ATLANTA — What a difference a year has made for Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo, an All-Star for the first time in Tuesday's game at Truist Park after having one of the best first halves of any pitcher in baseball.

Woo is among the American League leaders in several pitching categories, ranking tied for first (with Houston's Framber Valdez) in quality starts (14), fourth in WHIP (0.93), tied for sixth in wins and ninth in ERA (2.75).

Last year entering the All-Star break, the biggest story concerning Woo was his health, having missed the first six weeks of the season with elbow inflammation, then going back on the injured list on June 25 with a strained hamstring.

Woo returned just before the All-Star break, allowing four earned runs and 11 base runners in 3 1/3 innings against San Francisco.

He didn't miss a start the rest of the season, finishing 9-3 with a 2.84 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP, and has been the most dependable pitcher this season in the Mariners' rotation.

Perhaps the one thing keeping Woo from getting more national attention is teammate Cal Raleigh, who leads baseball in home runs and will also be making his first appearance in the game.

Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz will be making his second straight appearance in Tuesday's game, but he did not pitch in the event last year. M's outfielder Julio Rodríguez was selected as a reserve, but elected not to participate, and was replaced by Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena.

As for Woo, he is just grateful to be here — and healthy.

Yeah, for sure it means more," Woo said of making the All-Star Game after last year's injury setbacks. "I feel like anytime you go through adversity, you try to learn from it. That specific stuff was pretty frustrating for me. But I also just tried to do my best to keep showing up for the guys, learning from the first half of last year and building it out in the second half. It kind of all culminated in this."

Woo said being named to the AL All-Star team was in the background of his thoughts entering the season.

"It's a goal as a kid, and then you make your way up and you check boxes as you go," he said. "I think now I realize it's more of a culmination of just doing things right consistently, and then the other stuff just kind of figures itself out."

While a few reporters waited to talk with Woo, a huge gathering congregated on the other side of the room to speak with Raleigh, who said he was happy for Woo "as a teammate and as a friend."

"I thought he was very deserving," Raleigh said of Woo's selection. "He's been kind of our guy this year, a guy we can lean on and trust — especially with some injuries that we've had — so for that to happen, it's been huge for us."

Woo said he will be nervous if he gets called on to pitch an inning, which he hopes happens.

"I'd like to, especially if Cal's back there [catching]." Woo said. "I know it'll be a lot of fun, a lot of good energy in the park, and to able to do it with Cal, I think it would mean a lot for both of us."

Muñoz was a late replacement at last year's All-Star Game for Mariners teammate Logan Gilbert.

Muñoz did not pitch in the game last season, much to the disappointment of his two older brothers who drove 27 hours to Arlington, Texas because it was too late to get flights.

This year, with more time to prepare, the brothers are flying, and will be joined by Munoz's parents, his wife and their cat, Matilda.

"The cat is here, of course," Muñoz said. "She's getting ready for the red carpet. Actually, she is not going to be on the red carpet, but we're going to do something really cool."

Muñoz said it would be "awesome" to get a chance to pitch Tuesday.

"But for me, the key here is to learn from the experience of the people here, so that is why I'm really excited," He said.

As for Arozarena, he is also making his second appearance at the All-Star Game, having made it as a Tampa Bay Ray in 2023. He said through an interpreter that he is honored to represent the Mariners here.

"It means a lot to me because this is the team that traded for me back in 2024, he said.

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