Astros, Nationals boast three All-Star Game starters

NEW YORK: Three starters each from the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals were selected for the 88th Major League Baseball All-Star Game in voting results announced Sunday.
The annual mid-season contest of elite talent will be staged July 11 at Marlins Park in Miami, with the National League leading the American League 43-42 with two drawn in the all-time rivalry.
The Astros, who boast baseball's best record at 56-27 and lead the American League West division by 14.5 games, will be represented in the AL starting lineup by second baseman Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa and outfielder George Springer.
It's the fifth All-Star nod for Altuve, while Correa, 22, will be the first Astro under 23 to start an All-Star Game since 1973 and Springer makes his first All-Star appearance.
The Nationals, who lead the National League East division by seven games at 47-34, feature NL All-Star starters Ryan Zimmerman at first base, Daniel Murphy at second base and outfielder Bryce Harper.
Harper, an All-Star for the fourth time in five years, received the most votes of any player in fan voting at 4,630,306. It's the second trip for Zimmerman after 2009 and the third by Harper, the eighth different NL second base All-Star starter in eight years.
Other AL starters include Toronto first baseman Justin Smoak, Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez, outfielders Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Kansas City catch Salvador Perez.
Other NL starters include San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, outfielders Charlie Blackmon of Colorado and Marcell Ozuna of Miami, Cincinnati shortstop Zack Cozart and Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Tampa Bay's Corey Dickerson was named the AL designated hitter. The NL does not have a non-fielder who bats in place of pitchers.
The pitching rotation for the AL includes Japan's Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers, Houston southpaw Dallas Keuchel, Boston's Craig Kimbrel, Cleveland's Corey Kluber and Minnesota's Ervin Santana.
NL pitchers include Wade Davis of the reigning World Series champion Chicago Cubs, Washington's Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, Arizona's Zack Greinke and Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw and closer Kenley Jansen. — AFP