Instant Replay: Contreras Brothers Start All-Star Game Together
Jul 19, 2022, 6:46 PM
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 19: Brothers Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs and William Contreras #24 of the Atlanta Braves speak during batting practice ahead of the 92nd MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Dodger Stadium on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
LOS ANGELES, CA – It seems fitting that for a sport so rooted in tradition that family ties take center stage at the midsummer classic.
The Major League Baseball 2022 All-Star Game took place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, July 19.
Four pairs of brothers have started an All-Star game together in MLB history.
- Mort Cooper (P), Walker Cooper (C), 1942 and 1943
- Dixie Walker (OF), Harry Walker (OF), 1947
- Joe DiMaggio (OF), Dom DiMaggio (OF), 1949
- Roberto Alomar (2B), Sandy Alomar, Jr. (C), 1991 and 1992
With their appearances in 2022, Willson and William Contreras become the fifth pair and first in 30 years to start together.
🌴The Contreras Brothers take Hollywood🌴
Willson and @Wcontreras42 will become the fifth pair of brothers to ever be in the same #AllStarGame starting lineup and first in 30 years.#ItsDifferentHere #ForTheA @MLB @MLBPA
🎥 via @OrtizKicks pic.twitter.com/0h0bvuxPF1
— Our Esquina (@OurEsquina) July 18, 2022
The elder brother Willson, a catcher in his seventh season with the Chicago Cubs is making his fourth All-Star appearance. He has 13 home runs, 17 doubles and 35 RBI and a .253 batting average this season. Willson helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series title drought as a rookie in 2016.
William signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves in 2015 before making his major league debut on July 24, 2020. Batting .260, William has 11 home runs and 23 RBI with the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves. He hit .215 in 52 games with Atlanta in 2021, earning the second World Series title for the Contreras family.
Willson & William Contreras’ introductions at the All-Star Game ⭐️
(📸: @MLBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/2awfi4mc4j
— Cubs Zone ™️ (@CubsZone) July 20, 2022
Earlier this season, Willson and William met at home plate in Atlanta to exchange lineup cards for the Cubs and Braves after the younger William had been recalled from Triple-A earlier that day. William did not play in the series, preventing the pair from sharing a field during the game.
When they met in Chicago in mid-June, both brothers were in the lineup.Willson stepped up to hit in the bottom of the first with William behind the plate catching. The pair shared a loving embrace at home plate before resuming the game.
For years Willson Contreras has talked about wanting to bring his family over from Venezuela.
Today, they will watch Willson & brother William share the field together for the first time in their MLB careers.
A dream come true 🙏🏼❤️
(📸: @WatchMarquee) pic.twitter.com/yfHwurAkGm
— Cubs Zone ™️ (@CubsZone) June 18, 2022
Braves manager Brian Snitker is managing the National League team at the midsummer classic and put the brothers back to back in the senior circuit lineup. Willson batted sixth with William hitting seventh.
The 91st MLB All-Star game is airing on FOX.
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