All-Braves infield? NL manager Thomson ponders Atlanta mix

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson could rely heavily on a division rival's players when he takes charge of the National League lineup in Tuesday night's All-Star Game in Seattle.

Eight Atlanta Braves made the All-Star team, including three starters: catcher Sean Murphy, shortstop Orlando Arcia and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., who earned the most All-Star fan votes of any player.

But from his roster of reserves, Thomson can slot in three more Braves -- Matt Olson at first base, Ozzie Albies at second and Austin Riley at third -- and play with the entire Atlanta infield if he so chooses.

"I guess there could be a chance that we have an all-Braves infield," Thomson said Monday.

Thomson is managing in the All-Star Game after he took over the Phillies in June 2022 and guided them to the World Series after a disappointing start to the season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros, whose skipper, Dusty Baker, will be in charge of the American League on Tuesday.

The Phillies are a respectable 48-41 and in third place in the NL East at the break. However, the division rival Braves are 60-29 with a plus-147 run differential and look primed to make a run at their second World Series title in three years.

"...They have got a great club," Thomson said. "They put up some really good offensive numbers, and they have all have earned that right to be on this team. So I'm really looking forward to getting to meet them, everybody in the clubhouse really, but I'm really looking forward to get to meet them and be with them and it's really an honor to be managing this group of talent."

Baker has a similar option available to him on the AL side.

The Texas Rangers -- who hit the break leading Baker's Astros by two games in the AL West -- got a whopping five starters in the All-Star Game. Catcher Jonah Heim, second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Adolis Garcia will all be in the starting lineup on Tuesday.

Baker can't make it an all-Texas infield, but he could insert Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi so that all six members of the organization are in the game simultaneously.

"Well, I hope so. I haven't spoken to him yet," Baker said Monday. "I haven't spoken to our pitching coach yet who is going to talk to him.

"So, yes, right now we're planning on getting everybody in there probably on one inning that's available. But we've had to mix and match a little bit on who is available, who pitched Sunday, who pitched Saturday. So, above all, we have to try to take care of other people's players."