There are rarely a shortage of pinstripes in the All-Star Game. There were four Yankees last year and five the season before that. They have had fewer than three representatives just once since 1994.
That won’t change this year, and that’s no surprise. It’s the players who may be in Cleveland representing the AL East leaders who were not expected to be there, from Luke Voit to Gio Urshela to DJ LeMahieu.
Voit was uncertain to even be the everyday first baseman entering spring training. Urshela broke into the everyday lineup because of injuries. LeMahieu was coming off a season in which he posted a .749 OPS and his home games were played at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
“I’d love to see them in that game,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ 4-3 win over the Blue Jays on Tuesday night at the Stadium.
The Yankees had an infielder make the final three for All-Star voting at each infield position in the new system — and those three are all in the mix — that will have a second election to determine the starters. Those will be announced Thursday, with the pitchers and reserves to follow on Sunday.
The versatile LeMahieu, 30, has been there before, selected to the showcase in 2015 and 2017 as a Rockie. Neither Urshela or Voit have ever been close. Voit didn’t get regular major league at-bats until getting traded to the Yankees last July, and the 27-year-old Urshela has bounced around, starting the season in the minors before replacing injured third baseman Miguel Andujar, and batting .303 with exceptional defense to match. Voit, slashing .268/.385/.480 with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs, grew up watching the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and would like nothing more to compete in both.
“It would be awesome, especially where I’ve been the last couple of years,” Voit, 28, said. “To do it for New York, too, would be awesome. They’ve really had my back since I’ve gotten here, so it would be pretty cool to represent them.
“It’s every player’s goal to be an All-Star. That’s what you think about.”
It could be a large group of Yankees in the Midsummer Classic. Voit, Urshela and LeMahieu are in the final vote, as is catcher Gary Sanchez, shortstop Gleyber Torres, though he isn’t playing the position anymore with the return of Didi Gregorius, and outfielder Aaron Judge. Closer Aroldis Chapman and his 1.20 ERA should be a lock, and fellow relievers Adam Ottavino and Zack Britton may be possibilities as well.
But without Voit, Urshela and LeMahieu exceeding even the most optimistic expectations, it’s unlikely the Yankees would be sitting in such a comfortable position, five games ahead of the Rays in the AL East as play began Tuesday. They may be rewarded in the coming days.
“I expect a lot of Yankees to be there and hopefully everyone that’s deserving makes it,” LeMahieu said. “It would be cool [to make it]. If it happens, great.”
