Raleigh, rookie Wilson among All-Star starters

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, MLB's home run leader, and American League Rookie of the Year candidate Jacob Wilson of the Athletics will be in the starting lineup for the All-Star Game on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, it was announced Wednesday.

Raleigh, nicknamed "The Big Dumper," earned his first All-Star selection and starting spot on the back of his 33 first-half home runs and MLB-leading 71 RBIs (through Tuesday). Wilson, the Athletics' shortstop, was voted in after a dynamic first half in which he has hit .339, second in all of MLB, through Tuesday's games.

"Just trying to stay as consistent as I can -- my work, preparation going into games and my approach at the plate," Raleigh told ESPN on Wednesday. "It's been working out so far, and I just got to keep it rolling and keep my head down.

"... This is all I've ever known -- this city, Seattle. They've taken me in with open arms and I'm very blessed and very lucky to have them in my corner. They've been awesome and they've always been there for me in this organization. It's great that I'm going to get to represent them, like I said, in the [Home Run] Derby and the All-Star Game. Hopefully I can make them proud."

The 23-year-old Wilson, whose father, Jack, was an All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004, is the lone rookie in either league to be voted into the starting lineup after edging the Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. 52% to 48%. He is the first rookie shortstop to win an All-Star fan election and just the second to start an All-Star Game after Baltimore's Ron Hansen, who started both games in 1960.

Three players from the Detroit Tigers -- second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Baez -- will join them in the AL's starting lineup, while the National League starters are led by three representatives from the Los Angeles Dodgers: first baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith and DH Shohei Ohtani, who received the most votes among NL players during Phase 1 of the voting.

Rounding out the starting lineup for the AL: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez and Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn. They'll all join New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who was the AL's top vote-getter in Phase 1.

Joining the Dodgers trio in the NL starting lineup will be Chicago Cubs outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong (first selection) and Kyle Tucker (fourth), Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was named an All-Star starter for the first time.

Despite missing the first seven weeks of the season, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. also earned a starting nod after getting the most votes at the position during Phase 2 voting.

There are nine first-time starters for the second time in three years.

"I am overly grateful right now," Crow-Armstrong, who has 21 home runs and 62 RBIs so far this season, told ESPN. "It's pretty cool. ... That's definitely the highlight of the year so far.

"... I think what I kind of surprised myself with is obviously the power production, but in this specific time span. You know, pulling the ball in the air is something I've worked on for my whole pro career, and we're really starting to make some good improvements here. But I think inherently I've always had enough confidence to produce a year like this."

The Tigers had three fan-elected starters for the fourth time in history, matching a franchise best also accomplished in 1984, 1985 and 2007. Meanwhile, the three fan elections for the Dodgers marks their most in a single season since the team had four fan-elected starters for the 1980 Midsummer Classic: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Reggie Smith.

Freeman, 35, was picked for the ninth time -- fifth as a starter -- and is the oldest player on either team. He will return to Atlanta, where he starred from 2010 to 2021.

For Torres and Baez, it marks the first time since 2019 that they are All-Stars. Baez, meanwhile, will be making his third All-Star start at his third different position, having started for the NL at second base (2018) and shortstop (2019) while with the Cubs.

Baez edged the Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout 26% to 24% in the closest vote.

Overall, 13 MLB teams are represented among the 18 positional starters, including seven clubs in the AL and six in the NL.

Judge, Ramirez and Machado each earned their seventh All-Star selection.

Under rules that began in 2022, voting was split into two stages, and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday.

Pitchers and reserves for both teams -- totaling 23 for each side -- will be determined through a combination of player ballot choices and selections made by the MLB commissioner's office. They'll be announced Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.