Mookie Betts, Yu Darvish Among Stars Out With Injury in All-Star Game

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and Padres pitcher Yu Darvish are among star players who will not play in the upcoming MLB All-Star Game.

The MLB released a list of players on Saturday that includes seven players out with injuries. Those players include Betts, Astros outfielder Michael Brantley, Astros infielders José Altuve and Carlos Correa, Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom, Darvish and Giants catcher Buster Posey. 

After the announcement, Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. tore his ACL and will miss the All-Star game along with the rest of the season. 

Three other players—Giants pitcher Kevin Gausman, Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff and Astros pitcher Ryan Pressly—will also be inactive for the All-Star game for other reasons. Both Gausman and Woodruff are scheduled to make starts for their respective clubs on Sunday while Pressly will be on paternity leave. 

Altuve and Correa previously announced on Friday they would not be participating in this year's All-Star Game. Altuve is resting a nagging leg injury while Correa originally said he wanted to skip the exhibition to spend time with his pregnant wife, who is due in November. However, Correa was placed on the injured list on Friday before the series opener against the Yankees due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. 

The additional absences of Bradley and Pressly means no Astros will participate in the first All-Star Game since the franchise was punished for its sign stealing scandal.

American League replacements include White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt, Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield and Rays shortstop Joey Wendle.

Additions to the National League include Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and pitcher Walker Buehler, Nationals' Max Scherzer, Mets' Taijuan Walker, Brewers' Freddy Peralta and Padres third baseman Manny Machado will replace Acuña Jr. 

But, just hours after the announcement, Molina said he will not play in the All-Star Game, choosing to rest his foot injury that landed him on the injured list earlier this season. This marked his 10th career All-Star nod. 

Scherzer will make his eighth All-Star appearance. Buehler, Merrifield and Turner earned their second All-Star game appearances. Anderson, Bassitt, Peralta, Walker and Wendle earned their first All-Star nods.

This year's All-Star game will feature 40 first-time All Stars, the third straight All-Star game with at least 30 earning first-time appearances. The 2021 MLB All-Star Game will take place on July 13 at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. The American League leads the all-time series 45-43, with two ties.