ANAHEIM, Calif. — A few days ago at Petco Park, the place where his Major League Baseball career began, Andrés Muñoz was asked about the possibility of being selected to play in the All-Star Game.
He spoke about it as a magical far-off place — a fantasyland for baseball’s elite — he hoped to visit one day despite having a first “half” worthy of selection.
“Oh, that would be awesome,” he said. “Obviously, I want to go. But if it’s not for me this year, I am OK with that. But if I go, that will be a dream come true.”
On Friday afternoon, the dream became a reality for the Mariners closer.
Just before the team headed out on the field for their pregame work, manager Scott Servais held a team meeting to announce that Muñoz had been chosen as a replacement for teammate Logan Gilbert on the American League All-Star roster.
When the players were notified about a meeting being scheduled at 4:15, Muñoz thought it would have to do with the All-Star Game but didn’t want to be presumptive enough to think he was being selected.
“I was so nervous,” he said. “I thought a little bit that maybe it could happen because we have all the people get together. I was thinking, ‘Maybe, hopefully.’”
Just after Servais announced they had another member of the team selected for the All-Star Game, mariachi music blasted over the speakers in the visitors’ clubhouse of Angel Stadium and players erupted in cheers.
“I don’t even know if he said my name,” Muñoz said. “They just started playing the song and then he looked at me and said, ‘Congratulations, Muney. You made the All-Star team.’ It was a really good feeling.”
Muñoz then addressed his teammates.
“I just thanked everybody because they were always playing 100%,” he said.
That Muñoz did the speech in English, his second language, was a reminder to Servais about how far the young fireballer has come as a player and a person.
“I’m just so proud of him and how he’s kind of grown,” Servais said. “From when we first acquired him and he was coming back from surgery to probably one of the most impressive things — his ability to kind of overcome fears of using the English language as well he has. It’s been really cool to see.”
With Gilbert starting Sunday’s series finale in Anaheim, he is ineligible to pitch in Tuesday’s midsummer classic at Globe Life Field. Muñoz’s selection will allow for the possibility of someone from the Mariners pitching in the game. The duo will fly out to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Muñoz had a résumé worthy of an initial selection. In 37 appearances this season, he has racked up 15 saves with six holds and a 1.45 ERA with only six earned runs allowed in 37 1/3 innings pitched. He has struck out 45 batters with just 16 walks. And of those 15 saves, six have been four outs or more, which is the most in MLB. He is one of three AL relievers with 10-plus saves and an ERA under 2.00, joining Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians and Kirby Yates of the Rangers.
“He’s developed as a pitcher,” Servais said. “He’s always been a great arm, a great thrower, but we’ve really seen him develop as a pitcher.”
Like Gilbert and so many other pitchers on the staff, Muñoz has consistently worked on improving his pitches and adding to his repertoire. He’s refined his slider and added a two-seam fastball to go with a four-seam fastball that can reach triple digits.
And while he’s anxious to talk to pitchers from other teams and learn from them, he’s most interested in meeting and talking to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
“He seems to be very fun over there,” Muñoz said. “Just being able to talk with everybody will be awesome for me and hopefully learning lots of things.”
And Judge?
“A lot of things, like what he’s thinking when I’m pitching to him,” Muñoz said. “I know he’s not going to say a lot of things because we are going to face them again, but just ask him and learn as much as possible.”
Ryan Divish:
[email protected]; Ryan Divish covers the Mariners in Seattle and on the road. Look for his ‘Extra Innings’ podcast and mailbags during the season.
