’s from Seattle, also was voted in, giving the starting lineups a pair of rookie position players for the third time after Rich Rollins and Tom Tresh in 1962, and Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukodome in 2008.

“You always put it in your mind that I want to do that someday,” Jung said.

Texas reached the season’s midpoint at 49-32, on track for its first winning season since 2016. The Rangers host next year’s All-Star Game.

“We all strive to be the best we can be. And if the fans acknowledge us this year, that means we’re doing something,” Semien said.

Texas’ previous high was three starters in 2012, when Adrian Beltré, Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli were picked.

Trout was voted to start for the 10th time and will be joined in the AL lineup by teammate Shohei Ohtani, who last week was chosen at designated hitter as the league’s top-vote getter in the first round.

Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Díaz and outfielder Randy Arozarena were among the first-time starters, joined by Atlanta shortstop Orlando Arcia and catcher Sean Murphy, Miami second baseman Luis Arraez and Carroll.

“I almost cried there,” Arraez said after learning of his election.

Arraez was batting over .400 as recently as this past weekend. His average had dipped to .392 as of Thursday.

Three Los Angeles Dodgers were picked: first baseman Freddie Freeman, outfielder Mookie Betts and designated hitter J.D. Martinez.

St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado was elected to his fifth start and eighth appearance.

Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, elected to start for the fifth time, hasn’t played since June 3 because of a torn ligament in his right big toe. Houston’s Yordan Alvarez finished fourth in the AL outfield voting.

Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. earned an outfield spot last week as the NL’s top vote-getter during the first round, from May 31 to June 22. The second round started Monday and ended Thursday.

Pitchers and reserves will be announced Sunday.

Heim edged Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman 52%-48% and Díaz beat out Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 53%-47%. The closest NL votes were both 53%-47%: Arraez over Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies and Martinez over Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper.