NEW YORK (AP) — Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw was picked for his 11th All-Star Game and joins former Oregon State stars Steven Kwan and Matthew Boyd in the July 15 showcase at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
Also landing in the annual classic are a 23-and-under group that includes Paul Skenes, James Wood, and Elly De La Cruz as reserves, in addition to previously announced starters Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jacob Wilson.
Wood at 22 is the youngest of the 65 All-Stars, while Skenes, De La Cruz and fan-elected starters Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jacob Wilson are all 23.
“It’ll just be cool being around some of the best players in the game,” Wood said.
Boyd joins Wood, Wilson and Crow-Armstrong among 19 first-time All-Stars. The former Oregon State standout was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2013 and made his MLB debut in 2015. He has since played for the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, and Cleveland Guardians before joining the Cubs. In the 2025 season, the left-handed pitcher has compiled an impressive 8-3 record with a 2.65 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings across 17 starts, serving as a steady presence in the Cubs’ rotation.
Fellow Oregon State alum Kwan will be making his second consecutive MLB All-Star appearance. After contributing to the Beavers’ national championship in 2018, Kwan was drafted by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB draft. Since his MLB debut in 2022, he’s earned three Gold Glove Awards (2022-2024) for his defense in left field. Kwan has a batting average of .293 with 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases through 84 games in the 2025 season.
Kershaw last week became the 20th pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts and Commissioner Rob Manfred made the left-hander the 65th All-Star as a so-called Legend Pick, his first since selecting Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols in 2022 under a provision in the then-new collective bargaining agreement.
Kershaw gives the Dodgers at least five All-Stars for the sixth straight season. The oldest NL All-Star at 37 and most senior All-Star with 11 selections, Kershaw is joined by Yamamoto and fan-elected starters Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith.
Detroit and Seattle will have four players each at the game.
Starting pitchers Hunter Brown of Houston, Garrett Crochet of Boston, Jacob deGrom of Texas, Max Fried of the New York Yankees and Tarik Skubal of Detroit were voted to the AL staff by players, managers and coaches along with relievers Aroldis Chapman of Boston, Josh Hader of Houston and Andrés Muñoz of Seattle.
Chapman is the oldest All-Star, born 19 days before Kershaw.
In addition to Kwan, AL reserves picked by players included Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk, Tampa Bay first baseman Jonathan Aranda and second baseman Brandon Lowe, Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña, Boston third baseman Alex Bregman, Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielders Byron Buxton of Minnesota and Julio Rodríguez of Seattle.
MLB used its six picks on pitchers Kris Bubic of Kansas City, Yusei Kikuchi of the Los Angeles Angels, Shane Smith of the Chicago White Sox and Bryan Woo of Seattle, along with Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
“Red carpet, that’s my thing,” Chisholm said. “I do have a ’fit in mind.”
Smith became the second player since 2000 to become an All-Star in the season after he was selected in the Rule 5 draft, following Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla in 2006, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Smith was left unprotected by Milwaukee and joined Wilson (Athletics) as the only rookies on the All-Star rosters.
Pittsburgh’s Skenes, Washington’s MacKenzie Gore, Atlanta’s Chris Sale, San Francisco’s Logan Webb and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler were elected to the starting rotation by players along with relievers Jason Adam of San Diego, Edwin Díaz of the New York Mets and Randy Rodríguez of San Francisco.
Skenes started last year’s All-Star Game just 66 days after his major league debut, pitching a hitless inning in the NL’s 5-3 loss at Arlington, Texas.
Player-elected NL reserves were Colorado catcher Hunter Goodman, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, St. Louis second baseman Brendan Donovan, Cincinnati’s De La Cruz at shortstop, Arizona third baseman Eugenio Suárez, Philadelphia DH Kyle Schwarber and Wood, Arizona’s Corbin Carroll and the Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. in the outfield.
MLB’s NL picks were Boyd, Yamamoto, Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta and the Giants’ Robbie Ray for the pitching staff, along with Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson and Miami outfielder Kyle Stowers.
Mets outfielder Juan Soto, Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, Blue Jays outfielder George Springer, Phillies shortstop Trea Turner and Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray were not picked. There usually are about 10 roster replacements between the announcements and the game.
