Five former Jacksonville Suns will participate in the 87th Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday at Petco Park in San Diego.
Miami Marlins Jose Fernandez, A.J. Ramos, and Marcell Ozuna will be joined by New York Yankees pitcher Andrew Miller and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw as former Suns who were named 2016 All-Stars.
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Fernandez, who made a rehab start with the Suns in 2015, is 11-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 17 starts for the Marlins this year. He’s collected 154 strikeouts in just over 107 innings, more strikeouts than any Marlin in franchise history before the All-Star break. This is the second All-Star selection for Fernandez, who was also an All-Star in 2013 when he was the National League Rookie of the Year.
Ozuna played 10 games for the Suns in 2013. This has been a breakout season for the slugger, hitting .259 with 17 home runs and 47 RBI. He is also in the top five among National League outfielders in batting average, home runs, runs, hits, triples, and slugging percentage. This is the first All-Star selection for Ozuna in his fourth major league season. Ozuna is also the only former Sun who will start the All-Star Game, batting seventh and playing in center field for the National League All-Stars.
Ramos, a 2012 Southern League Midseason All-Star with the Suns, has been a lights-out closer for Miami this season. Ramos has converted 27 saves for the Marlins this year and has a 2.25 ERA in 38 relief appearances for Miami.
Miller, a member of the 2009 and 2010 Southern League champion Suns, has proven to be a valuable member of the Yankees bullpen in 2016. He has gone 5-1 with a 1.37 ERA in 38 games in relief with seven saves for New York, and this is his first All-Star selection.
Kershaw is currently on the disabled list with a herniated disc in his back, but has gone 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 16 starts this year, and this is his sixth straight All-Star nod. Kershaw shined for the Suns in 2007 and 2008 before making it to the majors with Los Angeles.
Additionally, 2009-10 Suns slugger Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins will be in San Diego to participate in Monday night's T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Stanton has hit 20 home runs in the first half of the season, and is participating in his second derby after hitting six home runs in 2014 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Stanton, the No. 5 seed, was invited to the Home Run Derby as a wild card, and he’s matched up against Seattle Mariners slugger and No. 4 seed Robinson Cano in the first round.
The T-Mobile Home Run Derby will be televised by ESPN, with coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET.