Yankees To Send A Super Six To All-Star Game

Giancarlo Stanton taking cuts in the batting cage as Aaron Judge and Manager Aaron Boone look on. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Yankees, who have raced out to the best record in baseball at 61-25 through Sunday and are on a historic pace, will send a contingent of six players to the All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July, 19 - outfielders Aaron judge and Giancarlo Stanton, who are both will starters; and starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes, closer Clay Holmes, and catcher Jose Trevino.

Yankees Manager Aaron Boone was asked about the Yankees sending six players, the most of any team in baseball, in his pregame press conference on Tuesday, and he said,"It's fitting, with how they've played as a team, but obviously, those individuals, an even a couple other guys that I think you could make a pretty strong case certainly for at least consideration, but yeah it's a testament to how just well all those guys have played, and excited to see those guys go represent us in LA next week. It should be a lot of fun for them."

It will be the first All-Star Game for three of the Yankees selected: Cortes, Holmes, and Trevino. It is the fifth time for both Cole and Stanton, and the fourth appearance for Judge. 

It is just the third time in the last 18 seasons, dating back to 2005, that the Yankees have had at least six All-Stars, with the other two instances being 2010 and 2011, when they sent eight. In 2010, they were defending World Champions.

For Judge and Stanton, it is the first time a pair of Yankee outfielders were elected starters together since Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson in 1988.

Holmes' selection means the Yankees have sent a relief pitcher to each of the last eight ALl-Start Games, going back to 2013, and 12 of the last 13 All-Star Games, dating to 2008, when it was at old Yankee Stadium.

The stats these six have put up have been unbelievable, starting with Judge, who could test the Yankee team record (what some still view as the legitimate Major League Baseball record) of 61 home runs in a season set by Roger Maris. Through Sunday's action, in 83 games played, Judge has 30 home runs and 65 RBI, to go along with a .283 average, .361 on-base percentage, .601 slugging percentage, and a .971 OPS (on-base plus slugging).

Stanton is putting together his best season in New York, as he has 22 home runs and 56 RBI, and has a slash line of .236/.320/.512/.832.

Trevino, who was acquired by the Yankees just before the season started, has ascended to be the starting catcher because he is just as good defensively as Kyle Higashioka, but he has some pop in the bat, as he is hitting .261, with seven home runs and 27 RBI in 58 games.

Cole is the ace of what has turned into a stellar rotation, and he has pitched like it, as he has a record of 8-2 with a 3.26 earned run average (ERA), 124 strikeouts and just 29 walks in 99 1/3 innings,  heading into his start against Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

Cortes, known as Nasty Nestor for his filthy offspeed stuff, became a phenomenon early in the season, as he came out of nowhere to start the season 5-1 into early June, and his record now is 7-3 with a superb 2.47 ERA, and 95 strikeouts and 21 walks in 88 2/3 innings.

Holmes, who established himself as one of the best relievers in baseball, was promoted to closer in late May when Aroldis Chapman was sidelined due to injury. Although, he was so good, he might have gotten the job anyway. Holmes, known for his devastating sinker, has notched 18 saves on the season, and 40 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings. He has a a record of 4-0 with an 0/46 ERA, mostly in part from when he set a team record by not allowing a run in a team-record 29 straight appearances from April 9 through June 18, in which he threw 31 innings.