Red Sox Get Five All-Star Nods

Sunday marked the announcement of the AL and NL All-Star teams, ahead of next week's MLB All-Star festivities, and the Boston Red Sox were well represented. 

The Red Sox had five players selected to the AL squad, including two who cracked the starting lineup.

Right fielder Mookie Betts and designated hitter J.D. Martinez were both voted in as starters by the fans.

For Betts, he'll be making his third straight trip to the Midsummer Classic. Martinez will be heading back for his second such trip and first since 2015.

Those two will be joined by a pair of seven-time All-Stars, as starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Craig Kimbrel both got the nod from their peers. Sale also has a chance to join Betts and Martinez as a starter, as his impressive first half has him in the conversation to be named the AL's starting pitcher.

Boston's final All-Star came as a bit of a shock, as first baseman Mitch Moreland was named to his first All-Star team for the first time in his nine-year MLB career.

Moreland got off to a hot start this season, which factored into Boston's decision to release starting first baseman Hanley Ramirez.

He's since cooled off a bit and slipped into a more platoon-like role, but his early success was apparently enough to punch a ticket to the game in what has been a weak year at first base in the AL.

The 89th MLB All-Star game is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17, at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.