Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera named to National League All-Star team

SAN DIEGO, CA. - San Diego Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera has been selected to play for the National League in the Major League Baseball All-Star game held on July 16 at Citi Field in New York.

Cabrera, 26, will be making his first trip to the All-Star Game, becoming the third Nicaraguan-born player to be named to an All-Star team, and the first position player, joining right-handers Dennis Martinez (1990-93, '95) and Vicente Padilla (2002). He is the fourth shortstop in club history to be named an All-Star, joining Ozzie Smith (1981), Garry Templeton (1985) and Tony Fernandez (1992). The switch-hitter is the sixth Padres middle infielder to make the All-Star team, joining the aforementioned shortstops and Roberto Alomar (1990) and Mark Loretta (2004).

Entering the game today, Cabrera was leading the Padres this year in average, at-bats, hits, runs scored and stolen bases. He was hitting .300 (84-for-280) with 37 runs, 11 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 24 RBI and a National League-leading 31 steals to go along with a .411 on-base percentage and a .411 slugging percentage. Over his last 32 games since May 15, he is hitting a Major League-best .371 (49-for-132) and leads the National League with a .396 (36-for-91) average against left-handers. Cabrera was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list on Friday after missing 17 games with a strained left hamstring.

The 2013 All-Star Game will be played at Citi Field on Tuesday, July 16. The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.