Lincecum, Halladay to start All-Star Game

San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum and Toronto’s Roy Halladay were announced Monday as the starting pitchers for Tuesday’s All-Star Game in St. Louis.

Lincecum, who won the 2008 Cy Young Award, will try to help the National League win the All-Star Game for the first time since 1996.

He is 10-2 this season with a 2.33 earned run average this season and he leads the National League with 149 strikeouts. It is Lincecum’s second All-Star team selection in three seasons in the major leagues.

He wasn’t at full strength to start the season. That was evident, said San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy at a news conference. Once he got that back, he has been on an unbelievable roll. He’s pitching as well as I have seen anybody pitch in my years of playing and managing. He has got to be considered one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the game right now.

Halladay is 10-3 with a 2.85 ERA. He has struck out 106 batters in 123 innings while walking just 17. Tuesday will mark his sixth All-Star Game selection in 12 seasons.