WASHINGTON, D.C. >> Between games Wednesday, after they’d pounded the Nationals, 11-2, in Game 1, the Tigers threw themselves a mini party.

Manager AJ Hinch collected the team and introduced, not one, not two but three All-Star starters.

“Not only is it good for our organization and our team, but for those players because they’ve earned it,” said Hinch, announcing what the baseball world would find out later in the evening, that Riley Greene, Javier Báez and Gleyber Torres would be starting for the American League at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Which is befitting a team that has the most wins, 54, in the American League.

“I know we have popular players,” Hinch said. “But we also have guys who have performed well. And I think the list is going to grow over the next week.”

This is the first time since 2007 that the Tigers will have three starters in the All-Star lineup. Catcher Pudge Rodriguez, outfielder Magglio Ordóñez and second baseman Placido Polanco were the starters in 2007.

Almost certainly lefty ace Tarik Skubal will be named to the rotation. Will Vest and Tommy Kahnle will also be candidates to join the pitching staff.

“Congratulations to Riley and Gleyber and especially to Javy,” said Tigers’ starter Jack Flaherty after pitching five gritty innings in the Tigers’ 9-4 loss in the nightcap. “Javy has been in the game a long time. He was a lot of fun to play against in Chicago, really fun to watch and tough to play against because he’s so damn good.

“From what he went through the last couple of years here and then to turn it around and start in the All-Star Game in centerfield, I’m really happy for him.”

This will be Báez’s third All-Star appearance at three different positions (shortstop, second base and now outfield). He joins Hall of Famers Pere Rose and Harmon Killebrew, plus future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols as the only players to start the game at three different positions.

“Right now, it feels weird because I’m playing more at shortstop,” Báez said, laughing. “But it feels great. That’s what we work for, to be an All Star. My transition to center field kind of locked me in, back to focus, and I’ve been feeling good.

“I’m just really grateful to be able to enjoy this with my family.”

Báez struggled so badly the last few years, both with his health and performance, that he admitted he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep playing, let alone at an All-Star level.

“At this time (last year), I didn’t know I was going to come back or if things were going to get better,” he said. “But I got the surgery (on his hip), I got my work done and it’s paying off right now.”

Hinch joked that he’s going to need to find some centerfield reps for Báez in the next week or so. Báez is skeptical.

“When I started playing centerfield, we had one,” he said, laughing. “Now we have like 13. So it’s been hard for me to get some time out there.”

Báez, when he first started taking reps in center this spring, said it had always been his dream growing up to play centerfield.

“Javy has told everybody over his career that he could play outfield,” Hinch said. “Now he’s going to be standing out there in the bottom of the first inning in Atlanta as the All-Star centerfielder. That’s a pretty cool moment.”

Cool, too, to be standing in between his teammate, Greene in left, and Aaron Judge in right.

“That’s going to be really fun,” Báez said. “When I went to play centerfield at first, I told Riley to take everything. That’s what I told him. Take every ball that’s hit out here.”

Greene, an All Star for the second straight year, laughed.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “I never would’ve thought I’d be playing next to Javy in the outfield as a Tiger and we’re going to be playing out there together in the All- Star Game. So, it’s pretty cool.”

Greene, who leads the Tigers in hitting (.296), homers (21) and RBI (69), got 33% of the vote among the finalists and Báez got 26%. Báez edged Mike Trout (24%) in the closest voting in either league.

“I think the word is out that Riley Greene is a really good player,” Hinch said. “He’s getting the recognition and the credit he deserves. He’s earned it. Look at the sheer numbers, that’s one thing. But it’s how he plays the game and the way he plays the game.”

For Torres, he returns to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2019 when he went his first two seasons with the Yankees.

“It’s an honor to be there,” said Torres, who got 66% of the votes to edge Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday. “My first two years I went there and it was really special. Just being in the locker room with those guys and playing with all the stars. I never took that for granted. … It’s an honor and I feel grateful.”

The Tigers signed Torres for one year and $15 million this winter after things soured for him in New York.

“Oh yeah,” Báez said. “A lot of people talked about Gleyber and his defense and this and that. But once he got here, everything got better, especially the defense. We knew he was going to be good for us but he’s been even better than we thought.”

Torres is the first Tigers second baseman to start the game since Polanco in 2007. Ian Kinsler played second base as a reserve in 2017. Lou Whitaker started at second base from 1984 to 1986.

“He’s given us everything we could ever ask for,” Hinch said of Torres. “His at-bats are really good, his baseball acumen is very good and his ability to play every single day and create an issue for the other team is very unique. I am proud of him and happy for him.”