Whit Merrifield will join Salvador Perez on the American League All-Star team next week in Denver after being named an injury replacement via a player ballot on Saturday. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve declined to participate in next week’s game due to a knee injury, leaving Merrifield as the only second base reserve to starter Marcus Semien of the Blue Jays.
Merrifield will be participating in his second All-Star team, having gone 0-for-2 in the 2019 Midsummer Classic in Cleveland. The 32-year old is third among all American League second basemen in WAR, according to Fangraphs.