Santo Domingo. Dominican pitcher Carlos Estévez, closer for the Kansas City Royals, has been called up to the Major League All-Star Game, replacing Jacob deGrom, who will not be available for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. This will be Estevez’s second appearance in the Midseason Classic, following his debut in 2023 with the Angels. At 32 years old, the right-hander is having an outstanding season, leading the American League with 25 saves and showing an impressive 2.03 ERA in 39 appearances.
His earned run average is among the top five of all young circuit relievers with at least 40 innings pitched.
Estévez joins Bobby Witt Jr. and Kris Bubic as the three Royals representatives in the All-Star Game, reinforcing the Kansas City team’s presence at the event. On the other hand, Dominican outfielder Julio Rodríguez, of the Seattle Mariners, will not participate in the event despite having been chosen by the players’ vote. The club has reported that Rodríguez will take advantage of the break to recover, rest, and prepare for the second half of the season. So far this year, his batting average is .244, with 11 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Carlos Estévez joins a list of Dominicans already confirmed for the All-Star Game, including Manny Machado, Ketel Marte, Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero, Randy Arozarena, Elly De La Cruz and Rafael Devers, ensuring a strong Dominican representation at the MLB mid-season event.
