Sports

Harper to bat 6th, Scherzer vs. Sale to start All-Star Game

16 of July 2018

FILE - In this July 26, 2017, file photo, Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer, left, and Bryce Harper look on at a baseball press conference to unveil the 2018 MLB All-Star Game logo, in Washington. Thirteen years after Major League Baseball returned to Washington and almost that long since Mark and father Ted Lerner were chosen as owners of their new hometown team, they finally get to throw their party. The fourth All-Star Game in the nation’s capital and first since 1969 is a celebration of a new generation of Washingtonians rediscovering the connection to baseball that for so long wasn’t a part of the town’s sporting identity. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File),FILE - In this July 26, 2017, file photo, Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer, left, and Bryce Harper look on at a baseball press conference to unveil the 2018 MLB All-Star Game logo, in Washington. Thirteen years after Major League Baseball returned to Washington and almost that long since Mark and father Ted Lerner were chosen as owners of their new hometown team, they finally get to throw their party. The fourth All-Star Game in the nation’s capital and first since 1969 is a celebration of a new generation of Washingtonians rediscovering the connection to baseball that for so long wasn’t a part of the town’s sporting identity. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will bat sixth for the National League in the All-Star Game in his home ballpark.

Harper is hitting .214 with a .365 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 54 RBIs. Despite his hitting struggles, Harper is an All-Star — voted in by fans — for the sixth time in his seven-year major league career.

Nationals teammate Max Scherzer will take the mound for the NL as expected with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts saying it’s good for baseball and for the country to give him the ball. Scherzer (12-5) has a 2.41 ERA and a league-high 182 strikeouts.

Sale and Scherzer are both making their third All-Star starts, joining 13 other pitchers with that distinction. Sale is starting for the third consecutive time and is the third player to do that, following Lefty Gomez and Robin Roberts. Both made their first All-Star starts with different teams — Sale for the White Sox and Scherzer for the Tigers.

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