White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson earned his first American League All-Star selection as a starter Friday, beating Bo Bichette of the Blue Jays in fan voting.
Anderson, 28, was the lone Sox player voted to start for the AL in the 92nd Midsummer Classic on July 19 at Dodger Stadium. He defeated Bichette 55% to 45%.
“It means a lot for people to be paying attention and vote for me,” Anderson said. “I’m thankful for them making it happen.”
It’s the second overall All-Star selection for Anderson, who’s batting .313 with a .352 on-base percentage despite missing three weeks with a strained groin and snapping an 0-for-19 slump with a hit in the ninth inning of a 2-1 loss to the Tigers on Thursday. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored against the Tigers on Friday.
Anderson also made the AL squad in 2021, replacing Carlos Correa. He played two innings on defense at Coors Field in Denver but didn’t bat.
“Last year I got left on deck, so now I got a chance to get an at-bat,” Anderson said.
Anderson will be the fourth Sox shortstop to start in the game, joining Luis Aparicio (seven starts), Chico Carrasquel (three) and Luke Appling (two).
He’s the first Sox shortstop named to AL All-Star teams in consecutive years since Ozzie Guillen in 1990-91 and the sixth shortstop in Sox history to make the AL team, joining Alexei Ramirez, Guillen, Aparicio, Carrasquel and Appling.
“It wasn’t long into my first year where I saw he’s as good as anybody out there,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said before Anderson’s selection was announced Friday. “He took care of a lot of that in that game in Iowa last year.”
He was referring to Anderson’s two-run, walk-off homer to rally the Sox to a 9-8 win over the Yankees at the first “Field of Dreams” game in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 12.
Meanwhile, La Russa was delighted that Albert Pujols, whom he managed for 12 seasons with the Cardinals (2001-11), was selected for the National League All-Star team by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
“I think anything that recognizes history, credentials, career, is very healthy,” La Russa said of Pujols, 42, who has hit 683 home runs in a 22-year career. “And it’s healthy for the young people that didn’t see Albert play a lot.”
MINNIE’S MOMENT
Sharon Rice-Minoso is putting the finishing touches on the Hall of Fame speech she’ll give for her late husband, Sox great Minnie Minoso. She admitted she might have trouble keeping her remarks to 10 minutes during ceremonies July 24 in Cooperstown, New York.
“He was so humble,” Rice-Minoso said. “At home, he would have been excited, overwhelmed, like, ‘I don’t believe it.’ But he took everything so in stride.
“I think during the speech is where he would have got emotional. I picture him at times on the stage and [say], ‘He should be here. This should have been him.’ ”
