DETROIT -- Gregory Soto entered the season looking to become the Tigers' closer. He became an All-Star instead, maybe in part because he doesn’t have the title.

Manager A.J. Hinch has called on his hard-throwing sinkerballing left-hander in every inning from the sixth into the 10th. When the manager met with his team Sunday morning, he got to call on Soto and tell him that he was an All-Star for the first time in his career.

“Obviously that room erupted when I let the guys know that he was going to be our representative,” Hinch said.

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This will mark the third consecutive All-Star Game that Detroit will have a reliever as its rep. Like Shane Greene (2019) and Joe Jiménez (2018), Soto is a first-time All-Star. The 26-year-old lefty will head to the 2021 All-Star Game at Colorado's Coors Field with the momentum of a strong season, Sunday’s three-run ninth inning against the White Sox notwithstanding.

"It means a lot for me and for my family," Soto said through a translator after Sunday’s 6-5 win over Chicago. "It’s very important. Since I was a kid, I’ve always thought about that. And now it’s a dream come true."

Soto's dream going into Spring Training was to close, a role he held in winter ball. Instead, he has become the face of a Tigers bullpen without a set closer.

"I’ve continued to rely on him in leverage situations from the sixth inning all the way through the ninth inning, and he’s responded favorably," Hinch said.

Soto is the first Tigers left-hander to make an All-Star team since David Price in 2015, and the team’s first All-Star lefty reliever since Willie Hernandez earned three consecutive selections from 1984-86.

While Soto shares the team lead with six saves, he hasn’t been reliant on save opportunities. Instead of being used solely for the final outs, he often has been handed the ball for the biggest outs. His perfect sixth inning in Cleveland on Wednesday came against the middle of the Indians' order. Three days earlier, he tossed a scoreless ninth in a tie game against the Astros, then stayed on for the 10th to strand two runners in scoring position with back-to-back groundouts.

Only Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal have more wins on the Tigers than Soto, owner of a 4-1 record and a 2.94 ERA. His six saves are tied for the team lead with 2017 All-Star Michael Fulmer, to go with seven holds.

While Detroit closers in recent years have had to battle long stretches between outings, Soto’s more regular workload has helped him become a better pitcher. His arsenal has been All-Star caliber since he moved into the bullpen late in 2019. Last year, his command was unpredictable. This year, he’s more consistent.

Soto’s strike percentage has risen from 49 percent last year to 50.3 percent so far this season. His first-pitch strike rate has jumped from 51 percent to 55.8 percent. His chase rate and whiff rate are also up.

Soto ranks in the top seven percent or better among Major League pitchers in expected batting average, ERA and slugging percentages, as well as barrel rate. His velocity ranks in the top two percent.

"You used to be able to go up there and make him earn the first strike or the second," Hinch said. "You’re seeing guys swing and miss early in counts now because he has established that he’s going to be around the zone. Sure, he’s going to be erratic from time to time and spray the ball effectively, but his ability to land his slider has gotten him out of trouble and also put away hitters.

"He’s more well-rounded today than he’s ever been in his career."

The Tigers had a few other solid All-Star candidates, from infielder Jonathan Schoop to rookie outfielder Akil Baddoo to Mize. Even fellow reliever José Cisnero had a case. Hinch, who managed the 2018 AL All-Stars as the Astros' manager, said he’s hopeful Mize could be added as other starters are deemed unavailable, either due to injury or if they pitch just before the All-Star break.