MIAMI — The Miami Marlins have a third All-Star for the 2022 season.
Garrett Cooper on Tuesday was named as a replacement on the National League’s roster for the Midsummer Classic, which will take place on July 19 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles — about 21 and a half miles from his hometown of Torrance, Calif.
“All the stars aligned,” Cooper said. “For that to be in my hometown and to have my family and friends and everyone out there, it’s pretty wild.”
Cooper joins teammates Sandy Alcantara and Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the NL All-Star roster. It’s the first time the Marlins have had at least three players named All-Stars in the same season since 2016, when they had four (Jose Fernandez, Marcell Ozuna, A.J. Ramos, and Fernando Rodney).
Cooper is replacing Bryce Harper, who was named the NL’s starting designated hitter by winning the fan vote but will not be able to participate because he has a fractured left thumb. The Atlanta Braves’ William Contreras, who was second in fan voting, will now be the NL’s starting designated hitter while Cooper — who was next in line among NL designated hitters from the player ballot vote — will be a reserve.
The 31-year-old slugger enters Tuesday with a .299 batting average that ranks 10th in the National League. His 21 doubles are tied for seventh in the NL.
“I thought it was really cool that it was by the player vote,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “Anything the players vote on, that means they’re recognizing this guy is a guy that can swing the bat. I thought that was good.”
Stallings and his Gold Glove
Catcher Jacob Stallings received his 2021 Gold Glove in a pregame ceremony Tuesday before the Marlins play their second game of a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team Stallings played with for the first six years of his MLB career before being traded to Miami last offseason.
Stallings last season, his first as a full-time starting catcher, recorded 21 defensive runs saved and did not allow a passed ball.
“It’s nice,” Stallings said. “It’ll be good to close that chapter officially, but it’ll be really cool.”
While Stallings is excited for the honor, he knows his 2022 has not been up to his standards.
Defensively, he has caught just six of 45 potential base stealers and has a minus-3 defensive runs saved one year after being tied for the MLB lead with 21 defensive runs saved.
Offensively, Stallings is hitting .185 with a .483 on-base-plus-slugging mark.
“Not the best,” Stallings said. “It’s a lot of new things. I think I’m catching well. It’s been good to kind of get to know the staff and I feel like I’m starting to get really comfortable with everyone. It’s a lot of fun to get to catch Sandy and Pablo [Lopez] and a lot of these guys. That part has been really rewarding, but I’d like to be playing a little better personally.”
Marlins lose a reliever
The Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday claimed Marlins right-handed relief pitcher Louis Head.
Head is currently on the 15-day injured list with a left shoulder impingement and was just starting his rehab assignment.
