Former ValleyCat Earns All-Star Start

When you're watching the Major League Baseball All-Star Game tonight, you should notice a distinct local flavor on the American League roster.

We already knew that former Tri-City ValleyCat and current Houston Astros star Jose Altuve will start for the squad at second base, and that former 'Cat and current Tiger J.D. Martinez will be on the bench, but it was announced on Monday that former 'Cat Dallas Keuchel will take the ball on the mound.

Keuchel is having a great year for one of baseball's biggest surprise teams. He's currently 11-4 with a 2.23 ERA. He's tossed two shutouts on the year. Other possible candidates to start the game included Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox, Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners, and Sonny Gray of the Oakland Athletics.

Keuchel, like Altuve and Martinez, played for the 'Cats in the 2009 season. He went 2-3 in 10 starts with a 2.70 ERA. A strike thrower even in his earliest days, Keuchel had a 1.08 WHIP and walked just nine batters in 56.2 innings that season.