By Dan Hock

Arlington, Texas — Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien and right-handed pitcher Kirby Yates have been selected to the American League roster via player voting for the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which will be hosted by the Rangers on Tuesday, July 16 at Globe Life Field. Final rosters for this year’s Midsummer Classic were announced late this afternoon in a televised show on ESPN.

This marks the fifth consecutive All-Star Game (2019, 2021-22-23-24) for the Rangers to have multiple representatives on the A.L. roster. It is also the fifth straight year for the club to have at least one position player and one pitcher selected, matching the longest such span in Rangers history (also 5 straight, 2010-11-12-13-14). The Rangers’ two selections follows last year’s contest in Seattle, a game in which the Rangers had at least six All-Stars for only the third time in club history (8-2012, 6-2010/2023).

Semien and Yates were both selected via player voting. Semien finished second among A.L. second baseman behind fan-elected starter Jose Altuve of the Astros. Semien received 383 votes to Altuve’s 575 votes. Yates placed third among A.L. relief pitchers, landing the final spot among that group. Yates’ 82 votes finished behind Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase (309 votes) and Oakland’s Mason Miller (243 votes).

Semien is an All-Star with Texas for a second consecutive season, and this is his third career All-Star selection (2021 with Toronto, 2023-24 with Texas). Semien has gone 1-for-4 with an RBI in his two previous All-Star appearances, posting an RBI single in the 2021 game in Denver. Since 2013, the only other Rangers position player to be selected for the All-Star Game in consecutive years is Corey Seager (2022-23). The only Texas pitcher to be selected in consecutive years in that span (since 2013) was Yu Darvish (2013-14).

Semien is one of just five Rangers second basemen ever selected for an All-Star Game: Dave Nelson (1973), Julio Franco (1989-90-91), Alfonso Soriano (2004-05), Ian Kinsler (2008, 2010, 2012). He joins Franco (3), Soriano (2), and Kinsler (3) as Rangers with multiple selections at second base, with only Franco and Soriano having been selected in consecutive years.

The veteran infielder has batted .229 (83-362) with 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 88 games for Texas this season. Through yesterday’s games, Semien led all A.L. defenders in Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric with 13, tied with St. Louis’ Michael Siani for the MLB lead. According to Fangraphs, Semien’s 10 defensive runs saved entering today ranked as 2nd-most on the Junior Circuit to only Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (12 DRS).

Yates is the first Texas relief pitcher selected since Joe Nathan in 2013 and the fifth different Rangers pitcher to make the team in the past five All-Star contests: Mike Minor in 2019, Kyle Gibson in 2021, Martin Pérez in 2022, Nathan Eovaldi in 2023. It is Yates’ second career selection, as he did not appear as a member of the National League squad with San Diego for the 2019 game in Cleveland.

Yates has gone 3-1 with 13 saves and a 0.86 ERA (3 ER/31.1 IP) over 31 relief appearances for the Rangers this season, converting each of his 13 save chances. He entered today with the 2nd-lowest qualifying ERA and opponent OPS (.402) figures among MLB relievers. Yates will be 37 years, 113 days old for next Tuesday’s game, which would make him the fifth-oldest Ranger to serve as an All-Star. The only older Rangers All-Stars: Nolan Ryan (42.161 in 1989), Kenny Rogers (40.244 in 2005, 39.245 in 2004), Joe Nathan (38.236 in 2013, 37.231 in 2012), and Charlie Hough (38.191 in 1986).

In addition to Semien and Yates, the Rangers coaching staff will lead the A.L. club for next Tuesday’s All-Star Game as the defending World Series and American League champions. Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy will become the first individual to manage an All-Star squad in his home park after winning a World Series in the previous year since the Yankees’ Joe McCarthy in 1939 at Yankee Stadium. With the Rangers’ win on June 13 at Dodger Stadium, Bochy passed McCarthy to move into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time managerial wins list. Bochy previously managed the N.L. All-Star team on four occasions: 1999, 2011, 2013, and 2015.

The 94th Major League Baseball All-Star Game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16 at Globe Life Field, with a 7:15 p.m. first pitch and a national television broadcast on FOX. This will be the second All-Star Game ever hosted by the Rangers, as the 1995 Midsummer Classic was held at The Ballpark in Arlington.

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