Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan will replace St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley in the 2024 All-Star Game. This will be a massive honor for Finnegan as he will be the first reliever from the Nationals to be named to an All-Star team since 2018. The last Nationals reliever to be named an All-Star was Sean Doolittle.
Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan is replacing Ryan Helsley in the All-Star Game
He’s the first Nationals reliever to become an All-Star since Sean Doolittle in 2018 pic.twitter.com/wxrZu8LY6z
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 15, 2024
Nationals’ Kyle Finnegan to Replace Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley in All-Star Game
Why Helsley is Not Pitching in the All-Star Game
Helsley decided not to pitch in this season’s All-Star Game despite being named to the National League squad. He wants to maintain his health and take the time to rest. As much as he wants to pitch, he thinks it is in his best interest not to. He talked about paying attention to his body and knowing when to take the time to recuperate.
Helsley is looking forward to the Cardinals making a push in the second half, and his focus is more on the regular season. This is his first season as a full-time closer for St. Louis, and he plans on prioritizing his health in order to contribute during the stretch run. With a lot of baseball left to be played, it looks like a wise decision.
Finnegan is an NL All-Star Reliever
Finnegan’s selection and replacement as the 2024 NL All-Star reliever is well-deserved. He has a 2.45 ERA, a 1.017 WHIP, and 25 saves on the season. These stats are good enough to rank him third in the majors among closers. This will be his first selection to the All-Star team. The 32-year-old right-hander will join teammate CJ Abrams in Arlington, Texas. In addition, Finnegan is a skilled and masterful closer with unmatched flow. Finnegan replacing Helsley could pay off in the long run for the Cardinals, who are second in the National League Central and want to sustain strong momentum for the remainder of the season with Helsley.
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