The 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star teams were announced on Sunday, and the Los Angeles Dodgers will be represented in Washington D.C. by outfielder Matt Kemp and closer Kenley Jansen.
Kemp, who many thought wouldn’t even be on the Dodgers at the beginning of the season, will be starting in the game as he received the second most votes among NL outfielders behind only Nick Markakis of the Atlanta Braves.
After an offseason in which he got into the best shape he has been in years, Kemp is having a very productive season for Los Angeles, slashing .317/.355/.550 with 15 home runs and a team-leading 57 RBI.
This will be Kemp’s third career All-Star Game with the last one coming in his first stint with the Dodgers in 2012. He will likely be starting in left field for the NL team.
Jansen got off to a rough start to the season but has returned to his usual self over the last couple of months. In 40 games this season, Jansen has yielded a 2.34 ERA, 2.93 FIP and 0.95 WHIP while saving 24 games in 27 appearances. He has 45 strikeouts and 10 walks in 42.1 innings.
In his last 33 games, Jansen has pitched to a minuscule 1.26 ERA while striking out 38 hitters while walking just seven.
Joining the Dodgers players in Washington D.C. will be Dave Roberts, who is managing the NL team after the Dodgers made it to the World Series in 2017. His entire coaching staff will be joining him for the game that will take place on Tuesday, July 17.
Two Dodgers players that did not make the team that had to have been under consideration were Max Muncy and Ross Stripling. Both players have come out of nowhere to have All-Star caliber seasons, and still could possibly be added to the roster before the game.
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