Scherzer and Rendon excited to represent Nats as All-Stars

DETROIT - Major League Baseball announced Sunday that Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon and right-hander Max Scherzer have been selected to represent the Nationals in the 2019 All-Star Game, which will be played July 9 in Cleveland.

This is Rendon's first All-Star citation in his seven seasons as a big leaguer. His consistency on offense has been evident these last few seasons; he has hit .301 or better each season since 2017. This season, he has been even better, batting .311 with 19 homers and 58 RBIs, which is 10th in the NL. His 63 runs scored are fifth most in the majors.

"You grow up and you play like T-ball and whatnot and you get your all-star T-shirt and it's pretty cool," Rendon said. "My parents still have my brothers and (mine), so it's pretty funny when they dig them up from the attic. But definitely very appreciative of being selected."

Nationals manager Davey Martinez felt Rendon deserved to be in the game before, but is still thrilled to finally see his third baseman get a shot.

"Obviously, it's Anthony's first one, which is hard to believe," Martinez said. "He's kind of the rookie of the All-Star Game for us."

For Scherzer, just like eight-inning starts and double-digit strikeouts, All-Star Games are commonplace. This is his seventh straight All-Star selection and his fifth time with the Nats. Scherzer has now won six decisions in a row.

"It's great," Scherzer said. "To be selected to the All-Star Game, it's so cool. It's such an honor to be recognized among everybody. For this to be seven, it's amazing. It's crazy that this is happening. But you just take it. I know it's a party. I'll be going to Cleveland ready to party."

Rendon said he will follow Scherzer's lead in Cleveland.

"I guess when you have a career like Max, it's kind of like a given like, 'Oh he made it again.' So it's good to be on a team with (him)," Rendon said.

Recently, Rendon joked about not going to Cleveland even if he was selected for the game. He continued to kid around about the possibility now that it his selection is official.

"I talked to people in the past that have gone and kind of have an idea of how it's going to go or how it may go - if I decide to go - so we'll see," Rendon said.

Is there a possibility that Rendon would sit out the All-Star game and not go and instead stay back to mend an apparent "nagging injury"?

"We talked about it yesterday, so it's funny how we bring up the nagging injuries," Rendon said. "It'll be funny how it's going to play out if I decide to go or decide to see the training staff and try to get right for the second half."

The third baseman has continued to hit, even with what appears to be soreness in his lower half, as he has not run hard to first base the past few games. Rendon had made it clear he would prefer to rest his body during the All-Star break.

"I hear it's no rest, so that's not a good thing," Rendon said. "They said your schedule is jam-packed and you're going to events or whatever or you're doing interviews or whatever it might be. So it seems like it's right up my alley."

But Scherzer believes Rendon will go because he will have a memory that so few baseball players ever get to enjoy.

"Just the atmosphere," Scherzer said of the experience of an All-Star Game. "Everybody's in a nice atmosphere - all the players you play against all across the league. You're in a clubhouse full of the best players in the game across the world. To be in that clubhouse is a really special feeling and I'm really happy for Rendon as well to have this be his first All-Star Game as well. That's really cool for him and I'm glad he gets to enjoy this."

Scherzer could be selected to start if the timing is right. But his start right before the break for Scherzer is tentatively set for Saturday, July 6 against the Royals at home. That would be only three days before the All-Star Game in Cleveland.

"I'm not worried about that yet," Scherzer said. "I still got another start. When I finish that next start, we can address that."