Baltimore Orioles All-Star third baseman Manny Machado will be one of the players manning the infield for the American League this Tuesday night in Cincinnati.
He believes Xander Bogaerts should be there with him.
“He’s awesome. It’s great to watch,” Machado said Monday of the Boston Red Sox shortstop, via WEEI.com. “He’s exciting. I think he should have been here. I think he deserved to be an All-Star. It’s just one of things he needs to keep playing the game. He’s very exciting to watch.”
The 22-year-old Bogaerts made a strong All-Star case during the first half of this season, posting a .304/.338/.411 slash line as one of the few bright spots in a struggling Red Sox lineup. He was nominated for the AL’s Final Vote but lost out to Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas.
Machado, who is less than three months older than Bogaerts, has watched the young shortstop more than most, as their respective teams play one another 19 times each season.
“The way he plays the game, I think he has that natural ability that he can play that natural shortstop,” Machado said, via WEEI.com. “We haven’t seen that much lately in the game that you have that natural shortstop who can hit, that can field. He’s an exciting guy to watch.”
Machado was selected to the AL All-Star squad this year for the second time in his young major league career. He’s batting .298 with 19 home runs and 48 RBIs for the Orioles this season and also will be competing in the 2015 Home Run Derby on Monday.
Kansas City’s Alcides Escobar and Detroit’s Jose Iglesias will be the two shortstops representing the AL in Cincinnati.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
