Royals closer Carlos Estévez and utilityman Maikel Garcia have been named to the AL All-Star team, giving Kansas City four representatives at Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic in Atlanta.
Estévez got the nod on Friday to replace Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start on Saturday and will not be available to pitch on Tuesday. It’s the second All-Star selection for Estévez, who was named to the AL team in 2023 as a member of the Angels.
Garcia was also named to the team on Friday, replacing Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe, who’s been dealing with side soreness. It’s the first All-Star selection for Garcia.
Estévez, 32, is off to the best start of his nine-year career in his first season with the Royals. He leads the AL with 25 saves and has pitched to a 2.03 ERA in 39 appearances. His ERA ranks fifth among AL relievers who’ve logged at least 40 innings this season. Estévez is also on pace to blow past his career high in saves, set in 2023 when he saved 31 games for the Angels.
Meanwhile, Garcia, 25, is off to a similarly hot start on the offensive side. He enters play Friday with a team-best .305 average to go with eight homers and an .827 OPS. He’s hit safely in 13 of his past 16 games and has 18 stolen bases.
Though he’s primarily played third base this season (75 games), Garcia has also spent time at second, shortstop, in the outfield and as a designated hitter, providing the Royals — and now the AL All-Star team — valuable versatility.
