Chris Sale, Johnny Cueto named as starting pitchers for All-Star Game

Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale and San Francisco Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto were tabbed on Monday as the starting pitchers for their respective leagues in the upcoming All-Star Game.

Considering Sale (14-3, 3.38 ERA) and Cueto (13-1, 2.47 ERA) are the lone hurlers with more than 12 wins this season, sending them to start Tuesday's tilt at San Diego's Petco Park was a logical choice for both All-Star managers.

"For me, it was a real easy choice," American League manager Ned Yost of the Kansas City Royals said. "Chris being in my division (AL Central), I've had a chance to watch him really develop into a superstar pitcher."

The 27-year-old Sale has 123 strikeouts in 125 innings heading into his fifth All-Star appearance while Sale has fanned 113 in 131 1/3 frames this season.

Cueto, 30, is slated to pitch in the Midsummer Classic for the first time and deserves the honor, according to National League manager Terry Collins of the New York Mets.

"This guy has pitched the best in this first half of the season," Collins said. "And he deserves this opportunity for what he did - and for what he did to us in the World Series last year."