The 85th All-Star game in Major League Baseball (MLB) will be historic for Cubans. Five players born on the island were selected to participate in the upcoming July 15 game at Target Field in Minnesota. It is an unprecedented event that shows the Cuban impact in the big leagues.
The winners in the respective ratings were outfielder Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who play from the start in the right field of the National League team and have flamethrower lefty Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds as teammate. In the American League outfielder Yoennis Cespedes of the Oakland Athletics, shortstop Alexei Ramirez and first baseman Jose Dariel “Pito” Abreu of the White Sox were included in the reserve list.
Puig, with 4,959,746 votes, is the first Cuban that after playing first in National Series manages to be a starter in the All Star team and fifth Cuban who wins the award for most voted player in his position because before him Tany Perez, Tony Oliva, Campaneris and Jose Canseco, had achieved the feat. Currently, Yasiel is averaging .307, with 12 homers and 50 RBIs
Meanwhile, Yoennis Céspedes, was until last moment struggling to seize spot as starter in the American League, but to Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles surpassed him with 2,817,419 votes, better than the 2,744,074 of the Cuban. In the same team, Alexei Ramirez will substitute Derek Jeter and sensational Jose D. Abreu finished behind slugger Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers.
Aroldis Chapman, despite his injury before the campaign start, go to his third consecutive Star game without being voted, after being appointed by the manager of the squad. After his return to the field, Chapman has saved 17 games in 19 starts, working for a 2.55 ERA, besides accumulating 47 strikeouts in just 24.2 innings pitched.
For the “Future Stars” game was also chosen another Cuban Camagüey Dariel Álvarez which belongs to the franchise of the Baltimore Orioles. This will be the 16th edition of this game attended by the best minor league prospects. In these games play the most promising figures on two teams: one American and the other players from abroad.
Alvarez earned his spot by averaging 313, out of 336 at-bats with 105 hits, 20 doubles, 14 homers and 66 RBIs in Double-A Baltimore. This game will be held on July 13.
