D-backs’ Zack Greinke named as replacement for MLB All-Star Game
Jul 12, 2018, 10:02 AM | Updated: 12:05 pm
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke was named as a replacement attendee for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, the team announced Thursday.
Greinke will replace Chicago Cubs starter Jon Lester, who won’t pitch in the game after his team pushed his next start back to Sunday, making him unavailable for the Tuesday All-Star game.
“It’s exciting,” Greinke said. “You guys saw me pitch in spring training, I didn’t know if I was going to get any outs this year.
“To end up doing as good as it has been so far, it’s been exciting.”
The 34-year-old Greinke has gone 9-5 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 19 starts this season.
The outing will be the right-hander’s four All-Star appearance and second as a Diamondback. He made the game in 2009 for the Kansas City Royals, in 2014 and 2015 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and last year for the D-backs.
Greinke joins first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and fellow starting pitcher Patrick Corbin on the NL All-Star roster.
Including a series finale against Colorado on Thursday, Arizona has four more games before the All-Star break, and Greinke will start the second-to-last of those games on Saturday at the Atlanta Braves.