Saturday, December 06

HOUSTON -- Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña and starting pitcher Hunter Brown will be making their first appearance in an All-Star Game, while veteran closer Josh Hader is an All-Star for the sixth time after previously representing the Brewers and Padres in the Midsummer Classic.

All three players were thrilled to be named as reserves for the All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on Sunday, with the chance at least one more Astros player could be joining. Pitchers Framber Valdez and Bryan Abreu have strong All-Star cases and could be added to the American League roster if there becomes an opening.

2025 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard
• July 15, 8 p.m. ET (Watch on FOX)
• Special events and ticketing info
• All-Star Game rosters
• Team-by-team breakdown

“Well deserving. Three amazing humans and great players,” manager Joe Espada said. “I’m so proud of their accomplishments, how they came up through our system, and what they mean to our club. … I feel like we have a few more in here, but extremely happy for those three individuals.”

The Astros have had at least three All-Stars every year since 2017. Their 36 total selections over the last eight seasons are the most in MLB during that span.

Peña landed on the 10-day injured list June 30 with a rib fracture and the injury has clouded his availability for the All-Star Game. Peña was slashing .322/.378/.489 with 11 homers, 40 RBIs and 15 stolen bases before his injury. He had appeared in every game before getting injured and was playing a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop. He was hitting a Major League-best .353 with a .938 OPS in 55 games after being moved into the leadoff position April 27.

Swing changes, a revamped batting stance and improved plate discipline have helped propel Peña to All-Star status this year.

“I did a lot of work with Carlos Correa and his team out in Houston,” Peña said. “I feel like some of the stuff we talked about from the first day just felt right. It was about just staying short, staying tight and eliminating unnecessary movements in your swing. I just ran with that this offseason. I love where I’m at right now in my game, I know there’s still improvement. I still show up trying to get better every single day.”

Peña could be on track for his best season defensively, too. He posted a career-low 1.4 dWAR last year but had matched that through 82 games in 2025. He already had eight DRS through mid-June after having only four last year. And he had committed only five errors after a career-high-tying 19 last year.

Brown had a breakout season last year and has taken his game to another level in 2025. He was fourth in the Major Leagues in ERA (2.21) and first in the AL in opponents’ batting average (.185) through Tuesday. The Astros are 13-5 in his first 18 starts of the season.

Brown, drafted by the Astros in the fifth round in 2019 out of Wayne State, rebounded from a lackluster start to his 2024 campaign when he added a sinker to his repertoire. He has continued to reap the rewards, being named AL Pitcher of the Month for June 2025 after allowing just four runs in 30 1/3 innings (1.19 ERA) and capping the dominant stretch with seven scoreless innings and nine strikeouts to power a sweep of the Phillies.

“I’m just trying to soak it in and take it for what it is,” Brown said of his first All-Star selection. “Ideally, you’d like to think you’ll be a 10-time, 15-time All-Star, but at the end of the day, you might not get another opportunity. So I’m just gonna enjoy this one.”

Hader is having one of the best seasons of his career in his second year in Houston, successfully converting his first 25 save chances. That is an Astros club record, surpassing Dave Smith’s 21 consecutive saves to start a season in 1989.

Hader was named AL Relief Pitcher of the Month in June, when he allowed just six hits and struck out 22 in 13 2/3 innings across 14 appearances with nine saves and a 1.98 ERA. He got his 200th career save in his 421st career appearance on Opening Day; only former Astros closer Billy Wagner reached 200 saves in fewer games.

As the experienced vet among Houston’s All-Star trio, Hader hopes his first-timer teammates take “every little thing” from the experience.

“From flying the show planes, to signing all the memorabilia … going on the red carpet, watching the Home Run Derby and just enjoying the game,” Hader said. “It’s just like everything added up into one. It’s overwhelming, for sure, in your first one, but hopefully they can take some time just to enjoy the moment.”

The dates have been set for the 2026 World Baseball Classic games that will be held at Daikin Park, which will play host to the United States, Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and Brazil in Pool B.

Friday, March 6: Mexico vs. Great Britain, 12 p.m. CT; U.S. vs. Brazil, 7 p.m. CT

Saturday, March 7: Brazil vs. Italy, 12 p.m. CT; Great Britain vs. U.S., 7 p.m. CT

Sunday, March 8: Great Britain vs. Italy, 12 p.m. CT; Brazil vs. Mexico, 7 p.m. CT

Monday, March 9: Brazil vs. Great Britain, 12 p.m. CT; Mexico vs. U.S., 7 p.m. CT

Tuesday, March 10: Italy vs. U.S, 8 p.m. CT

Wednesday, March 11: Italy vs. Mexico, 6 p.m. CT

July 11, 1985
Hall of Fame right-hander Nolan Ryan, then 38 years old, became the first pitcher to reach 4,000 career strikeouts when he whiffed Danny Heep of the Mets at the Astrodome. Ryan went on to strike out another 1,714 batters, finishing with a Major League record of 5,714 strikeouts.

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