WILL SMITH, FREDDIE FREEMAN AND SHOHEI OHTANI NAMED NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR STARTERS
LOS ANGELE**S –** Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, first baseman Freddie Freeman and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani were voted National League All-Star starters for the 95th Midsummer Classic in Atlanta at Truist Park. The Dodgers will have three starters in the All-Star game for the third time in the last four seasons, following three in Seattle in 2023 (Mookie Betts, Freeman, J.D. Martinez) and three in 2022 in Los Angeles (Clayton Kershaw, Trea Turner and Betts).
Smith, 30, will earn his third straight trip to the All-Star Game and his first as a starter. In 67 games with the Boys in Blue this season, he has an NL-best .320 batting average and .418 slugging percentage, to go with 10 homers and 43 RBI, and is also among leaders on the team in runs (42, 5th), hits (71, T-5th), total bases (118, 5th), home runs (T-5th) and RBI (6th). He ranks among the National League catchers in various categories, including home runs (3rd), RBI (3rd), hits (3rd), slugging percentage (.532, 2nd) and on-base plus slugging (.949, 1st). In his six big league seasons with the Dodgers, Smith has slashed .264/.357/.478 with 123 doubles, 121 homers and 424 RBI in 679 games.
Freeman, 35, earns his ninth All-Star Game selection and fourth straight as a member of the Dodgers. He will return to Atlanta as a starter, his fifth All-Star Game start of his career. In 73 games with the Dodgers, he is batting .308 with 10 homers and 43 RBI. Despite missing 13 games this season, the 2020 NL MVP is amongst the Major League leaders in various categories, including doubles (21, T-4th) extra-base hits (33, T-16th), batting average (2nd), OBP (.381, 8th) and OPS (.882, 11th). Freeman is in his 16th Major League season and has amassed 353 homers and 1,275 RBI with a lifetime .300 batting average in 2,105 career games.
Ohtani, 30, earns his fifth straight All-Star Game nomination and second as a Dodger after making three straight as a member of the Angels (2021-23). The reigning National League MVP is having another historic season with the Dodgers, batting .287 with 30 homers and 55 RBI and is 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts this season. Last night, he clubbed his 30th homer of the season, tying Cody Bellinger for most homers by a Dodger in the first half of the season. He joined Aaron Judge as one of two players to hit 30+ homers in the last five seasons. He ranks among the best in multiple MLB categories: OPS (1.024, 2nd), slugging (.637, 3rd), total bases (211, 2nd), extra base hits (49, T-2nd), home runs (30, T-2nd), runs (83, 1st), hits (95, T-9th) and OBP (.387, 6th). The three-time MVP has been in the Major Leagues seven seasons and has slashed .282/.372/.581 with 255 homers and 622 RBI during his MLB career while posting a 38-19 record with a 3.00 ERA and 611 strikeouts across 89 career starts.
The 95th Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports and in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish language coverage in the United States. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game, while Univision will provide Spanish language coverage on radio.
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