ARLINGTON, Texas — Seth Lugo faced Bobby Witt Jr. and the rest of the Kansas City Royals last year when they were on their way to a last-place finish in the AL Central.
The right-hander picked the Royals in free agency and now is a first-time All-Star along with Witt and nine-time participant Salvador Perez for a postseason contender.
''I know they had a bad year, but they had a pretty good lineup,'' said Lugo, who was with San Diego when he gave up five runs in two innings in a 5-4 loss to Kansas City in May 2023. ''They weren't easy outs. There's a few guys that laid off some pitches, I thought, that a young team should probably go for.''
Lugo and Witt, a shortstop, are among 39 first-timers set for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at the home of the World Series champion Texas Rangers.
''It kind of speaks to the youth that's coming into the game right now,'' said starting NL third baseman Alec Bohm of Philadelphia, a 27-year-old first-timer who is among a franchise-record eight All-Stars for the Phillies.
''I think the game's just kind of developing in that way where I think a lot of the technology and information is out now,'' Bohm said. ''Kids are starting to train the right way from such a young age. Now it's not weird to see some of these 20-, 21-year-old kids come up and play well and excel.''
Lugo doesn't actually fit the first-timer profile when it comes to age.
The 34-year-old is in his second season as a full-time starter after trying to convince the New York Mets that was the best role for him in his first seven big league seasons.