Cubs' Steele bypassed as NL's all-star starter but he says he just wants to 'get out there and do my job"
Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen was told last week he'd be the National League starting pitcher in Tuesday's All-Star Game.
"I think I found out Wednesday or Thursday morning, so I had to kind of tell white lies the last few days to my family and stuff like that," Gallen said during Monday's media day in Seattle. "This is something I dreamed of as a kid, so for it to come to fruition is everything and more, really."
So Cubs' left-hander Justin Steele has been out of the running for a few days. Steele ranks second in the NL in ERA at 2.56, just behind Dodgers' lefty Clayton Kershaw, who is not participating in the All-Star Game.
"It was really cool to see him get that nod," Steele said of Gallen. "If I get in there and pitch, just go out there and do my job."
Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole will start for the American League. NL manager Rob Thomson from the Phillies explained the decision to go with Gallen.
"We just looked at the numbers and Zac's numbers just came off the page for us - 11-3 record, almost a 3.00 ERA, OPS against is .610," Thomson said. "The numbers are incredible. He's had a great year, let's keep him healthy and keep him going."
Steele actually has a better opposing hitter OPS of .607, but he's in the position Gallen was a year ago - a successful pitcher on a losing team. Gallen wasn't chosen for the 2022 All-Star Game, but finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting.
This is Steele's third season in the majors so he's still relatively unknown around the league, but is on pace to be a Cy Young contender.
On side note to this story, Gallen could have been an NL Central rival of the Cubs. He was drafted by St. Louis in the 2016 third round, then a year later was traded to Miami, with 2022 Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, for Marcell Ozuna. Gallen was later traded to Arizona for Jazz Chisolm.
Steele was supposed to have two Cubs teammates with him in Seattle, but ended up flying solo when pitcher Marcus Stroman decided not to participate and shortstop Dansby Swanson is sidelined by a heel bruise.
Five NL pitchers ended up bowing out of the All-Star Game. Besides Stroman and Kershaw, Atlanta's top two starters, Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder, and Milwaukee reliever Devin Williams withdrew.
The replacements were Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes, Pittsburgh's David Bednar, San Francisco's Alex Cobb, the Mets' Kodai Senga and former Cubs reliever Craig Kimbrel, now with Philadelphia.
Swanson was replaced by Arizona's Geraldo Perdomo. The Cubs probably suggested Nico Hoerner as a potential replacement for Swanson, but the NL is stacked at second base this season.
Miami's Luis Arraez is the starter and Atlanta's Ozzie Albies the backup. Hoerner ranks 10th in OPS among NL second basemen at the break, and seventh in batting average.
During his news conference, Thomson explained why he chose Pirates manager Derek Shelton, a Gurnee native, to be an all-star assistant coach. Thomson said the two go back to 1993 when Thomson coached and Shelton was a backup catcher on the Yankees Class A team in Greensboro, N.C. that also included Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
"Him and I have been very good friends," Thomson said. "Derek was just a student of the game, asked so many questions, went on to be hitting coordinator for Cleveland. He's really an intelligent guy and a great leader in my mind.
"(The Pirates) were playing so well at the start that I thought he earned that right to come here to the All-Star Game."
For the AL, Dusty Baker's batting order has Texas second baseman Marcus Semien leading off, followed by Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, Tampa Bay left fielder Randy Arozarena, Texas shortstop Corey Seager, Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz, Rangers right fielder Adolis García, Baltimore center fielder Austin Hays, Texas third baseman Josh Jung and Rangers catcher Jonah Heim.
Presumbably White Sox slugger Luis Robert will be available to pinch-hit.
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