In a move that very few doubted, San Diego Padres closer Brad Hand has been named a National League All-Star. This is the second straight season in which Hand has represented the Padres in the Mid-Summer Classic. Hand will be the only representative from the 2018 San Diego roster in next week’s exhibition.
Appearing in 39 games, Hand has recorded a 1-4 record with a 3.05 earned run average and a career-high 24 saves. Only Edwin Diaz (Seattle), Craig Kimbrel (Boston), and Wade Davis (Colorado) have more saves than Hand, who posted 21 saves in 2017, his first season as the Padres closer.