’S STRIKEOUTSYankees pitcher CC Sabathia needs six strikeouts to join Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only left-handers with 3 http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey ,000 Ks, putting him within reach during a start against the Angels. Sabathia (1-0, 0.00 ERA) would be the 17th player overall to reach the milestone. When he does, he’ll be the first pitcher to do so since John Smoltz in 2008. The 38-year-old Sabathia announced prior to the season that he’ll retire at year’s end.TOE’S A GOReigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is set to return to the Rays 10 days after breaking a toe. Snell (2-1, 2.16) fractured the fourth toe on his right foot attempting to move a decorative display in a bathroom April 14. He threw 18 pitches off a mound Saturday and eight more pitches Monday, and now he’s scheduled to start against Kansas City.RUSSELL RETURNSCubs shortstop Addison Russell is joining Triple-A Iowa to prepare for his return from a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Russell is expected to play when Iowa begins a nine-game homestand against Nashville. He had stayed in Arizona to work out after the Cubs broke camp for the start of the season. Russell was suspended last fall after a series of allegations made by his ex-wife. While declining to get into any specifics, Russell said in February he was accountable for his past actions and apologized for “the hurt and the pain” he caused.PENALTY COMING?Major League Baseball is reviewing Bryce Harper’s rant at an umpire, trying to determine whether the Phillies star should be disciplined. There was no decision Tuesday, a day after Harper went wild during a game against the Mets at Citi Field. Harper was ejected for the 12th time in his eight-season career while he barked from the dugout four batters after being called out on strikes by Mark Carlson.BAD BREAKTouted prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is nearing his first big league call-up, but No. 2 Blue Jays prospect Bo Bichette could be a ways behind after breaking his left hand Monday. X-rays revealed a fracture after he was hit by a pitch while playing with Triple-A Buffalo, and he was set to visit a hand specialist to determine further treatment. Bichette, a 21-year-old shortstop http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , hit .417 with four homers and five RBIs in 18 spring training games. He was batting .250 with one home run and eight RBIs in 14 games with Buffalo. The biggest superstars, young prospects and surprises from the 2018 Major League Baseball season converge on Nationals Park Tuesday for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game.Thirty-two players will represent the American and National Leagues in the 89th edition of the All-Star Game, but there have been plenty of alterations made to the squads since the rosters were unveiled July 8.The players who opted out of the All-Star Game did so due to injuries and the lack of rest for certain pitchers in between starts.Among the replacements named in the last week were Tampa Bay's Blake Snell, who was regarded as one of the biggest All-Star Game snubs, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes and Milwaukee pitcher Jeremy Jeffress.The All-Star Game, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, is in its second year of a new format in which the winning league doesn't achieve home-field advantage in the World Series.The rosters have an intriguing combination of players, and in some cases, it gives teammates a chance to take the field in the Midsummer Classic at the same time. Astros, Indians Lead MLB With Most All-StarsTwo of the three division leaders in the American League possess the most All-Stars on the edited rosters.The Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians are represented by six players, while the Boston Red Sox, who have the best record in baseball Anibal Sanchez Jersey , have five.The Astros are represented in the starting lineup by second baseman Jose Altuve, while third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder George Springer were named as reserves.Pitchers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole were originally named to the AL roster, while Charlie Morton was added as an injury replacement for Aroldis Chapman.Putting six players on the All-Star Game roster is one of the many impressive achievements earned by the Astros, who have the best record of a defending champion at the All-Star break since the 2006 Chicago White Sox, per ESPN StatsInfo:ESPN Stats amp; Info ESPNStatsInfoThe Astros have the best record at the All-Star Break by the defending world champs since the 2006 Chicago White Sox (57-31, .648).h/t EliasSports BYUkF47UlLCleveland holds the largest advantage in any of the AL division races, as it leads the Minnesota Twins by 7.5 games, and its number of All-Stars moved up to six, as Yan Gomes was announced as a replacement for Tampa Bay's Wilson Ramos.Gomes found out about his All-Star nod while walking to the plate in the ninth inning of Saturday's game against the New York Yankees.Gomes joins starting third baseman Jose Ramirez, shortstop Francisco Lindor, outfielder Michael Brantley and pitchers Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber as Indians representatives, giving the franchise the most All-Stars it's had since 1999 http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , per Zack Meisel of The Athletic.Zack Meisel ZackMeiselYan Gomes has been named to the American League All-Star team, giving the Indians six All-Stars, their most in a season since 1999.Both teams are more than deserving of earning the most All-Stars, and if it wasn't for Morton and Gomes being added as replacements, the Astros and Indians would be tied with the Red Sox for most representatives on the AL roster.Brewers Possess Most All-Stars In Franchise HistoryThe Milwaukee Brewers reaped the rewards of their remarkable first half by sending a franchise-record five players to the All-Star Game.Originally the Brewers were set to send three players to Nationals Park, but since the roster announcement, first baseman Jesus Aguilar won the NL Final Vote and Jeffress was added as a pitching replacement.Milwaukee Brewers BrewersJeremy Jeffress has been named to the All-Star game! The #Brewers now have a franchise-record 5 All-Stars in 2018. #ThisIsMyCrew qwelzibFfqAguilar and Jeffress join outfielders Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain and pitcher Josh Hader, which gives the Brewers the most players from a single team on the NL roster.Milwaukee being in possession of the most NL All-Stars is a bit surprising since it enters the All-Star break in second place in the NL Central behind the Chicago Cubs, but up until the last seven days, the Brewers were arguably the best team in the NL.The Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lead the NL West, have three players each on the senior circuit squad http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , while NL East leader Philadelphia is represented by one player, pitcher Aaron Nola.Even though the Brewers struggled through a six-game losing streak before the break, they deserve the recognition for one of the most unexpected starts in recent memory.As Fox Sports Wisconsin's Sophia Minnaert noted, there's plenty of reason to have hope in the Brewers going into the second half of the season:Sophia Minnaert SophiaMinnaertDespite the losing stretch, Brewers are 12 games above .500 with a franchise record 55 wins before the break amp;amp; are sending 5 players to the All-Star Game. If you were told that on Opening Day, would you believe it? Believe. 64 games left. #ThisIsMyCrewIn the case of the five Milwaukee All-Stars, they'll look to put the recent skid in the past, enjoy the festivities in Washington, D.C., and look to go back to winning ways once they return to their teammates.Follow Joe on Twitter, JTansey90