​ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iván Herrera, the St. Louis Cardinals catcher, was named Friday to the National League All-Star team as an injury replacement for Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star who is unavailable due to knee concerns. In the American League, Nick Martinez of the Tampa Bay Rays, outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela of the Boston Red Sox, and Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox were announced as injury replacements. All four newcomers are first-time All-Stars. The All-Star Game is scheduled for Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Herrera, 26, expressed that reaching an All-Star berth is “a dream.” He added, “Everybody thinks about going to an All-Star Game. You just can’t describe the feelings. I’m just excited for it and trying to take it all in right now.” The Panamanian catcher entered Friday batting .249 with 11 homers, 40 RBIs, and a .780 OPS. He has been hit by pitches 24 times this season, a league lead. Herrera signed with St. Louis as a 16-year-old undrafted free agent in 2016, and he will be joined at the All-Star event by two other first-time selections from his organization, Jordan Walker and Riley O’Brien.
Ohtani’s absence from the All-Star Game is due to a medical development that required fluid drainage from his left knee, sidelining him from this year’s festivities. Murakami, who will also participate in the Home Run Derby, had been a standout in Japan before joining the White Sox. He returned to action Friday after missing more than a month with a strained right hamstring. Murakami entered Friday hitting .240 with 20 home runs and 41 RBIs. He will take Ohtani’s NL slot in the lineup and also replaces Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton, who is out with a right hip impingement.
In the American League, Martinez steps in for Boston pitcher Ranger Suarez, who spent his first nine seasons with Philadelphia before signing with the Red Sox in the offseason. Rafaela will fill in for Aaron Judge, the eight-time All-Star and three-time American League MVP, who has been sidelined for an extended period due to a rib stress fracture on his right side. Rafaela continues to enjoy a standout season, posting a career-best .286 batting average with eight homers, 39 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases, and he becomes the third Red Sox player named to the All-Star team, joining closer Aroldis Chapman and first baseman Willson Contreras.
Martinez, who is making his first All-Star appearance, entered Friday’s start against Seattle with a 2.61 ERA, placing him ninth in the league among qualified pitchers. He has allowed three or fewer runs in 16 of 17 starts this season, underscoring his role as a reliable arm for Boston in the midseason selections.
The All-Star selections mark a notable moment for multiple franchises as fresh faces join the annual midseason showcase. Herrera and his Cardinals teammates will look to translate their All-Star exposure into continued success as they navigate the second half of the season. For Rafael and the Red Sox, this recognition follows a campaign that has seen him anchor the outfield with a mix of speed and power, contributing to Boston’s offensive depth.
As the All-Star festivities approach, players on both sides of the diamond prepare to showcase their talents in Philadelphia, where the league’s brightest stars will compete in events and the main exhibition game. Fans and teammates alike will be watching closely to see how these first-time All-Stars perform on baseball’s biggest stage, with the hope that the moment elevates their careers and energizes their teams for the stretch run of the season.