Three Cubs named to N.L. All-Star team |
CHICAGO – Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Báez, catcher
Willson Contreras and left-handed pitcher
Jon Lester today were named to the National League All-Star team.
Both Báez and Contreras were voted by fans to start the 89th Major League All-Star Game Tuesday, July 17 at Washington D.C.’s Nationals Park, while Lester was named to the All-Star team through the player vote. The Cubs will have at least two players start the All-Star Game for the second time in the last three seasons, as the club had four players start the game in 2016 in first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell and third baseman Kris Bryant. That year the Cubs had five total players voted to start, though outfielder Dexter Fowler was unavailable due to injury. Overall, the Cubs have now had 10 different players make the All-Star team within the last three seasons: pitcher Jake Arrieta, Báez, Bryant, Contreras, pitcher Wade Davis, Fowler, Lester, Rizzo, Russell and Zobrist. Additionally, the current club now features 22 combined All-Star appearances among 10 different players (active roster plus disabled list). Contreras has been named to his first All-Star team and is the first Cubs catcher to make the club since Geovany Soto started the game in 2008. Contreras is only the fourth Cubs catcher to make the squad in the last 40 years, joining Soto, Joe Girardi (2000) and Jody Davis (1984, 1986). Báez has been named to his first-career All-Star team and is the first Cubs second baseman to make the club since Zobrist started the game in 2016. Prior to Zobrist, the previous Cubs second baseman to be named to the squad had been Ryne Sandberg, who started the game in 1993. Overall, Baez is the fifth Cubs second baseman to be named to the club in the last 50 years, joining Zobrist, Sandberg, Manny Trillo and Glenn Beckert. Lester has been named an All-Star for the fifth time in his career, his second time as a Cub, as he previously earned American League honors in 2010, 2011 and 2014 and with the Cubs in 2016. He is the first Cubs left-handed starter to make the club at least two times since Johnny Schmitz in 1946 and 1948. In 2016, Lester became the first Cubs lefty to pitch in the game since Randy Myers in 1995, who was also the last Cubs southpaw to earn two All-Star nods (also 1994). A couple of first-time All-Stars get the good news. #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/QK7MVk96Lx
