Alex Cora ‘Proud’ Of Kenley Jansen After MLB All-Star Nod

Red Sox manager Alex Cora made a pitch for Alex Verdugo to be named an MLB All-Star, but that doesn’t mean he’s disappointed about the selection Boston received.

Kenley Jansen learned he was named an MLB All-Star on Sunday morning, prior to Boston completing a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Jansen currently is the only player who will represent the Red Sox, though the American League still needs to determine alternates for New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and the Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez. It’s possible Verdugo earns one of those two spots, with the other likely to go to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Wander Franco.

Cora praised Jansen for receiving the honor Sunday.

“It’s a testament to who he is,” Cora told reporters, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam and Christopher Smith. “A veteran who came here from Day 1, and you saw him, running at six in the morning, all that stuff. Today, he was in the dugout, knowing that he wasn’t going to be available.

“I’m very proud of him.”

It marks the fourth time in Jansen’s career that he’s been named an All-Star, the first such honor since 2018. The 35-year-old right-hander has 17 saves and a 3.45 ERA in 30 games this season.

The 2023 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.