Altuve excited to have Jeter as All-Star teammate

HOUSTON -- All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve was set to fly to Minneapolis following Sunday's game to take part in the festivities surrounding Tuesday's All-Star Game at Target Field. Altuve was voted in by the players to take part in his second All-Star Game, first in the American League.

"I'm pretty excited," he said. "It's my second All-Star Game; now this year [it] is going to be in the American League. I want to spend time with those guys and have fun watching the [Gillette] Home Run Derby and have fun all weekend."

Altuve is taking Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton to win the Derby, but the part of the Midsummer Classic he's looking forward to the most is being a teammate of Yankees great Derek Jeter, who's playing in his final All-Star Game.

"That's the important thing for me," he said.

Red Sox manager John Farrell, who's managing the AL, said Sunday that Altuve will get into the game at some point. Robinson Cano is starting at second base and second baseman Ian Kinsler was recently added to the AL roster.

Altuve, who entered Sunday leading the AL in hits (130), batting (.339) and stolen bases (41), went 0-for-1 for the National League during his previous All-Star appearance in 2012.

"He's had a tremendous first half," Farrell said. "We'll get everybody to the field as we can. For him to be voted in by the players, I think, speaks volume to how he's viewed around the game by his peers, and he'll have a chance to showcase that on Tuesday."