Royals Announce Two New 2024 MLB All-Stars
By Joe Summers
![Jul 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates his three run home run with outfielder Hunter Renfroe (16) ahead of center fielder Kyle Isbel (28) and designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino (9) in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Jul 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates his three run home run with outfielder Hunter Renfroe (16) ahead of center fielder Kyle Isbel (28) and designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino (9) in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5472,h_3078,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/220/01j27mzry0sk6n5eh7tc.jpg)
Two Royals pitchers will officially join Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez for the 2024 MLB All-Star game, as starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans were both named to the team on Sunday.
It's the first time either pitcher has been named an All-Star and each are deserving, helping solidify the top of a rotation with the fourth-best ERA (3.47) in all of baseball. Kansas City now has four All-Stars for the first time since the 2015 World Series squad, bolstering the idea that this is a legitimate playoff team.
The 2024 All-Star Game will take place in Arlington, Texas, on July 16.
Royals News: Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans Named 2024 MLB All-Stars
Four all-stars!!! The Royals will be represented by first time all-stars Bobby Witt Jr, Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and 9-time all-star Salvador Perez pic.twitter.com/rE6uu6mV1t
— Joel Goldberg (@goldbergkc) July 7, 2024
Lugo currently sports an 11-3 record with a 2.21 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched. He sits with the third-best odds to win the AL Cy Young (+1400) at FanDuel Sportsbook. There's a legitimate case that he should win the award, especially if he maintains this level of consistency.
Not to be overshadowed, Ragans continues to prove he's a franchise cornerstone at only 26 years old. He's only 5-6 but has a 3.28 ERA in 109.2 innings. Ragans' 134 strikeouts rank second in the AL and he's tied for eighth in Cy Young odds at +3000.
Congratulations to Seth Lugo on his first All-Star selection! pic.twitter.com/fAxkj9ayQF
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 7, 2024
Congratulations to Cole Ragans on his first All-Star selection! pic.twitter.com/VVJTkoCCmH
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 7, 2024
This is a tremendous accomplishment for both players. Lugo was widely expected to make the roster though Ragans' candidacy was more of a question mark.
The Royals have never had two starting pitchers make the All-Star game before, and these two are clearly deserving of the honor. As Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Radio points out, Lugo and Ragans have combined for 28 quality starts in 38 outings, posting a 2.72 ERA with 244 strikeouts in 231.2 innings.
That's as dominant of a duo as there is in the game and I can't wait to see them both pitch in Arlington.
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