ARLINGTON -- Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez was selected to play in last year’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, but a hand injury meant he had to settle for watching the Midsummer Classic on TV -- a game in which teammate Framber Valdez was the winning pitcher.

That’s why Alvarez, despite being on the injured list again, said Sunday he wants to participate in the festivities this year and will travel with Valdez to Seattle for the 2023 All-Star Game, which is set for July 11 at T-Mobile Park.

• MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: July 11 on FOX

Alvarez was voted as a reserve to the American League team by the players, and Valdez was selected by Major League Baseball. It’s the second consecutive All-Star nod for both players, who will be the only Astros players in Seattle.

“The plan for me is to go,” said Alvarez, who’s been out since June 8 with a strained oblique. “Last year, I wasn’t able to go and I want to be able to live that experience.”

Alvarez and Valdez will have plenty of company in Seattle. Astros manager Dusty Baker and his entire coaching staff will guide the AL for the second year in a row after having won the AL pennant last year. Baker announced the All-Star selections in the clubhouse prior to Sunday’s game against the Rangers.

“I like the combination of fans voting and players voting, because the fans vote on who has the name recognition, except we have some new All-Stars and new names,” Baker said. “That means a whole lot when your peers vote for you. I’m glad for [Alvarez]. I’m hoping shortly after the All-Star break, though, we get Yordan back.”

Valdez, 29, is 7-6 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.05 WHIP through 16 starts, including a shutout of the A’s. In 105 innings, he’s allowed 86 hits, 24 walks and struck out 110 batters. Entering Sunday, he was leading the AL in ERA and was third in innings pitched and seventh in strikeouts.

The lefty has been dealing with a sore left ankle in his last two starts and likely won’t pitch again until Thursday or Friday in Houston, which could put him in line to possibly start the All-Star Game.

“It would be a great honor for me,” Valdez said. “I think if I pitch Friday or Thursday, it would be me in regular rest. Obviously, in the All-Star Game you’d probably throw only one inning. I’m going to try to do everything right to be healthy and be in the right position to do that when the time comes.”

Alvarez, 26, was slashing .277/.388/.589 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs in 57 games when he injured his oblique swinging the bat in Toronto on June 8. At the time of the injury, he was leading the Major Leagues in RBIs. He was still tied for eighth in the AL in RBIs entering Sunday, despite missing 20 games.

“Definitely very frustrating,” Alvarez said. “It’s something that came out of nowhere. I felt pretty good at the plate; it's something I wasn’t planning for. I tried to hide it as much as I could but the pain got to the point I couldn’t hide it and I had to tell the team about it. It’s very frustrating. Having to be out for four to six weeks is something, obviously, I don’t wish on anybody.”