As most Padres fans expected, Friars first baseman Wil Myers was selected to represent San Diego as part of the National League All-Star team. This is Myers’ first career All-Star selection.
Myers has been a standout for the Padres all season long. He leads the team in home runs with 19, has notched 57 RBI, 56 runs scored and has a total 88 hits. With this selection he is now the sixth first baseman in Padres history to represent San Diego in the All-Star Game, joining Nate Colbert, Adrian Gonzalez, Steve Garvey, Fred McGriff, and Ryan Klesko.
In late June, we asked several Padres players and skipper Andy Green who they felt should get the All-Star nod for the Friars. Myers was a unanimous choice among those we spoke to (including Jon Jay and Christian Bethancourt); but so was closer Fernando Rodney who was of course selected for the All Star game but will be wearing a Miami Marlins uniform. Rodney was traded in late June.
Also making the National League All-Star roster are former University of San Diego star and Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, as well as San Diego native and Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg. This is the second All-Star selection for both Bryant and Strasburg.
On the American League squad, former Padres closer Craig Kimbrel (Red Sox) and Rancho Bernardo high school alum Cole Hamels (Rangers) were invited as All-Stars. Orioles relief pitcher Brad Brach also earned his first All-Star invite.
Kimbrel spent the 2015 season with San Diego before getting traded to Boston for four prospects (Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Carlos Asuaje and Logan Allen) this past offseason.
It will be Kimbrel's 5th All-Star game appearance but first in an AL uniform after making the Midsummer Classic four times as a member of the Atlanta Braves.
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Hamels was the 2008 World Series MVP during his long career with the Phillies. Philadelphia traded him to Texas last year.
Hamels will be making his 4th All-Star appearance.
Brach spent time in the Padres organization after the club drafted him in the 42nd round of the 2008 draft. The right-hander made his MLB debut with the Friars in 2011.
The MLB All-Star game is Tuesday July 12th at Petco Park.
