Major League Baseball Update: Only injury slows down Estrada’s wonderful first half

The following are updates on local Major League Baseball players.

Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher: The best first half of the right-hander’s career came with a slight complication as Estrada was placed on the disabled list July 6 with lower back soreness.

A day prior to that announcement, Estrada had accomplished a dream by receiving his first-ever selection to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which was held in San Diego on Tuesday.

“As soon as I was told, obviously I thought of my family, they were the first ones I called,” Estrada said in a press conference in Toronto the evening he was selected. “I let them know the good news and they’re all very excited. They couldn’t be more proud.”

The 33-year-old has had a wonderful start to the year as he posted a 5-3 record and a 2.93 earned-run average, which is third-best in the American League, through 16 starts.

Estrada registered 99 strikeouts versus 39 walks and allowed 64 hits in 104 1/3 innings, while he’s No. 1 in the league in both opponent’s batting average (.173) and in walks/hits per inning pitched (.99).

Estrada, who was in uniform and enjoyed the All-Star festivities in San Diego, was the first area player to be selected to the All-Star Game since Freddy Sanchez, a Burbank High and fellow Glendale Community College product, was a 2009 pick with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The pitcher’s placement on the disabled list is retroactive to July 3, meaning that Estrada would be available to pitch when Toronto opens a two-game series in Arizona on Tuesday. The organization has hinted, though, that he would likely not pitch until the team is back in Canada on July 22.

Defending American League East champion Toronto owns a 51-40 record and is tied with the rival Boston Red Sox for second place, two games behind the Baltimore Orioles (51-36).

Both the Blue Jays and Red Sox own the league’s two wild-card spots and are two games ahead of the hard-charging Houston Astros (48-41).

Cesar Ramos (La Crescenta Native) Texas Rangers pitcher: A bumpy month of July has hurt the reliever’s earned-run average and mid-season numbers.

At the break, the 32-year-old owns a 3-3 record with a 6.04 ERA with 32 allowed runs on 60 hits over 47 2/3 innings. Ramos has struck out 27, while he’s walked 21.

It’s been tough sledding as of late, including in Ramos’ last action Sunday in a 15-5 home loss to the lowly Minnesota Twins.

Ramos entered in the seventh inning and allowed two home runs, five hits and five earned runs in 2/3 innings worth of work that ballooned his ERA from 5.17 to its current 6.04.

In four efforts in July, Ramos has allowed 12 earned runs over 6 2/3 innings with four homers and 12 hits surrendered. During that stretch, he’s also walked five batters and fanned three.

Unfortunately for Ramos, he’s had a few rough relief efforts as he’s had three outings this year when he’s surrendered four or more runs out of the bullpen.

If there’s a bonus for Ramos, it’s that his reigning American League West champion Rangers are 54-36 and sit 5 1/2 games ahead of rival Houston.

Texas’ record is currently the best in the American League. Should the Rangers maintain that position, they would be guaranteed home-field advantage throughout the World Series.

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) Albuquerque Isotopes pitcher: When exactly Bergman will return to the Major Leagues is uncertain.

For now, the former Golden Knights standout remains with Albuquerque, the triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Bergman began the season with the Rockies and had his struggles as compiled a 1-3 record with a 5.89 earned-run average in nine games. Though he struck out 19 and only walked four, he still allowed 12 earned runs in only 18 1/3 innings.

Bergman’s rocky stint in Denver took an unlucky turn when he strained his oblique in May, which led to his placement on the the disabled list.

According to the Denver Post, the Rockies planned for two rehabilitation starts from Bergman at Albuquerque, test to see if he was healthy, and then welcome him back.

That plan was scrapped, though, as Bergman has made four starts in the minors and owns a 1-2 record with 4.34 ERA over 18 2/3 innings. Bergman has allowed nine earned runs on 17 hits with 15 strikeouts versus six walks.

If there’s good news for Bergman, there’s been no complications with his injury. Plus, he picked up his first minor league victory in two years Saturday when the visiting Isotopes defeated Las Vegas, 8-5.

Bergman allowed four runs (three earned) on two home runs and six total hits that accompanied two strikeouts and a walk.

Colorado sits in third place in the National League West through the All-Star break with a 40-48 record.

While the team is 16 games behind league-leading San Francisco, the Rockies are only seven games back of the final wild-card spot shared by the New York Mets and Miami Marlins. Both teams are 47-41.