NEW YORK — Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera have been added to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game teams by commissioner Rob Manfred as discretionary picks.
This is an 11th selection and a first since 2015 for Pujols, who is 42 years old.
Cabrera, who is 39, was chosen for the 12th time. This will be his first annual classic since 2016.
In March, Pujols agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the St. Louis Cards, with whom he made his major league debut.
The National’s Most Valuable Player in 2005, 2008 and 2009, the Dominican played for the Cardinals from 2001 to 2011, before signing a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He spent most of 2021 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pujols is hitting .296 in his career and sits fifth with 683 home runs, behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696).
With 2,168 RBIs, he is trailed only by Aaron (2,297) and Ruth (2,214).
This season, Pujols is batting .200 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 125 at-bats.
He said in March that he intends to retire after this season.
Cabrera was the American’s most valuable player in 2012 and 2013.
In 2012, he led the league with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs.
He became the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski with Boston in 1967.
A native of Venezuela, Cabrera began his career with the Marlins in 2003, then was traded to Detroit after the 2007 season.
Cabrera has a .310 career average, with 505 home runs and 1,835 RBIs.
He’s hitting .308 with three home runs and 31 RBIs this season, the ninth in a 10-year, $292 million contract.
Outfielders Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Ronald Acuna of the Braves were voted as starters for the All-Star Game. This will take place on July 19 at Dodger Stadium.
The remaining position starters will be announced at 7:00 p.m. Friday.
Pitchers and reserves will be announced on Sunday.
Manfred has the right, under the agreement that ended the lockout, “to add a player to each league’s roster, in recognition of professional achievement. If special circumstances warrant, the commissioner may select more than one player from each league’s roster.
The Associated Press
