The All-Star festivities in Cincinnati kicked off on Monday, including the announcements of the starting lineups and starting pitchers for both sides. Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros have been named the starting pitchers for Tuesday night's All-Star Game.
Greinke is 8-2 with an MLB-best 1.39 ERA for the first-place Dodgers and has not allowed a run in his last five starts. He has accumulated 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. He allowed more than three runs just once this season and has pitched at least six innings in all 18 starts. The 2009 Cy Young Award winner with the Kansas City Royals is entering his third All-Star Game.
Keuchel is appearing in his first midsummer classic for the Astros, who enter the break a half game behind the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West. Royals' and AL manager Ned Yost says he considered Chris Archer, David Price, and Chris Sale, but says Keuchel and Oakland's Sonny Gray were the front-runners. Gray is unavailable to pitch after starting for the A's on Sunday.
The Astros' ace has a 2.23 ERA and is tied with Seattle's Felix Hernandez for the AL lead with 11 victories. He has pitched 137 1/3 innings over 19 starts to lead the majors in that category. Yost says he chose Keuchel when he shut out the Royals 4-0 on June 30th.
Greinke and Keuchel rank one and two in pitching WAR, with Greinke's 5.5 topping Keuchel's 4.7, which is tied for second with Washington's Max Scherzer.
Greinke is 8-2 with an MLB-best 1.39 ERA for the first-place Dodgers and has not allowed a run in his last five starts. He has accumulated 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. He allowed more than three runs just once this season and has pitched at least six innings in all 18 starts. The 2009 Cy Young Award winner with the Kansas City Royals is entering his third All-Star Game.
Keuchel is appearing in his first midsummer classic for the Astros, who enter the break a half game behind the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West. Royals' and AL manager Ned Yost says he considered Chris Archer, David Price, and Chris Sale, but says Keuchel and Oakland's Sonny Gray were the front-runners. Gray is unavailable to pitch after starting for the A's on Sunday.
The Astros' ace has a 2.23 ERA and is tied with Seattle's Felix Hernandez for the AL lead with 11 victories. He has pitched 137 1/3 innings over 19 starts to lead the majors in that category. Yost says he chose Keuchel when he shut out the Royals 4-0 on June 30th.
Greinke and Keuchel rank one and two in pitching WAR, with Greinke's 5.5 topping Keuchel's 4.7, which is tied for second with Washington's Max Scherzer.
