Brett Gardner named to American League All-Star Team

American League All-Star manager Ned Yost of the Kansas City Royals announced today, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, that New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner will replace outfielder Alex Gordon of the Royals on the AL's active roster for the 86th All-Star Game. In addition, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones will replace the fan-elected Gordon in the starting lineup as a result of his standing on the AL Player Ballot.

Gordon, who is hitting .279 on the season with 11 home runs, 39 RBI, 13 doubles and 32 runs scored, was elected an AL All-Star for the third consecutive season and was due to make his first fan-elected start in the Midsummer Classic. Alex will be inactive in the All-Star Game, but is invited to Cincinnati with full All-Star honors. Gardner, 31, will make his All-Star Game debut in his eighth Major League season. The South Carolina native entered play today batting .298 on the season with nine home runs, 39 RBI, 21 doubles, three triples, 61 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. Gardner, who was one of the five AL players named to the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote, joins his Yankees teammate Dellin Betances and Mark Teixeira on the AL's active roster. With Gardner's selection to the roster, the AL Final Vote will be decided between the remaining four players on the ballot - Kansas City's Mike Moustakas, Minnesota's Brian Dozier, Detroit's Yoenis Cespedes and Boston's Xander Bogaerts.

The 2015 All-Star Game will be played at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, July 14th. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.