Today Major League Baseball added Tampa Bay Rays left-handed pitcher Blake Snell to the American League roster for the 2018 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, to be played on Tuesday, July 17 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. It is the first selection of his career. He replaces Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber on the roster. 
This is the ninth consecutive season the Rays have had a pitcher named an All-Star; only the New York Yankees (12) have a longer current streak in the AL.
Despite yesterday's start of 3 IP, his shortest of the season, Snell ranks among AL leaders in starts (20, tied for 1st), wins (12, tied for 2nd), ERA (2.27, 3rd), strikeouts (134, 8th), strikeouts per nine innings (10.13, 7th), WHIP (1.07, 8th) and opponents' batting avg. (.189, 4th). He has yielded two runs or fewer in 16 of his 20 starts, tops in the majors.
Snell established club records among qualifiers before the All-Star break with a 2.27 ERA and .189 opponents' batting avg., surpassing James Shields (2.33, .210) in 2010. His 20 starts before the break tie the club record held by David Price (2014), and his 12 wins are tied with Price in 2010 for second in club history before the All-Star break, behind Matt Moore (13) in 2013. 
Snell will join teammate Wilson Ramos, who was voted by fans as the starting catcher, and Manager Kevin Cash, who was named to AL Manager A.J. Hinch's coaching staff, in Washington. Snell and Ramos have a chance to become the second Rays battery to appear together in the All-Star Game; in 2008 at Yankee Stadium, Scott Kazmir pitched to Dioner Navarro in the 15th inning of the AL's 4-3 victory, and Kazmir was credited with the win.