Brock Holt chosen for 2015 All-Star team | Sports – WMUR Home

Holt has been a valuable member for the AL East last-place Red Sox. But to say this is what they envisioned would be asinine.

Brock Holt, of the Boston Red Sox, has been selected to the American League roster for Major League Baseball’s 86th All-Star Game in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Bogaerts, who was beaten out at the shortstop position on the AL squad by starter Alcides Escobar of the Royals and reserve (and ex- Red Sox) Jose Iglesias of the Detroit Tigers, was certainly deserving of a spot himself.

“It’s pretty surreal”, Holt said in a conference call. “I’m humbled and it’s something I didn’t expect coming into the year, but I’m glad it happened, and I’m excited about the opportunity”.

Holt has more than made up for Hanrahan’s awful nine-game stint with the Red Sox in 2013.

Instead, he struggled for the first time since he left Aruba to become a professional baseball player, enduring a nearly-three-month-long slump while being shuffled between two positions, short and third.

“It’s insane, man”, said Holt, who joined the Red Sox as a middle infielder. He has started 28 of the team’s past 29 games, including the past 10 at second base, where he has played since Pedroia went on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. It’s just something that happened, and everything kind of happens for a reason.

But Monday night, that all changed for 27-year-old Brock Holt. It’s why he’s become so important to the Red Sox.

Yost, who is the manager of the Kansas City Royals, remarked that Holt’s ability to play multiple positions at a high level made him an All-Star. He has played 66 games this season, seeing time at all outfield and infield positions. Holt was named as a reserve Monday. 394 on-base percentage.

“What impressed me is his versatility”, Yost said on the selection show.

The Boston Red Sox will only be sending one player to the All-Star game this year and it’s an unlikley choice. It was pretty special to hear from my teammates. Bogaerts has an superior chance to be selected, yet there is no miscarriage of justice, not with the All-Star constraints put on managers. It doesn’t matter, as far as Holt is concerned.

“As I’ve said all season, my number one goal is helping the Yankees win a championship. If not, I’ll just enjoy the sights and the sounds and take it all in”. Already regarded as the team’s No. 1 prospect, Bogaerts became the team’s everyday shortstop the following spring and was assumed to be destined for instant stardom. Not bad for a throw-in.