Less than a month ago, the Boston Red Sox were a .500 team looking like also-rans in the American League East, sitting 14 games behind first place.
Flash forward to Tuesday, and they were 49-40, 7.5 games behind the division leaders, and the American League’s third wild card team if the season ended today.
Not unjustly, the Red Sox were rewarded with three selections to the July 16 All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.
Only two will be able to play.
The Red Sox informed Major League Baseball that third baseman Rafael Devers is dealing with lingering shoulder soreness and won’t be able to represent the American League in the Midsummer Classic.
MLB has already named a replacement: Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg.
Read more: MLB All-Star Game Snubs: Who Was Left Off AL, NL Rosters?
“As a group, we believe it’s a good time for him to get some rest and take care of it,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters Tuesday in Boston.
Jeff Dean/Getty Images
Devers, 27, has been dealing with the injury for some time even though he was in Boston’s lineup Tuesday. He’s batting .293 with 21 homers and 55 RBIs this season. The All-Star Game selection was the third of his career.
Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck and outfielder Jarren Duran were also chosen American League All-Stars on Sunday.
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Players need not be on the major league injured list in order to be excused from participating in the All-Star Game because of an injury. As a result, replacements are common in the days leading up to the game.
According to the league’s website, if a player-elected reserve position player must be replaced, the next in line on the player ballot becomes a reserve, unless the leaders of the player ballot have already been accounted for. If the top finishers on the player ballot are already All-Stars, then MLB can select another replacement.
Westburg gives the Orioles, who hold the AL’s best record at 57-33, a total of four All-Star representatives. The 25-year-old is batting .282 with 15 home runs, 50 RBIs and 46 runs scored in 84 games.
Another injury replacement was announced by the league Tuesday: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene was selected to fill the spot of Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who was placed on the 15-day injured list because of back tightness.
Read more: Dodgers Place Another All-Star on Injured List
Greene, 24, is 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 18 starts for the Reds. A hard thrower who routinely touches 100 mph, Greene has 116 strikeouts — seventh in the National League — in just 104.1 innings.
It’s the first All-Star selection for both Greene and Westburg.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.