ESPN Predicts Two Red Sox Players Will Make AL All-Star Roster

With MLB’s All-Star fan voting underway, prognosticators are beginning to project the Midsummer Classic rosters. Boston Red Sox fans may want more representation than a recent ESPN writer allotted.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield revealed his American League and National League All-Star predictions on Monday. The writer chose five Houston Astros and four New York Yankees players, but just two Red Sox stars made the cut.

Schoenfield selected Rafael Devers as the starting designated hitter and Garrett Grochet as one of the league’s eight starting pitchers.

At the moment, both players seem like safe choices to represent Boston in Atlanta next month.

Devers started the season by going 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts in five March contests, but he’s now batting .283/.407/.522 with 14 home runs and an AL-leading 57 RBI. The 28-year-old would make his fourth All-Star appearance over the last five years in a different role after moving from third base to DH.

Even after allowing a season-high five runs in Saturday’s win over the Yankees, Crochet wields a 2.35 ERA in 88 innings. The southpaw has tallied an MLB-best 110 strikeouts to start his Red Sox tenure and currently looks like a legitimate AL Cy Young Award candidate.

Schoenfield also noted that “Any of the three Red Sox outfielders” are also All-Star candidates. That was published before Boston placed Wilyer Abreu on the injured list Monday.

Duran has followed a breakout 2024 by batting .271/.324/.421, so last year’s All-Star Game MVP would likely need a torrid June to receive his second straight nod. Ceddanne Rafaela has played Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field, but voters may not look past his .695 OPS.

A healthy Alex Bregman was on track to land his first All-Star nod since 2019. He still leads all AL third basemen in WAR (2.6) despite going on the injured list with a quad injury on May 24.

Schoenfield notably selected only three relief pitchers (Josh Hader, Andres Munoz, and Jhoan Duran) for his AL roster. That left no room for Aroldis Chapman, who has recorded a 1.65 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 11 saves in a resurgent season as Boston’s closer.