Venezuelan Jose Altuve was left out of the All-Star Game

Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro will replace Altuve. Main photo: EFE

Houston Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve will not participate in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This will be done to give his sore left hand a rest, the official website reported on Thursday, July 11. MLB.com.

Replacing Altuve, Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro has been added to the American League team.

Altuve’s withdrawal is the second of a Latin player. Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers opted out of the game Stars gamedue to discomfort in the left shoulder.

José Altuve and the ball hit that injured him

Altuve was hit by a pitch on his left hand on July 5 in the eighth inning of a game between the Astros and the Minnesota Twins, forcing him out of the game and has been dealing with discomfort ever since.

The left hand that kept him out of the All-Star Game is the same one that fractured his left thumb in the 2023 World Baseball Classic with Venezuela, causing him to undergo surgery that kept him off the field before and following the season began.

Among the players chosen to participate in the mid-season classic to be played in Arlington, Texas, Altuve and fellow Venezuelan Salvador Pérez of the Kansas City Royals are the ones who have been called up the most times, with nine.

This season, Altuve is batting .309 with 13 home runs, 41 RBIs and 55 runs scored. He is one of the best players at his position and maintaining his status as one of the pillars of the Astros.

Photo: EFE

Where to watch the All-Star Game

Major League Baseball (MLB) will host the 94th edition of the All-Star Game on July 16 at 8:00 pm (Venezuela time).

The broadcasting rights for Major League Baseball games were purchased by Televen, IVC, ESPN and ByM Sport. The All-Star Game can be watched on the following channels:

– Televen: 13 (open signal); 7 (Inter); 106 (SimpleTV)

– IVC: 20 and 192 in HD (Inter); 235 and 1235 in HD (SimpleTV)

– ESPN: 55 and 56 (Inter); 621 and 622, and 1621 and 1622 in HD (SimpleTV)

– ByM Sport: 111 (Inter); 111 and 1111 in HD (SimpleTV)

– It’s Disney+ (via streaming)

– MLB.tv (via streaming)

The performance of Puerto Rican Willi Castro

Castro, who will participate in his first All-Star Game, will be part of the reserves of the team from the minor league of the MLB, while the starting position will be occupied by the second baseman of the Rangers, Marcus Semiens.

This season, Castro is batting .268 with seven home runs and 54 runs scored.

Although he was selected as a second baseman, the Puerto Rican has shown his versatility playing in various positions at a level that, according to MLB data, makes him the first player in history to play at least 20 games in a season at second base, shortstop, third base, left field and center field.

Venezuelan Jose Altuve was left out of the All-Star Game to recover from a hit by a pitch: the details — Photo: EFE

“If you think regarding it, he’s the real MVP of this team,” fellow American Carlos Correa said recently, referring to Castro, who has played in every one of the Twins’ 93 games so far this season.