The 2023 San Diego Padres are a star-studded team, but will have just two players in this season's All-Star game.
Outfielder Juan Soto and relief pitcher Josh Hader have been selected as reserves for the MLB All-Star game in Seattle on Tuesday, July 11.
For Hader, this is his fifth All-Star selection. For Soto, it's his third.
"It feels great," Soto said. "Going there, seeing so many All-Stars and people, everybody, is a great feeling. Just to see all those All-Stars and everything. There are a lot of guys and teams that are in a good position. I try to pick whatever they can give me so I can bring it over. That's the main thing. I just try to get to know those guys a little more."
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After struggling in his initial half-season in San Diego, Soto has returned to form this season with impressive offensive stat lines of .277/.424/.502 with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs.
(2) MLB HR Videos on Twitter: "Juan Soto - San Diego Padres (15) https://t.co/u48uEIG7v7" / Twitter
Soto won the Home Run Derby at last season's All-Star game, but decided not to ty and defend his title this year.
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When asked about not defending his title, Soto said, "For me, I've done it, I might do it again in the future, but for now I'm good."
Hader has been dominant at the back end of the Padres bullpen with 20 saves, a 1.11 ERA and just one loss this season.
The current Padres roster has seven other players who have previously been All-Stars, including Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado.