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Tigers equal Dodgers with MLB-leading 5th All-Star selection
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- Tigers equal Dodgers with MLB-leading 5th All-Star selection
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The post Tigers equal Dodgers with MLB-leading 5th All-Star selection appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Detroit Tigers are one win away from 60 before the Major League Baseball All-Star break. Detroit also have one of the best rosters, sending four players to the All-Star Game initially . However, third baseman Zach McKinstry will join Javier Baez and the rest of Detroit's batters as a new addition on the All-Star team, matching Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers .
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The Tigers and Dodgers each have five players heading to the All-Star Game, the best mark in the league. Los Angeles sends Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto , Will Smith , Clayton Kershaw , and Freddie Freeman . The Tigers' representatives are Tarik Skubal , McKinstry, Baez, Riley Greene , and Gleyber Torres .
While the eventual clash between the leaders in the American and National League is not guaranteed, it feels inevitable. The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs are in the conversation at the top of MLB, but the Tigers and Dodgers have set themselves apart from the crowd. With Ohtani working his way back onto the mound, Los Angeles is only getting better.
McKinstry's first All-Star nod comes amid trade rumors surrounding his position. Detroit is one of a few teams near the top of the list when it comes to where Ke'Bryan Hayes could end up . Making an All-Star game for the Tigers makes sending him out in a trade much more difficult to justify.
McKinstry replaces injured Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The 30-year-old is in the middle of a career year at the plate. He is near the top of the league in triples with eight, one more than Ohtani. He is not the biggest name in Detroit's lineup, but he deserves his recognition.
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The All-Star Game takes place in Atlanta on Tuesday. McKinstry won't start the game alongside his teammates, but he'll get his chance to leave his mark on the game. If nothing else, his inclusion goes to show that Detroit is as good as anyone in the league, including Los Angeles.
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