Raise the roof: Tucker, Crow-Armstrong named National League all-star starters before Cubs win again
Kyle Tucker probably felt the full power of the Cubs on Wednesday. He was an all-star thee straight years with the Houston Astros, but never a starter until now.
Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong survived the second round of fan voting and were named National League starting outfielders on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Cubs survived an early 3-0 deficit and rallied to beat Cleveland for the second straight night 5-4 at Wrigley Field.
“I'd be silly to sugarcoat it, it's obviously one of the cooler accomplishments thus far in my playing career,” Crow-Armstrong said after the game. “I'm just so grateful that people have kind of been touched by how I like to play the game. I think that's the biggest compliment out of everything.
“The fan vote, I never really understood it until this year. I'm very appreciative right now and I'm excited to go home and just kind of sit with this.”
This is obviously the first all-star nod for Crow-Armstrong, 23, who is in his first full MLB season. He reached 20 home runs and 20 RBI faster than any Cubs player in history.
Tucker made the jump to a new team and environment but is in contention to produce his best full season in MLB.
“I wasn't sure what to expect,” Tucker said of joining the Cubs. “I played here once last year and kind of got to see the environment, which is really exciting and a lot of fun to be a part of. Just having a great group of guys in this clubhouse makes it relatively easy to have that transition.”
Manager Craig Counsell's theme when he spoke to reporters and broke the news to the players is how everyone is responsible for player development, coaches and teammates. The message hit home with Crow-Armstrong, who quickly turned his early struggles into all-star caliber talent.
“It took some help for me grow at all,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Kyle, Dansby (Swanson), Ian (Happ), Nico (Hoerner), Justin (Turner), those are all ... amazing examples of who to be and how to act as a professional baseball player. I'm not making any progress without a lot of people in this clubhouse, new faces too.”
Asked if fans in the bleachers had much to say about his all-star nod, Tucker kept the focus on PCA.
“Most of them are always chanting “MVPete,'” Tucker said. “We get a lot of that out there. I try and not let Pete's head get too big, try to keep him levelheaded. Sometimes it's a little tough. He's a little hyped up and everything, but he's a great kid and extremely talented.”
Starting pitcher Shota Imanaga gave up 3 solo home runs — which all landed in the basket in the left-field well — but that was all. In his second start since returning from the injured list, the left-hander threw 81 pitches in 5⅓ innings, with 4 hits allowed and 4 strikeouts.
Seiya Suzuki was the hitting star, with an RBI double in the third and 2-run single in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 4-3. Crow-Armstrong had a triple, single and 2 RBI. Daniel Palencia gave up an unearned run in the ninth but completed his 10th save.
A third Cubs all-star finalist, catcher Carson Kelly, lost his matchup with the Dodgers' Will Smith, who captured 65% of the vote.
The rest of the NL starters are Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, Padres third baseman Manny Machado, Dodgers catcher Will Smith, Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.
Former Cub Javy Baez, now with Detroit, was voted an outfield starter in the American League and will make his first all-star appearance since 2019. Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez found out at Wrigley he's headed to his seventh All-Star Game.
The last Cubs position player chosen as an all-star starter was catcher Willson Contreras in 2022. The Cubs were represented by pitchers the past two years — Imanaga last season and Justin Steele in '23. Dansby Swanson and Marcus Stroman were selected in '23, but opted not to play.
This is the first time the Cubs have had multiple starters since the 2019 game, when Baez and Contreras were in the NL lineup.
The next most likely Cubs selections are left-handed pitcher Matt Boyd, who ranks sixth in National League ERA; and Suzuki, who passed Cal Raleigh for the major league lead in RBI with 73 during Wednesday's game. Reserves and pitchers will be announced Sunday.
The rest of the American League starters are Mariners catcher Raleigh, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres, A's shortstop Jacob Wilson, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and Orioles designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn.