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The Dodgers received news Wednesday on two hopefuls to make the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. Major League Baseball announced that Ross Stripling would be added to the National League roster, while Max Muncy finished third in the Final Vote.
The moment @RossStripling found out he was an All-Star. #BackstageDodgers | #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/OYp8C0HU92
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 12, 2018
Stripling will be making his first career trip to the midsummer classic, joining teammates Matt Kemp, Kenley Jansen and the entire Dodgers’ coaching staff.
The right-hander has been one of the best pitcher’s in baseball since he was forced into the Dodger rotation in May. Stripling has been remarkably efficient in 24 games (13 starts), striking out 103 batters in 89 1⁄3 innings, walking only 13 and holding opponents to 23 runs.
Though he isn’t yet qualified on the leaderboards, Stripling’s 2.22 ERA is second to Jacob deGrom (1.68) for pitchers who have at least 80 innings in 2018.
Ross Stripling on what he's looking fwd to at the All-Star Game: "I think I’m just looking forward to meeting everyone. Meeting Scherzer & Lester & Goldschmidt, everyone. Just picking their brains, just seeing what those guys are like – seeing how big some of those guys are"
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) July 12, 2018
While one All-Star dream is realized, another was dashed — at least for right now — when the Final Vote winners were announced. Muncy finished behind Jesús Aguilar (Brewers) and Brandon Belt (Giants).
Aguilar is tied for first in the NL with 23 homers while hitting .307 with a 1.013 OPS this year. The big first baseman received 20.2 million votes in total, good for the second-highest total since MLB started the Final Vote, behind Justin Turner’s 20.8 million in 2017.
That doesn’t mean Muncy won’t be at the All-Star Game though. It was announced earlier this week that the Dodger infielder would be participating in the Home Run Derby, regardless if he makes the team.
This is the fifth straight season the Dodgers have had a participant in the derby — Yasiel Puig in 2014, Joc Pederson in 2015, Corey Seager in 2016 and Cody Bellinger in 2017.