Mets' Jeff McNeil to start at second base for NL in MLB All-Star Game
The Mets' Jeff McNeil runs on his single against the Marlins during the fourth inning of an MLB game at Citi Field on July 7. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
CHICAGO — Jeff McNeil’s great week got even better Saturday when he was named the National League starter at second base for the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Because the Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., elected by fans as the top second baseman, withdrew because of a back injury, MLB named a replacement for the lineup. That was McNeil, who found out when manager Buck Showalter approached him about an hour before the Mets’ doubleheader against the Cubs.
“I was pretty happy about that,” said McNeil, who didn’t quite outwardly show that emotion afterward. “Not really how I wanted to be named All-Star starter, with someone going down. I do wish the best to Jazz and hopefully he gets back on the field soon. But super excited for the opportunity to be in the game.”
McNeil will be the first Mets player to start in the Midsummer Classic since David Wright and Matt Harvey in 2013, when the exhibition was at Citi Field.
In a seven-day span, McNeil found out he was an All-Star (voted in by players) on Sunday, became a first-time father on Wednesday and got bumped up to starter status on Saturday.
“It’s been a pretty fantastic week,” he said.
One aspect of the All-Star festivities that McNeil can look forward to: having his photo appear next to his name when he bats at Dodger Stadium.
The last time he was an All-Star, in 2019 in Cleveland, the video-board staff accidentally put up Jacob deGrom’s headshot when McNeil batted. That disappointed McNeil, who said that night: “That can’t happen . . . I want to see my picture up there. I know my family does, too.”
This time will be different, probably.
“I think they’ll get it right this time,” he said. “We’ll see.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
