On Sunday, Major League Baseball released the American League and National League rosters for the All-Star Game. The announcement was a enjoyable one for the Atlanta Braves, which led the National League in players selected.
The Braves had four players selected to the 2018 National League All-Star team. First baseman Freddie Freeman and outfielder Nick Markakis made the team via the fan vote, starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz was chosen by the NL coaches, and second baseman Ozzie Albies was selected as a reserve.
Freeman’s selection was the third of his MLB career and his first since 2014. Through the Braves’ 89 games, Freeman has a .315 batting average with 16 home runs and 59 RBI.
Markakis, meanwhile, made the All-Star team for the first time in his 13-year career. Markakis, 34, is having a career year, hitting .322 with 10 home runs and 59 RBI. Per MLB Stat of the Day’s Twitter, Markakis’ 1,928 games before being selected to an All-Star Game was the most in MLB history.
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Markakis is one of three Braves to make the All-Star team this year for the first time ever.
Although he was passed in the fan vote by Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, Albies was selected as a reserve. Albies has a .281 batting average with a team-high 18 home runs and 50 RBI and also leads the National League with 29 doubles and 196 total bases.
Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Albies — at 21 years and 182 days old — would be the youngest Braves player to appear in an All-Star Game since Hank Aaron since 1955.
Foltynewicz also made the All-Star team for the first time in his fourth full season at the major league level. In 17 starts, Foltynewicz has a 6-5 record with 114 strikeouts and a 2.37 ERA.
To see the entire N.L. and A.L. teams, click here.
Jordan D. Hill: @JordanDavisHill | jhill@ledger-enquirer.com
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