Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash unveiled the American League starting lineup for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game Monday afternoon. The AL lineup has six first-time All Stars, and features three players from the Toronto Blue Jays. The American League will be making All-Star Game history with Shohei Ohtani pitching and hitting in the leadoff spot. Ohtani has been must see tv this season and will have all eyes on him in the first inning.
American League
1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels, DH/SP
Ohtani has been one of the best players in the American League as he’s a frontrunner for the AL MVP. The 27-year-old two-way star has been dominating both on the mound and at the plate. Ohtani leads the majors in home runs with 33 and has a 4-1 record with an ERA of 3.49 through 13 starts.
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays, 1B
Vladdy Jr. is right behind Ohtani in the AL MVP race and in the hunt for the triple crown. The young first baseman is having a huge bounce back season for the Blue Jays. The 22-year-old is slugging .332/.430/.658 with 28 HRs and a major-leading 73 RBI. The son of Vlad Sr. is proving that he’s not just a home run hitter, but also can hit for contact.
3. Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox, SS
Bogaerts is making his third All-Star appearance after having a solid first half for the Boston Red Sox. The 28-year-old is hitting a career-high .321 at the plate with 15 HRs and 51 RBI. He also has a league-leading 28 doubles. Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers is one of the more powerful 1-2 infield combos in baseball this season.
4. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees, RF
Judge has been the best offensive player for the Yankees’ this season and kept them somewhat in the AL East race. The 29-year-old is making his third appearance in the MLB All-Star Game. The last time Judge was voted into the midsummer’s classic was in 2018, which was his third year in the majors. This season, the veteran outfielder is having one of his best years at the plate since 2017, hitting .282 with 21 HRs and 47 RBI.
5. Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox, 3B
Devers is developing into one of the best third basemen in the majors and is still only 24 years old. The young infielder is making his first-ever appearance in the MLB All-Star Game. Devers is hitting .282/.350/.564 with 22 HRs (tied for fifth in the American League) and 72 RBI.
6. Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays, 2B
Surprisingly, this is Semien’s first All-Star Game, but it’s a well-deserved honor after the first half he had for the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old second baseman, who signed a one-year deal in free agency, is hitting .277 (second-best batting average in his career) with 22 HRs and 56 RBI. Semien has provided a spark in that Blue Jays’ lineup along with Guerrero, Bo Bichette, and Teoscar Hernandez.
7. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals, C
Perez is another AL player who is well-deserving of an All-Star Game appearance. The veteran catcher has been the best offensive catcher in the AL and had the chance to showcase his power in the home run derby Monday night. This season, the 31-year-old is hitting .275 with 21 HRs and 53 RBI. This will be Perez’s seventh appearance in the mid-summer’s classic.
8. Teoscar Hernandez, Toronto Blue Jays, LF
The 28-year-old outfielder has shown thus far in 2021 that his performance in the shortened season in 2020 was not a fluke. Last season, Hernandez was hitting.289/.340/.579 with 16 HRs and 34 RBI. Fast forward to this year, the veteran outfielder is slugging .297/.341/.473 with 11 HRs and 48 RBI.
9. Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles, CF
Rounding out the batting order for the AL is Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins. The 26-year-old is finally coming into his own and establishing himself as building block for the Orioles’ franchise. The 5-foot-8 Mullins is slugging a career-high .314 with 16 HRs and 35 RBI this season. He also has stolen a career-best 16 bases and leads the league with 106 hits at the plate.