Josiah Gray Throws Scoreless Inning To Help NL Win All-Star Game For First Time Since 2012

Josiah Gray Throws Scoreless Inning To Help NL Win All-Star Game For First Time Since 2012

by | Jul 12, 2023 | 5TH SLOT

Josiah “Sway” Gray throws a scoreless third as great pitching and clutch hitting get the National League their first win in an All-Star Game since 2012.

 

 

Ken Griffey Jr. who was one of the group of 2001 Mariners honored before the game and the lead ambassador for this year’s All-Star Week got the night going by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

Him, along with the entire city of Seattle and their fans put on a great show for the sports 93rd game.

The tone was set on defense by Dusty Baker’s American League defense in the first inning with catches at the wall by Adolis Garcia and  Randy Arozarena.

Marcus Semien, who started the game for the second time in his career, fielded the final out of the inning.

 

Semien led off the bottom half of the first of his two groundouts on the night.

He was one of five Texas Rangers to start the game and one of six to be on the field at once when Nathan Eovaldi pitched the second inning.

That made them the first team since the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 to have six of their players on the All-Star Game field at once.

Gray faced three of those Rangers in the scoreless third inning he threw last night.

He got a flyout, strikeout then forced Marcus Semien to ground out to end both their nights.

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts went 0-for-2, but he received high praise from the best in the game, Shohei Ohtani.

“He (Mookie Betts) is so versatile,” Ohtani told reporters when asked which All-Star impressed him the most.

 

“He can play outfield, play the middle infield, he is very, very talented.

The National League would grab the lead a few innings later and after the A.L. tied the game Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz, who was given the games MVP award homered in his only at-bat in the top of the 8th.

The tying runner was in scoring position in the ninth, but Craig Kimbriel would strand the runner by striking out Jose Rameriez.

The last time the National League won the All-Star Game was 11 years ago when now Braves third base coach Ron Washington was managing the American League and penciled in Derek Jeter to bat leadoff and play short.

Arlington, Texas will be the host for next year’s midsummer classic so let’s hope we can best the six MLBbro All-Stars we had this go around.

Josiah Gray Headlines New Generation Of All-Stars 25 And Younger

Josiah Gray Headlines New Generation Of All-Stars 25 And Younger

by | Jul 11, 2023 | THE THREE SPOT

Josiah “Sway” Gray headlines a group of All-Stars under the age of 25 ready to take over the sport.

 

MLBbro Pitcher Josiah Gray Is One Of 26 First-Time MLB All-Stars | The New Generation Is Taking Over

 

Josiah Gray Is Blossoming 


Third year pitcher Gray came a long way from leading the Majors last season in home runs allowed, to being the lone Washington Nationals All-Star this year.

 


He finished the first half with a 3.41 ERA, 92 strikeouts in 100.1 innings and has been a big part in his Nationals winning four of their last five series. Gray, who turned 25 this past December, is one of 14 All-Stars under the age of 25 to be selected to the All-Star team this season.

It is becoming more and more common in today’s game for players to have instant impacts for their teams right after being called to the Majors.

 

Take the likes of Arizona’s outfielder Corbin Carroll and Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman for example:


Rutschman, who has been one of baseball’s best catchers since his call-up, was a highlight of last night’s Home Run Derby while Carroll who is starting in left field for the National League is the leader for one of baseball’s most surprising teams.

For the Nationals, their hoping the road to the World Series can be paved with Gray leading the rotation for the next decade. 

 

“It is cool to be one of those younger guys out here and represent the next generation of the game,” Gray told MLBbro.com.”

“It is an opportunity that you will never forget and I am thankful to get to represent the Nationals.”

 

How Did Washington Nationals Acquire Josiah Gray?

 

Gray was traded in 2021 from the Dodgers in a megadeal involving future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer and former batting champion Trea Turner.

Now, shortstop C.J. Abrams who was acquired in a deal for Juan Soto and a core of young Nationals look to finish the second half strong and build towards a future that will soon include 2021 top pick James Wood.

 

“We are having fun playing the game and not worrying about what others have to say,” said Gray.

“We have beat a lot of good teams recently, so things are in a good spot.  We are learning from every game and just trying to give the team a chance to win.”

 

Gray will enter the game sooner rather than later in tonight’s All-Star Game, so he will have to be locked in against the best hitters on the planet.

 

“I will face whoever they throw out there,” Gray told MLBbro.com.

 

“It is going to be amazing running out on the field Tuesday night.  It is going to be really fun to just be in that moment.  It is not something you can embrace beyond soaking it in, so hopefully it is everything I ever dreamed of.”

 

It’s looking like Gray will be up to the task when his name is called for years to come.