Cincinnati Reds pitcher Sonny Gray added to National League All-Star team

It was quite the week for Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Sonny Gray. Three days after his best start of the season, he was added to the National League All-Star team. He will replace Max Scherzer, who pitched Saturday and will be unavailable to pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Gray will join fellow starting pitcher Luis Castillo as the Reds’ representatives at the Midsummer Classic. It was Gray’s second career selection to an All-Star team. He was chosen for the 2015 All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park when he pitched for the Oakland A’s.

In 17 starts during the first half of the season, Gray yielded a 5-5 record with a 3.59 ERA. He struck out 103 batters and walked 33 in 90 1/3 innings. He's striking out 10.3 batters per nine innings, the highest mark in his career.

When he pitched against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, his final start before the All-Star break, he matched his career-high with 12 strikeouts in eight scoreless innings. It was the longest start by any Reds pitcher this season, leading the club to a 3-0 victory.

Gray received a standing ovation after completing the eighth inning. 

"I had been waiting for that type of moment for him," catcher Curt Casali said afterward. "Super excited that he signed here long term. He’s one of my best friends and known him for a long time. We’ve got good fans here. For them to really get into it and give Sonny a good ovation, which he most definitely deserved, was awesome for me to see."

It’s the first time the Reds had two pitchers selected to the All-Star Game since 2014 when Johnny Cueto, Alfredo Simon and Aroldis Chapman were picked for the team.

The Reds traded for Gray in January, signing him to a three-year, $30.5 million contract extension as a condition of their deal with the New York Yankees. Gray will receive a $100,000 contractual bonus for making the All-Star team. 

The All-Star Game will be played at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cleveland's Progressive Field.