Predicting the MLB NL All-Star Game Starters

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From June 30 to July 2 at noon EST, phase 2 of MLB All-Star voting will take place, with the top two vote-getters from phase 1 going head to head in another round of voting. The starters will be announced on July 2nd at 7 pm EST on ESPN.

This is my prediction for the National League All-Star starters.

Statistics are as of June 30.

C – Los Angeles Dodgers Will Smith

Smith is on pace right now to win the NL batting title, leading the league with a .318 batting average. He would be the first catcher to win the title since Joe Mauer in 2009. Smith is slashing .318/.413/.532 leading to a .935 OPS, which would be a career high in a full season.

1B – Los Angeles Dodgers Freddie Freeman

First base is going to be the most contentious race in the National League with Freeman vs Pete Alonso. Both players will be All-Stars, but who will start and win the fan vote is the real question. Freeman continues to mash in his age-35 season, slashing .312/.386/.509 with an OPS+ of 150 vs Alonso’s .291/.380/.542 with an OPS+ of 162. My vote would go to Alonso, who has been a huge reason for the Mets’ success, but based on the votes in phase one being over 500k in favor of Freeman, I predict the Dodgers faithful will lead him to get the nod.

2B – Arizona Diamondbacks Ketel Marte

Marte will take this spot fairly easily, as he is leading the votes in phase one by over 500k, and rightfully so. The 31-year-old is slashing .305/.405/.600 with an OPS of 1.005 and an OPS+ of 175. This will be Marte’s third All-Star appearance.

3B – San Diego Padres Manny Machado

Machado has continued his steady play into his 30s, posting another solid season, slashing .293/.355/.835 with an OPS+ of 130. The Padres’ third baseman is going against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy, who has come on strong lately with an OPS of .835; however, Machado ranks ahead in defensive categories. Neither are good defenders, but Machado’s solid season throughout the first half vs Muncy’s slower start leads me to think Machado will receive the nod.

SS – New York Mets Francisco Lindor

Lindor will be receiving his first All-Star nod in New York, and his first appearance since 2019. The yearly tradition of MLB snubbing Lindor will end this year as the shortstop is slashing .258/.327/.447 for an OPS+ of 121 to go along with 5 OAA, which ranks 94th percentile.

OF1 – Chicago Cubs Kyle Tucker

Tucker hasn’t wasted any time getting acclimated to his new team, already posting a 4.1 WAR in 83 games to go along with 17 home runs. Being the best bat in the NL Central, leading the Chicago Cubs, Tucker will play in his 4th straight All-Star game.

OF2 – Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna Jr.

Although Acuna has only played in 34 games, he has already accrued 2.1 WAR with a slashline of .361/.479/.630. He has picked up right where he ended his 2023 MVP campaign, and being one of the most popular players, he will be voted in to start this All-Star game.

OF3 – New York Mets Juan Soto

Just over a month ago, people continuously claimed that Soto was unhappy in Queens and that he was enduring a down season. Well, if a .900 OPS and 158 OPS+ with 20 home runs through 84 games is a down season, that player is elite. Soto in the big market of New York will be voted into start this game, being his fifth time playing in the Midsummer Classic.

DH – Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani

Ohtani won the popular vote of players in the National League, meaning he has already been named the starting designated hitter in the National League. This is no surprise as he continues to be one of the best hitters in the game, slashing .287/.388/.633 with 28 home runs in 83 games.

SP – Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Skenes

Skenes is only 23 years old and is already one of the best pitchers in the game, posting a 2.12 ERA and .906 WHIP for the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting the game last year was electric, and seeing him go up against Tarik Skubal would bring eyes to the game. Both flamethrowers and frontrunners for the Cy-Young, this is an easy pick for the National League.

About Post Author

Michael Bodzenta

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I fell in love with sports from a young age. Whether I was playing them throughout high school or in the yard with my friends, I knew I had found something I loved. Watching them was also a main part of my childhood, as I could name almost every player on all three Cleveland sports teams. Talking about sports is something I can do for hours, so as I got older, I quickly realized that I knew what I wanted to do. I started writing about sports and talking about sports in high school. It was fun and easy for me. My dream goal would be to become baseball analyst, covering breaking news and other stories in the sport. I've written numerous articles about sports including the Browns and the Guardians. I currently write for Kent Wired, where I expanded my knowledge to cover Health and Fitness. I have experience with Adobe Photoshop, Premier, and Audition. I work as the social media manager/representative for the Kent State Club Baseball team creating graphics mostly on Instagram and some on Twitter (X) . The goal of this is to get more engagement for the team, create awareness, and raise money. I also currently coach for a 17u travel baseball organization (Midwest Stars) out of Hudson, Ohio. Through this I have been able to continue my love for the game, give back to the community, and strengthen my leadership qualities. My passion for sports especially baseball remains unquestioned and I strive to continue to report on something I love.

mbodzent@kent.edu

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