Chris Sale Headlines 3 Selections, Jesse Chavez Snubbed

The Atlanta Braves have no starting position players in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game for the first time since 2017, but Atlanta won’t be without representation when the National League takes the field July 16 at Globe Life Stadium.

Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale, a favorite to make the National League debut, will headline a trio of All-Stars. Sale will be joined in Arlington by two backups, fellow starter Reynaldo López and outfielder Marcell Ozuna.

Sale, 35, has rejuvenated his career in Atlanta, posting a 2.71 ERA while leading the National League in wins (11) and WHIP (0.91) in 16 starts and 99.2 innings. Sale’s 127 strikeouts rank sixth in MLB and third in the National League. This is his eighth All-Star nomination, but first since 2018.

Lopez, 30, dazzled in his return to the starting role, posting a league-best 1.71 ERA and going 7-2 in 16 starts. After playing for three teams in 2023 and starting just one game the past two seasons, the Dominican Republic native thrived en route to his first All-Star appearance.

Ozuna was the only Atlanta position player to appear in the game, although outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was likely on his way to Arlington before suffering a season-ending torn ACL on May 26.

The National League leader in RBIs with 72, Ozuna is hitting .295 with 23 home runs, trailing only Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani (28) for the senior league lead. Ozuna, now a three-time All-Star, was last selected in 2017.

Perhaps the Braves’ biggest snub is reliever Jesse Chavez. Other players, including starting pitcher Max Fried and third baseman Austin Riley, have also been considered potential picks.

Chavez, who turns 41 in August, had strong internal support from teammates heading into his first All-Star appearance, but it was all for naught. A 17-year veteran, Chavez was a reliable arm in Atlanta’s bullpen, with a 1.67 ERA in 37.2 innings over 28 appearances.

The 2024 MLB All-Star Game begins at 8 p.m. on July 16 on FOX.