NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Matt Harvey will represent the Mets at the All-Star Game at Citi Field, but it remains to be seen whether he will start the Midsummer Classic for the National League.

New York’s ace has millions of supporters, and one of them, surprisingly, is the man who he’s competing with for the honor to start.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is endorsing the second-year player to throw the first pitch at his hometown park.

“He should (start),” Kershaw told FOXSports.com. “There’s no reason, especially if it’s in New York, that he shouldn’t start. That’s what the fans will want. I’ve got no problem with that.”

Harvey was the National League Pitcher of the Month in April and the National League Player of the Week spanning April 8–14. The 24-year-old is 7-2 with a 2.27 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in 18 starts. He’s recorded 141 strikeouts and walked 27 in 123 innings pitched.

The former first-round pick will be auditioning, in a sense, when he faces the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. Bruce Bochy, the Giants’ skipper, will manage the National League, and will decide who starts the game.

Kershaw was named to the All-Star team for the third consecutive year. The 2011 Cy Young Award winner is 8-5 with a league-leading 1.89 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. He’s struck out 129 and walked 34 in 138 1/3 innings pitched.

In addition to Harvey and Kershaw, the pitchers on the National League roster include Adam Wainwright, Patrick Corbin, Cliff Lee, Madison Bumgarner, Jordan Zimmermann, Jeff Locke, Travis Wood, Jose Fernandez, Craig Kimbrel, Jason Grilli and Aroldis Chapman.

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