Predicting Texas Rangers in All-Star Game

The Texas Rangers could have three players on the American League All-Star Team if ESPN’s recent projections for next month’s All-Star Game are correct.

The Seattle Mariners will host the All-Star Game on July 11.

The Rangers are among the best teams in baseball, with the second-best record in the American League. Their selections reflect the quality of baseball they’re playing right now.

Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien is projected as a starter, with ESPN stating that “there's no other competition.” It would be his second All-Star Game appearance after making the team in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Semien was the only projected starter for the Rangers.

In terms of reserves, ESPN projected that outfielder Adolis García would make the team. If so, that would be his second All-Star Game appearance, the first also coming in 2021.

Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, an early Cy Young candidate, was the only Rangers pitcher to make the projected team. He leads the Rangers in victories with eight.

ESPN overlooked Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, instead going with Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez because each team is required to have one All-Star representative.

The same thing happened to Rangers rookie third baseman Josh Jung, who drew a short straw with the projection of Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers as a reserve. Again, it was the requirement of one All-Star from each team that stood in Jung’s way.

The AL West-leading Rangers (40-21) open a three-game showdown series against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (46-19) on Friday night. The division leaders currently own the two best records in baseball.

Fans can vote for the All-Star Game starters at MLB.com.

More From SI’s Inside The Rangers:

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.