From: The Dynasty
Washington Nationals send four All-Stars to 2016 MLB All-Star Game
Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Wilson Ramos and Stephen Strasburg will represent the Washington Nationals in the 2016 MLB All-Star game. The four selections tie a franchise record for the club.
Harper, the 23-year old reigning National League Most Valuable Player, earns his third career start. Second-baseman Murphy and catcher Ramos will serve as reserves while Strasburg rounds out the star-studded NL pitching staff.
Harper, while showing significant decline from his hot start to 2016, earns his fourth overall All-Star selection. For Murphy and Strasburg, this marks their second All-Star game selection, while Ramos earns his first All-Star nod.
Harper finished April with a .286 batting average and nine home runs. Since April, Harper’s batting average has not gone above .274, and he is currently batting .258.
Murphy leads the National League in batting average and hits, and has statistically better numbers than the fan-voted NL second base starter Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs. Zobrist is one of five Cubs voted as starters for the Midsummer Classic.
Murphy’s selection marks the second consecutive season the Nationals have signed a future All-Star in the offseason. Murphy signed a three-year, $37.5 million deal in the offseason after spending his entire career with the Nationals’ NL East rival, the New York Mets. In the winter of 2014, the Nationals signed pitcher Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million dollar contract. Scherzer represented the Nationals in the 2015 All-Star game.
Strasburg will return to the All-Star game for the first time since 2012. Strasburg is currently 11-0 with a 2.71 ERA in 99.2 innings pitched. Strasburg will return to his hometown of San Diego, California, the site of the All-Star game.
Ramos is having a career year, currently batting .335 with 13 home runs, three home runs shy of matching his career high.
