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(JTA) \u2014 Alex Bregman will have the chance to make it two in a row as Major League Baseball\u2019s All-Star Game MVP.<\/p>\n
The Houston Astros\u2019 Jewish slugger was elected the starting third baseman last week to start the July 9 game in Cleveland, easily outdistancing Hunter Dozier of the Kansas City Royals and Gio Urshela of the New York Yankees with 49 percent of the fans\u2019 ballots.<\/p>\n
Bregman as of the weekend had a batting average of .266 with 22 home runs and 52 runs batted in to help power the Astros to first place in the American League Western Division.<\/p>\n
In last year\u2019s All-Star affair, Bregman snapped a 10th-inning tie with a two-run homer to give the A.L. an 8-6 victory over the National League in Washington, D.C. Playing in his first All-Star game, he was the first Jewish player to win the Most Valuable Player award since it was instituted in 1962.<\/p>\n
In March, the 25-year-old, playing in his fourth season after being a No. 1 draft pick out of Louisiana State, agreed to a six-year, $100 million contract with the Astros \u2014 one of the largest deals ever for a professional Jewish athlete. He\u2019s already won a world title with the Astros and also was a member of the U.S. team that took the World Baseball Classic title in 2017.<\/p>\n
One Jewish player who was in contention for an All-Star slot but came up short was rookie pitcher Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves. Fried, a 25-year-old lefty starter for the first-place Braves, failed to crack the 11-man staff assembled by a vote of players and the Commissioner\u2019s Office despite a record of 9-3, one win behind the N.L. leader. His earned run average of 4.04 is good but perhaps not enough for the midsummer recognition.<\/p>\n
His hero, according to forbes.com: Sandy Koufax, of course.<\/p>\n