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Four Texas Rangers players have been elected as starters for the American League at the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game: catcher Jonah Heim, third baseman Josh Jung, second baseman Marcus Semien, and shortstop Corey Seager. All four were elected through the four-day Phase 2 of 2023 Scotts All-Star fan voting.
The 2023 Rangers are the first Major League team with at least four elected All-Star Game starters since 2016, when both the Chicago Cubs (5 – OF Dexter Fowler, 2B Ben Zobrist, 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Addison Russell, 3B Kris Bryant) and Boston Red Sox (4 – OF Jackie Bradley Jr., SS Xander Bogaerts, OF Mookie Betts, DH David Ortiz) had four-or-more elected.
This marks the first time the Rangers have ever featured four elected starters for an All-Star Game, surpassing the previous high of three in 2012 (3B Adrian Beltre, OF Josh Hamilton, C Mike Napoli). Prior to 2023, no Ranger had started in the Midsummer Classic since that trio in 2012.
Heim will be the American League’s starting catcher in his first career All-Star selection. He is just the fourth Texas catcher ever selected to the Midsummer Classic, joining Jim Sundberg (1974, 1978), Iván Rodríguez (1992-2001), and Mike Napoli (2012). Only Rodríguez (9 times, 1993-94-95-96-97-98-99-2000-01) and Napoli (2012) have started an All-Star Game for Texas behind the plate, and both were elected in each of those 10 instances. Heim is hitting .279 with 11 homers and 55 RBI in 71 games in 2023.
Jung would become the first Texas rookie ever to start in an All-Star Game, just the sixth Texas rookie to receive a selection to the A.L. roster, joining Sundberg in 1974, right-handed pitcher Jeff Zimmerman in 1999, right-handed pitcher Neftali Feliz in 2010, right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish in 2012, and outfielder Adolis García in 2021. Jung joins Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll as the first rookies to be elected starters in an All-Star Game since Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge for the A.L. in 2017. He becomes just the second elected All-Star rookie starter at third base in All-Star Game history, joining Eddie Kazak of the St. Louis Cardinals for the N.L. in 1949.
Jung is the fifth Texas third baseman ever selected, joining Buddy Bell (1980-81-82, 1984), Hank Blalock (2003-04), Michael Young (2009), and Adrián Beltré (2011-12, 2014). Beltré’s start in 2012 is the only previous instance of a Ranger being elected to start at the position. Jung has a .274 average with 16 homers and 48 RBI in 78 games this season.
This is the second career All-Star selection for Semien, as he was also elected by fans to start at second base in 2021 while with Toronto. He went 1-for-2 with an RBI single in that year’s game in Denver as the starting second baseman. Semien becomes the fifth Rangers second baseman selected for an All-Star Game: Dave Nelson (1973), Julio Franco (1989-90-91), Alfonso Soriano (2004-05), Ian Kinsler (2008, 2010, 2012). Franco (1989) and Soriano (2004) are the only Rangers previously elected to start a Midsummer Classic at the position. Semien’s average is .284 with 11 homers and 55 RBI in 81 games in 2023.
This is the first time Seager has been elected to start an All-Star Game, his fourth overall selection, as he will be on the A.L. roster in each of his first two seasons with the Rangers. He was an injury replacement for Toronto outfielder George Springer in the 2022 contest at Dodger Stadium, when he also participated in the Home Run Derby. Seager was on the National League roster as a reserve in both 2016 (San Diego) and 2017 (Miami) while he was with the Dodgers.
There have been five other Texas shortstops selected for the All-Star Game: Toby Harrah (1975-76), Bert Campaneris (1977), Alex Rodriguez (2001-02-03), Michael Young (2004-05-06-07-08), and Elvis Andrus (2010, 2012). Of that group, the only previously elected starters for Texas at the position were Harrah (1976) and Rodriguez (2001-02-03). Seager is batting .345 with 10 homers and 48 RBI in 49 games this season.
Adolis Garcia, who was one of six outfielders advancing to Phase 2 of 2023 MLB All-Star voting, finished fifth in the final balloting.
While additional Rangers could be added to the A.L. All-Star roster on Sunday, the current four players selected are already the most for the club since 2012, when franchise records were set with eight total All-Stars, five position players, and three pitchers. Ron Washington was the A.L. All-Star manager in 2012 following Texas’ A.L. Championship the previous year.