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AcuÃ±a out for year, Machado in; Realmuto an All-Star starter

Posted July 11, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. Realmuto watches his single off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press

DENVER (AP) - Atlanta's Ronald AcuÃ±a Jr., elected to start Tuesday's All-Star Game as the NL's top vote-getter among outfielders, tore the ACL in his right knee Saturday during Atlanta's 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins and will miss the rest of the season.

AcuÃ±a landed awkwardly on his right leg after jumping on the warning track in right field to try to catch a drive from Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the fifth inning at Miami. The 23-year-old slammed into the outfield wall and crumbled on the warning track, immediately grabbing his right knee while Chisholm sprinted out an inside-the-park homer.

AcuÃ±a needs surgery and was replaced on the All-Star roster by third baseman Manny Machado.

Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto will take over for injured San Francisco catcher Buster Posey as the NL starter in Tuesday's All-Star Game at Coors Field.

St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina earned his 10th All-Star selection, among 10 replacements announced Saturday by Major League Baseball, then said hours later he would also skip the All-Star Game. He was replaced by Milwaukee catcher Omar NarvÃ¡ez.

Molina was elected on the players' ballot and filled the spot vacated when Posey was put on the injured list Friday, five days after his left thumb was bruised by a foul tip. NarvÃ¡ez will make his first All-Star appearance.

Major League Baseball also said Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts was injured and won't participate, though Betts played an entire nine innings Friday night and remained in the lineup Saturday.

'œAn All-Star Game is definitely an honor, especially being voted in by your peers, so I definitely don't want to discount that honor. But I do understand that I do have some nagging things going on,'ť Betts said Saturday.

Asked what was nagging him, he said: 'œJust the same stuff. There is just no break in baseball.'ť

'œThis is the only time I can get a break of more than a day. I just want to use it to the best I can. I would love to be in an All-Star Game, but I think the goal is to win a World Series and this break will definitely help me to help us get to that point,'ť he said.

Kansas City second baseman Whit Merrifield and Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson also earned selections from the players' ballot, replacing Houston second baseman JosÃ© Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa.

Altuve said he needed time off to deal with unspecified issues with his left leg, and Correa said he wanted to spend time with wife Daniella, who is pregnant with the couple's first child.

Merrifield became a two-time All-Star. Anderson, the 2019 AL batting champion, earned his first All-Star trip.

New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom also said he was withdrawing from the All-Star Game, wanting to rest for the second half. DeGrom, who has a 1.08 ERA, was bothered in the first half by discomfort in his right lat muscle, tightness in his right side and flexor tendinitis in his right arm.

The commissioner's office picked Washington's Max Scherzer, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Walker Buehler, the Mets' Taijuan Walker and Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta as additions to the NL pitching staff. Mets manager Luis Rojas and Brewers manager Craig Counsell had said Friday their pitchers would be added.

Scherzer earned his eighth All-Star selection.

MLB also added Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner to the NL roster, and Oakland pitcher Chris Bassitt and Tampa Bay second baseman Joey Wendle to the AL roster.

Houston outfielder Michael Brantley and San Diego pitcher Yu Darvish are withdrawing becauce of injuries.

Cleveland pitcher Shane Bieber, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Washington outfielder Kyle Schwarber were previously ruled out because of injuries.

San Francisco's Kevin Gausman and Milwaukee's Brandon Woodruff remain active for the game but are scheduled for starts for their teams on Sunday.

Houston reliever Ryan Pressly will miss the game because of paternity leave.

Anderson, Bassitt, Peralta, Walker and Wendle raise the total to 39 first-time All-Stars, matching 2013 for the high.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado hits an RBI single during the seventh inning of the team's baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, July 9, 2021, in San Diego. AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan) The Associated Press

Chicago Cubs'Javier Baez (9) is safe at home plate as St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (4) takes a late throw during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 9, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) The Associated Press

Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield celebrates his solo home run off Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta during the first inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) The Associated Press

Chicago White Sox's Tim Anderson reacts after hitting a two-run double against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 9, 2021, in Baltimore. White Sox's Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets scored on the double. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) The Associated Press

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) The Associated Press

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Freddy Peralta delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, July 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) The Associated Press

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer works in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, July 8, 2021, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan) The Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Joey Wendle barehands an infield single hit by Toronto Blue Jays' Teoscar Hernandez during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, July 9, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Fla.(AP Photo/Steve Nesius) The Associated Press

Los Angeles Dodgers' Justin Turner (10) slides home to score during the fourth inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, July 3, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) The Associated Press

Oakland Athletics' Chris Bassitt pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, June 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) The Associated Press

An image of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts stands behind workers during a media tour at the Play Ball Park exhibit at the Colorado Convention Center staged by Major League Baseball as part of the festivities leading up to the All Star Game Thursday, July 8, 2021, in Denver. The convention center has been turned into a paradise for baseball aficionados complete with batting cages, an onsite home run derby, items from the Hall of Fame and countless merchandise for sale for baseball fans from far and near at the store. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) The Associated Press

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