Mullins chosen as Orioles representative in All-Star Game (updated)

Cedric Mullins will find out later if he's going to be in the American League's starting lineup for the July 13 All-Star Game at Coors Field in Denver.

Most important is the first piece of news.

He's on the team.

Mullins has been chosen as a reserve, with the announcement made this afternoon on ESPN. He's the lone Orioles representative, though first baseman Trey Mancini is participating in the Home Run Derby.

The inclusion of Mullins, 26, was a formality. There's no way he could be snubbed.

Mullins was 0-for-9 in the past two games but began today batting .313/.381/.535 with 22 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 30 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 355 plate appearances. His 99 hits were tied with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for most in the league, and he's posted a 3.7 WAR that ranks among the leaders in the sport.

"I really don't know what to expect," Mullins said in a Zoom call. "It's my first All-Star appearance, it's a great feeling. I'm excited to be amongst some of the top guys in baseball. Just looking forward to seeing what happens."

Today's announcement is the latest and most striking reward for the work required to get him back to the Orioles and playing at such a high level. He was handed the center field job in 2019 and didn't make it through April, going 6-for-64 and enduring demotions to Triple-A Norfolk and later Double-A Bowie.

The next major league game for Mullins came on July 24, 2020 to start the truncated season.

"I knew after the 2019 season that I was going to have some form of bounceback," he said. "It was just a really tough year for me. I know that I've had success in the past. I figure that it was a testament to all the work that I've put in and just kind of narrowing in on what I needed to improve on to be more consistent in the big leagues. It's an exciting feeling."

Sharing the news with family and friends has been the best part, the phone calls and texts beginning as soon as he received confirmation in Anaheim. There's also the affection pouring out of teammates who campaigned hard for Mullins, the club's 13th round pick in 2015 out of Campbell University in North Carolina.

They wore his orange T-shirt during batting practice and interviews. They kept pushing for fans outside of Baltimore to take notice.

"It's awesome," he said. "I still haven't been able to contact everybody and tell them to make sure that they keep it on the low before it's officially announced. But amongst my teammates and coaches, it was awesome being congratulated for it. We had a team meeting as soon as I walked in to make the announcement and it was awesome."

Mullins finished sixth among outfielders on the ballot, receiving 10 percent of the votes in Phase 2. But the Angels' Mike Trout is on the 60-day injured list and Mullins could replace him in center field.

"It would be awesome," he said again, the word first to come to mind as he tried to sum up his feelings.

"To make the team is a great honor in itself, but to be able to start also, that would be something that's almost unexplainable."

Adam Jones was the last Orioles outfielder to make the All-Star team in 2015. Mark Trumbo was a designated hitter the following year.

The Orioles have sent only one player for the fourth time in a row. There was no Midsummer Classic in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Pitcher John Means represented the Orioles in 2019, shortstop Manny Machado in 2018 and second baseman Jonathan Schoop in 2017.

Means had a shot this year until going on the injured list with a strained left shoulder. He made an injury rehab start today at Single-A Aberdeen and allowed one run in two innings, his return to the rotation coming after the break.

As the likelihood grew of Mullins going to Denver rather than spending the break at home, he never let it become a distraction and interfere with his first priority of trying to win more games. He kept putting up numbers and playing outstanding defense in center.

Focusing on the "day-to-day tasks," as he said, was a normal part of his routine.

What's waiting for him next week is brand new. The player will stay the same.

"Just hoping to show what I've always done," he said. "Just someone who goes out and plays hard and just trying to make something happen."

Update: Mullins came off the bench Sunday to go 2-for-2 in the Orioles' 6-5 loss to the Angels. He delivered a game-tying pinch-hit single in the sixth and briefly gave the Orioles a lead in the ninth with a home run.