Well, it's about time.

Gleyber Torres has been named to the American League All-Star team to replace Rays' 2B Brandon Lowe, who hit the IL on Wednesday with a right shin contusion.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media on Wednesday that "it's a joke" he wasn't elected to the team.

"It's a joke he's not on that team," he said. "Gleyber Torres not an All-Star? You can kick rocks on that one. ...Doesn't seem right to me he's not on that team."

The AL reserves at first were Angels' Tommy La Stella, Royals' Whit Merrifield and A's Matt Chapman. But La Stella was replaced by Lowe after hitting the IL himself, and Red Sox' Xander Bogaerts replaced Hunter Pence at DH as well.

Torres admitted after yesterday's 5-1 win over the Mets that it was "a little" weird he didn't make it.

"This year, I watched [myself] put up really better numbers and I don't go," he said. "So it's kinda weird, but like I said, I don't control that. ...It's no big deal."

Torres is right. He had a better average and on-base percentage this year in the first half compared to 2018. But it appears the baseball gods may be on Torres' side, as he finally gets the spot he was looking for in Cleveland.

The 22-year-old, who made the All-Star team last year but couldn't play due to injury, is slashing .298/.365/.543 with 19 homers and 50 RBI on the season thus far. That average is better than Mike Trout's, and his .363 on-base percentage is second on the Yankees to only DJ LeMahieu, who will start at second for the AL on July 9. Torres also leads all second basemen in homers.

Torres will join LeMahieu, Aroldis Chapman, and the AL's starting catcher Gary Sanchez as the Yankees' representatives next week.

Popular in the Community