Texas Rangers rookie Josh Jung named starter for 2023 MLB All-Star Game
Former All-American for the Texas Tech baseball team and current Texas Rangers rookie Josh Jung was named a starter for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game, as announced Thursday on ESPN.
Jung will get the nod at third base for the July 11 game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The former Red Raider advanced to the final phase of all-star voting by being named one of the top two vote getters at his position on the American League ballot. Jung was pitted against Matt Chapman of the Toronto Blue Jays for the starting spot.
Jung received 58% of the vote compared to 42% for Chapman.
After playing an abbreviated 26-game stretch with the Rangers in 2022, Jung has been a force in what is considered his true rookie season.
Through 78 games this season, Jung has a .274 batting average with 16 home runs and 48 RBI and compiled a WAR of 2.2. He is considered one of the favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, which will be announced following the season.
The Rangers currently lead the AL West by 5½ games over reigning World Series champion Houston. At 49-32, they have the third-best record in the American League.
Jung becomes the fourth player in Rangers history to make an All-Star Game appearance in their rookie seasons, and the first to be named a starter. Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll, a former Amarillo Sod Poodle, was also named a starter for the game.
Prior to this, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees was the last rookie to start the game back in 2017.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Rangers rookie Josh Jung named starter for 2023 MLB All-Star Game
