The Los Angeles Dodgers added two more representatives to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game as Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin were selected as National League pitchers.
They joined Mookie Betts and Trea Turner, who previously were voted in as NL starters. Prior to initial All-Star Game rosters being announced, manager Dave Roberts said he believed the Dodgers deserved to have seven players selected to the NL team.
It was presumed he anticipated Julio Urías, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith to also be selected.
Freeman is batting .296/.376.477 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI in his first season with the Dodgers, but faced a stacked position group at first base.
While it’s possible he’ll eventually get named to the All-Star Game as an injury replacement, one event Freeman already ruled out is the 2022 Home Run Derby at Dodger Stadium.
The 32-year-old ultimately declined an invitation but didn’t rule out competing in future events, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
“I said no this year unfortunately. But I told them I would be willing to do it in the future, just not this year.”
Freeman was among the participants in the 2018 Home Run Derby and lost in the first round to eventual champion Bryce Harper. Freeman has 11 home runs in 85 games this season.
Turner also rejected an opportunity to take part in this year’s Home Run Derby.
“Yeah right. I would put up like one or two homers, maybe,” he answered when asked if there was interest in participating in the Home Run Derby.
“I haven’t hit BP all year for a reason, because I don’t hit it very well. So yeah, definitely not. But I would love to see one of these guys in here do it. “I know Max (Muncy) has done in the past. Maybe Will Smith. I don’t know.
“There’s quite a few guys that could do it in here, but no, definitely not me.”
Will any Dodgers participate in 2022 Home Run Derby?
With the 2022 Home Run Derby one week away, it is unclear who will be taking swings in this year’s event.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is poised to defend his back-to-back Derby wins, and Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber, the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., Washington Nationals’ Juan Soto, and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals are participating as well.
New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton also expressed interest in being part of the competition.
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