By Sanderson “Snuffy” Smith
July 7, 2024
Most Selections for the Club Since 2018; Josh Naylor, David Fry & Steven Kwan Tabbed For The First Time
CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Guardians will send five players to the Major League All-Star Game following tonight’s announcement by Major League Baseball. RHP Emmanuel Clase (3rd selection), 1B Josh Naylor (1st selection) and DH/UTL David Fry (1st) will join previously announced starters 3B José Ramírez (6th selection) and LF Steven Kwan (1st selection) from this year’s fan voting. Clase, Naylor and Fry were selected via last weekend’s player vote.
The five All-Star selection’s marks the most by the club since sending six players to the 2018 Mid-Summer Classic while the three first-time All-Star selections of Naylor, Fry and Kwan signals the most for the club since 2016 (D. Salazar, F. Lindor, C. Kluber).
Ramίrez, 31, earns his fourth consecutive bid (6th overall) after another stellar start to the season, batting .271 (93-for-343) with 18 doubles, 1 triple, 23 home runs, 76 RBI and 68 runs scored in 85 games (16 SB, .323/.531/.854). He currently leads Major League third basemen in runs, homers, RBI and fWAR (3.3). He entered play today second in MLB in RBI and third in the American League in homers, fourth in total bases (182) and fifth in runs and extra-base hits (42). He is now one of just nine (9) players in club history to earn at least six All-Star nominations.
Kwan, 26, is currently hitting a Major League-best .364 (92-for-253) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, a career-high 9 home runs, 27 RBI and 52 runs scored in 62 games (.419/.538/.957). In addition to leading the circuit in batting average he entered play today third in the AL in on-base pct. and fourth in OPS. Despite missing four weeks in May with a hamstring injury, Kwan leads MLB with 12 games of at least 3 hits and is tied for third among AL outfielders in Defensive Runs Saved (8). His .364 average is the highest by a Cleveland batter thru 62 games since Sandy Alomar (.368) in 1997. He is the first Cleveland OF to earn a staring nod in the All-Star Game since Juan Gonzalez in 2001.
Clase, 26, earns his third career/consecutive All-Star selection. Clase has posted a 4-1 record with a 0.85 ERA (4ER/42.1IP), while converting an American League-leading 27 saves in 30 opportunities. The right-hander leads all MLB relievers in ERA, while ranking 7th in opposing batting average (.151, 22-for-146). Clase has anchored Cleveland’s bullpen this season, which boasts an MLB-leading 2.59 bullpen ERA. He has converted 14-straight save opportunities since May 10, 2nd-longest streak of his career. He is only the 2nd Cleveland reliever to appear in 3-straight All-Star games, joining Doug Jones (1988-90) as he currently ranks third in club history with 137 career saves. His 113 saves since the start of the 2022 campaign lead all of baseball, 25 more than Kenley Jansen (87).
Naylor, 27, is receiving his first career All-Star nod in his 6th MLB season. The first baseman is hitting .243 (76-for-313) with a career-high 21 home runs, 66 RBI, 50 runs scored, a .495 slugging percentage and an .813 OPS in 84 games. Naylor ranks among American League-leaders in both RBI (3rd) and home runs (T5th), leading AL first basemen in both categories. He is the first Cleveland first baseman to be named an All-Star since Carlos Santana in 2019 and is the 2nd Canadian to make the All-Star team for Cleveland, joining Jeff Heath (1941, 1943).
Fry, 28, is currently hitting .305 (57-for-187) with 14 doubles, a career-high 8 home runs and 33 RBI in 66 games (.412/.508/.920) while making starts at four different positions in addition to designated hitter. Among AL players with at least 200 plate appearances, Fry is fourth in the Junior Circuit in on-base pct. and ninth in OPS. The club has recorded a mark of 36-15 (.706) over his 51 starts and the Colleyville, Texas native has been particularly effective vs. left-handed pitching, leading MLB in on-base pct. (.500), walks (23, tied) and fourth in OPS (1.111).
MLB All-Star Week includes the MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard (July 16th), Gatorade All-Star Workout Day featuring the T-Mobile Home Run Derby (July 15th), All-Star Saturday featuring the All-Star Futures Game and the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game presented by Corona (July 13th), the MLB Draft presented by Nike (July 14th-16th), the HBCU Swingman Classic presented by T-Mobile (July 12th), and Capital One All-Star Village (July 13th-16th). The 94th Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries. For more information about MLB All-Star Week, including ticket information and updates, please visit allstargame.com and follow @MLB and @AllStarGame on social media.
COURTESY GUARDIANS MEDIA RELATIONS
