CLEVELAND -- Houston second baseman Jose Altuve and San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon won't be playing in Tuesday's All-Star Game.
Altuve, an eight-time All-Star who was selected as a starter in fan voting, was struck on the left knee leading off Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. He was kept out of the lineup Friday night.
MLB announced Saturday that Altuve is being replaced in the starting lineup by Cleveland’s Andrés Giménez, who is making his first appearance. Toronto’s Santiago Espinal will replace Altuve on the AL roster.
Meanwhile, Dodgers pitcher Tyler Anderson is taking the place of Rodon on the NL roster, LA said in a news release. It wasn't immediately clear why Rodon isn't playing in the All-Star Game. Anderson is 10-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 17 games, with 81 strikeouts.
The 23-year-old Giménez, who came to Cleveland last year as part of the trade that sent shortstop Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets, is having a standout season. He's batting .299 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs in 78 games while playing solid defense. He's also been clutch, batting .384 with runners in scoring position.
Altuve said of his knee on Saturday that he was “waiting to see how it responded today and I think we all agree that we’re making the best decision.” He also said ”I don't think we're going to go" when asked if he was going to go to LA, adding “we’re going to do some treatment and get ready for the second half.”
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AP Sports Writers Kristie Rieken in Houston and Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
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