Matt Olson happy to reunite with Angels’ Jared Walsh at All-Star Game

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  • Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner warms up during batting practice for the MLB All-Star Game on Monday in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • The National League baseball All Stars pose for a team picture in centerfield at Coors Field, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

  • Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

  • Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angeles, laughs after being named the American League’s starting pitcher for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angeles, larrives to a news conference to be named the American League’s starting pitcher for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • National League manager Dave Roberts, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, speaks at a news conference where he named Max Scherzer, of the Washington Nationals, the starting pitcher for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • National League manager Dave Roberts, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, greets National League’s Nolan Arenado, of the St. Louis Cardinals, during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • National League’s Nolan Arenado, of the St. Louis Cardinals, warms-up during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • American League’s Aaron Judge, of the New York Yankees, takes batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Gabriel Christus)

  • Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

  • Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers signs autographs for fans during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

  • National League’s Fernando Tatis Jr., of the San Diego Padres, warms-up during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Gabriel Christus)

  • National League’s Eduardo Escobar, of the Arizona Diamondbacks, talks with National League’s Justin Turner, of the Dodgers, during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Nolan Arenado #28 of the St. Louis Cardinals speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

  • National League’s Nolan Arenado, of the St. Louis Cardinals, takes the field during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

  • National League players take the field during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Gabriel Christus)

  • The American League baseball All Stars pose for a team picture in centerfield at Coors Field, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • National League manager Dave Roberts, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, talks with the media during warms-ups for the MLB All-Star baseball game, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

  • Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

  • Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

  • Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

  • Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

  • National League starting pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

  • Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks with Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

  • Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

  • A general view of media availability during the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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DENVER — While all of the attention was focused on Shohei Ohtani, at least one of the All-Stars was just as excited to get to be honored along with the Angels’ other All-Star.

Oakland A’s first baseman Matt Olson grew up in the Atlanta area and played with Jared Walsh when they were kids. They each made the American League team as the reserve first basemen, behind starter Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

“It’s amazing for a 39th-rounder,” Olson said. “If he was coming out of college today he wouldn’t have gotten picked. It’s crazy for him to turn that into an All-Star Game. He’s a baseball junkie. He’s always been. He’s all about it. Loves it. Just eats and sleeps baseball.

“I think it’s really impressive to see what he’s done. He came up on a team that had a loaded lineup and he fought his way and hit his way into the lineup, and he’s been hitting ever since. It’s cool. He’s an awesome dude.”

Considering that there is only one backup at most positions, Olson and Walsh might have found themselves competing for the same spot behind Toronto’s Guerrero.

But they both made it because Olson was the choice of the players and Walsh was one of the choices of the commissioner’s office.

“I was hoping that we’d both be able to make it,” Olson said. “There was a lot of traffic at first base this year. Yuli Gurriel is hitting .315 or .320 and he didn’t make it. We’re obviously both honored to be here.”

A FIRST- AND SECOND-TIMER

Dodgers utilityman Chris Taylor said the advice he got from his teammates with All-Star experience was to make sure he doesn’t miss anything

“Just trying to soak it all in and enjoy it,” Taylor said. “My teammates have told me to get all the autographs out of the way as soon as you can, which I haven’t done. They said to enjoy it because it goes really fast.”

Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, who was back for his second All-Star experience after playing in Cleveland in 2019, said he’s going to take a little more time this time around.

Buehler said he rushed out of the ballpark after pitching that time because he drove home to Kentucky. This time, the Dodgers open the second half of the season in Denver, so there’s no rush to go anywhere.

“This is probably a little more fun,” Buehler said. “I’m going to hang out and enjoy it for sure.”

STARTING LINEUPS

While the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani will start on the mound and bat leadoff, the rest of the American League lineup has a definite AL East flavor to it. Guerrero will bat second and play first base, followed by Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, Boston’s Rafael Devers at third, Toronto second baseman Marcus Semien, Kansas City catcher Salvador Pérez, Blue Jays left fielder Teoscar Hernández and Baltimore center fielder Cedric Mullins.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off for the National League, followed by the Dodgers’ Max Muncy at designated hitter, St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado (El Toro High), Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman (El Modena High), Cincinnati right fielder Nick Castellanos, Reds left fielder Jesse Winker, Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto and Pittsburgh second baseman Adam Frazier.

Traded by Colorado during the offseason, Arenado is likely to remain a fan favorite at Coors Field.

The Washington Nationals’ Max Scherzer will make his fourth All-Star start on the mound, matching Jim Palmer and Randy Johnson for second-most behind five each by Robin Roberts, Lefty Gomez and Don Drysdale.

Scherzer started the 2013 All-Star Game for the AL while with Detroit, and the 2017 and 2018 All-Star Games while with Washington. An eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, he is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA this season with 134 strikeouts and 22 walks in 98 innings.

OHTANI APPRECIATION

Freeman said he, like others, was pushed at a young age to choose between being a pitcher or position player, so he was especially astounded back on April 4, when Ohtani pitched a hitless first inning against the Chicago White Sox, homered in the bottom half and went back out to the mound for the second.

“I don’t understand how the brain can flip flop from, ‘I’ve got to get three outs and then I’ve got to go and score a run for myself,’” Freeman said. “Any time he’s on the field, you’re just amazed that he has the energy – the mental energy – to handle all that, because I watch the guys when they pitch, the game-planning that goes on before the games, and he’s game-planning and then having to hit batting practice in the cage.”

“He’s got like literally a 12-hour day every day. And then when he pitches, then you have to do your arm care the next day, you got to get all the lactic acid out of your body. And then you’ve still got to DH at night,” he said.

Freeman was a two-way player in high school who threw in the mid-90 mph range, and most teams in 2007 wanted him as a pitcher, except the Braves and the Chicago Cubs. He remembers the difficulty even at that level.

“My elbow was killing me,” he said.

NOTES

New York Yankees ace Gerritt Cole (Orange Lutheran High, UCLA) is on the active roster for the All-Star Game but he said he is not expecting to pitch because he threw 129 pitches in his previous start on Saturday. …

Cleveland Indians right-hander Shane Bieber (Laguna Hills High, UC Santa Barbara) isn’t pitching in the game because he’s on the injured list. He said he considered going to his offseason home in Arizona rather than coming to Denver. “Then I checked and saw it was 115 there,” Bieber said. …

The players all wore No. 44 for the workout on Monday in honor of Hank Aaron. The Hall of Fame slugger died in January.

News services contributed to this notebook.

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