Winkler’s Peters named to AL all-star team as replacement

The Tristan Peters story continues to deliver one compelling chapter after another.

And now the pride of Winkler, who is enjoying a breakout Major League Baseball season, can add “all-star” to his rapidly growing resumé.

Peters, 26, was named to the American League’s roster as an injury replacement on Saturday — one day after hitting for the cycle (single, double, triple, home run) for his Chicago White Sox.

Yeah, you could say the former Manitoba Junior Baseball League standout with the Pembina Valley Orioles had a pretty good weekend.

“I guess toward the end of this first half, I was like ‘OK, maybe there’s a chance,’ but there’s a lot of really, really talented players in this league,” Peters told reporters about heading to Philadelphia for the 96th annual summer classic, which will be played on Tuesday.

Speaking earlier this season with the Free Press — just days after belting his first big-league hit and a few hours before delivering a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning against the team he grew up cheering for, the Toronto Blue Jays — Peters was trying to process just how quickly his fortunes had turned.

After all, it was only a few years ago he was playing for the Savannah Bananas, the novelty-act team.

Turns out a December trade from the Tampa Bay Rays to the White Sox didn’t hurt. Peters’ path to regular playing time in Tampa Bay was likely blocked by the fact they had 10 other outfielders on their 40-man roster, including several veterans.

That wasn’t the case for Chicago, which is in a full-blown rebuild and looking for some younger players to take on more prominent roles.

“Definitely there’s a ton more opportunity,” said Peters. “Granted, it wasn’t easy either to make this team. There’s a lot of great players here, too, but it’s definitely a younger team, just more openings.”

Peters has seized the opportunity and is a big part of why the surprising White Sox sit on top of the Central Division with a 50-45 record. He is hitting .301 with six home runs, 36 RBI, 20 doubles, three triples and five stolen bases while providing stellar defence in centre field.

No question he’s going to get plenty of votes for the season-ending rookie-of-the-year award.

Peters became just the seventh White Sox player to ever hit for the cycle and the second Canadian to ever accomplish such a feat, with Ontario’s George Kottaras doing so 15 years ago for the Milwaukee Brewers.

He took the all-star roster spot of Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, who was put on the injured list because of a sprained right thumb. Peters joins White Sox teammates Miguel Vargas and Munetaka Murakami as all-stars along with two other Canadians — Cleveland relief pitcher Cade Smith and Miami infielder Otto Lopez.

“The White Sox gave me this opportunity and I went into it just trying to make the most out of it and just be who I am as a player, too,” he told reporters.

“I know there was a lot of bunting in the beginning and just trying to figure out who I am at the big league level and you know they give space for that, too. Just an incredibly supportive group and that’s helped me thrive.”

Peters told the Free Press he takes great pride in being the first Manitoban since Corey Koskie — who hails from Anola and was a major inspiration to him — to make his mark in MLB.

“Very honoured. There’s a very select few people (to make it from the province), and I definitely think about that a lot,” he said.

“I know there are a lot of people supporting me back home. It’s just really cool and really encouraging.”

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