Two very different pitchers will be starting the MLB All-Star Game.
The respective managers, Dave Roberts of the National League and Alex Cora of the American League, announced that Hyun-Jin Ryu of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros will get the nod to start Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.
Justin Verlander and Hyun-Jin Ryu will start the All-Star Game.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 8, 2019
This will be Verlander’s second All-Star start. His first came in 2012, when he gave up five runs in the first inning that played a role in costing his Tigers home field advantage in that year’s World Series, which they ultimately lost. He won’t have to worry about that in 2019 with home field no longer on the table. Verlander has a 2.98 ERA this season.
Ryu, meanwhile, is making his first All-Star appearance. It’s a richly deserved one, as he has posted a league-leading 1.73 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The stuff he’s doing is historic, and he has earned the nod.
