Matt Moore replaces Yu Darvish on AL All-Star team; Pedro Alvarez added to NL Home Run Derby

Freddie Freeman and Steve Delabar winning the Final Vote wasn't the only All-Star Game news of the day. Matt Moore and Pedro Alvarez were both added to next week's All-Star festivities — Moore replacing Yu Darvish on the American League team and Alvarez joining the National League Home Run Derby team in place of Carlos Gonzalez.

• Matt Moore improved his record to 13-3 Thursday, as his Tampa Bay Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3. He pitched 7 1/3 innings and struck out 10. After the win, Moore got the news: He'd been added to the All-Star team. Not a bad day, right?

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that when Moore was summoned to manager Joe Maddon's office to get the news, Moore asked, "Am I getting sent down?" Up, actually. To New York City. Space for Moore was opened after Yu Darvish went on the disabled list Wednesday.

• Meanwhile, the NL Home Run Derby gets a jolt of power from Alvarez, the Pittsburgh Pirates slugger who many — including teammate A.J. Burnett — viewed as a Home Run Derby snub. Alvarez has hit 23 homers this season, which makes him tops on an NL squad that is led by David Wright and also includes Bryce Harper and Michael Cuddyer.

What makes Alvarez's 23 homers even more impressive is that he didn't hit one in the Pirates first 14 games of the season. Gonzalez resigned from the Home Run Derby after spraining his middle finger earlier this week.

Baseball season's in full swing. Don't miss a thing.
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