On Saturday, July 13, the MLB will kick off its annual all-star weekend in Arlington, Texas, home of the Texas Rangers. The weekend’s festivities will include the Home-run Derby, Celebrity Softball Game, and the Future Games. It will then wrap up with the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16.
Both the New York Yankees and New York Mets will have their stars making an appearance throughout the weekend.
The Yankees are sending both Aaron Judge and Juan Soto to the games as starting outfielders. Judge received the most votes in the league as he is having yet another historic season. He is leading the MLB in home runs (32), RBIs (83), and OPS (1.118) which gives him his sixth all-star appearance.
Soto has been an amazing acquisition for the Yankees this season as he makes his first all-star appearance as a “Bronx Bomber.” Soto has put up stats of 21 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .291 batting average, earning him his fourth all-star appearance and first ever as a starter. The best outfield duo in the league will play side-by-side in this year’s All-Star Game.
The Yankees closer Clay Holmes also received an all-star nod, the second of his career. He has a 1-3 record, 19 saves, and 37 strikeouts this season. Despite a recent slump, he’s still proven to be one of the best closers in the league.
In Queens, there is a slightly different story for the MLB All-Star weekend. The Mets had a cold start to the year but are on a hot streak as of late as they make a wildcard push. Despite the recent success of most of its players, the Mets will only be sending star 1B Pete Alonso to the All-Star Game as a reserve.
Alonso has 18 home runs and 48 RBIs, making him one of the most productive players on his team. Some people believe SS Francisco Lindor and OF Brandon Nimmo were snubbed from an appearance this year as they have both had terrific seasons, especially as of late.
Despite this, Alonso will be on his own this weekend. Thankfully, he will be in familiar territory as this is his fourth all-star appearance, only the eleventh Met to reach this mark.
Alonso will also be making his fifth Home Run Derby appearance. He’s a 2x champion in this event making him one of the favorites to win.
The Yankees and Mets also have some young talent making appearances in the Future Games which will take place on Saturday.
The Yankees will be sending pitcher Brock Selvidge and OF Spencer Jones who play for the Somerset Patriots, its AA team. Selvidge has a 7-6 record this season along with 83 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched. Jones is a fan-favorite who has put up 10 homers, 46 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases in 287 at-bats this season.
The Mets will also have a prospect from their AA affiliate making an appearance in the 2024 Future Games. Pitcher Brandon Sproat, who plays for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, will take the mound this Saturday.
Sproat has been stellar this season boasting a 6-1 record and a 1.71 ERA in 14 games played. He’s also recorded 85 strikeouts in 73.2 innings pitched, making him one of the best pitchers in AA.
It’s great to see the New York Stars take the big stage this weekend, but it’s even better to see the future of the Mets and Yankees perform at their best. Make sure to tune into both the All-Star game and the Future Games this weekend in Arlington.
