The MLB All-Star teams were announced Tuesday night, and closer Mark Melancon will be the lone representative for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The last time the Pirates had one representative was 2010 when relief pitcher Evan Meek represented the team. Last year, the Pirates had four representatives in pitchers A.J. Burnett, Gerrit Cole, Melancon and center fielder Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen had been a Pirates representative for four consecutive years, but below average offensive numbers ended his chances this year.
This will be Melancon’s third appearance in the All-Star Game — he was selected in both 2013 and 2015. In the 2015 game, he appeared and pitched the eighth inning, allowing a run on a hit while striking out two batters.
This season, Melancon has pitched 18.1 consecutive scoreless innings and earned his 24th save of the season Sunday. He has 108 saves since the start of the 2014 season, which is the most in all of the MLB. In 258 games as a Pirate, he has a 1.79 ERA.
Both left fielder Starling Marte and right fielder Gregory Polanco were All-Star possibilities, but they were left off the team. Marte, who finished eighth among NL outfielders in the voting (McCutchen was 12th) has been named to the All-Star final vote.
Last season, Marte’s arm earned him a Gold Glove. He had 16 outfield assists last season, and he has nine this season. Marte ranks sixth in the NL with a .321 batting average. He also has six home runs, 31 RBIs, 24 stolen bases and an 80 percent success rate at stealing bases to go with that batting average. He entered play Monday with a .329 average in his past 18 contests, and he batted .345 in the month of June.
This season, Polanco is batting .295 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI. Entering play Monday, he had hit .341 in his past 12 games.
The All-Star game will take place Tuesday, July 12, at Petco Park in San Diego, CA. The game will start at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
Image credit: MLB.com
