EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWe're about a month away from MLB All-Star Game rosters being announced, so it's time for ESPN's still-too-early All-Star selections. As always, we have wonderful surprises and family-friendly debates for all ages. Get some popcorn and settle in.On a certain level, the debate about who should start an All-Star Game has been resolved: "best first two months" has won out over "established star." This has led to some peculiar starters in recent years, like Jacob Wilson over Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop and Javier Baez in center field over Julio Rodriguez and Byron Buxton for the American League last year or Jurickson Profar and Alec Bohm starting for the National League in 2024.The days of big-name players starting year after year -- like Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr. starting 11 consecutive All-Star Games -- or even being automatically named to the roster as reserves are gone. How much has this voting philosophy changed what starting lineups look like? I went back to 1970, when MLB reinstituted fan voting, and looked at how many of the same players started the previous All-Star Game (not counting the starting pitcher). The decade averages:1970s NL: 4.31970s AL: 3.71980s NL: 4.31980s AL: 3.51990s NL: 3.61990s AL: 5.02000s NL: 2.92000s AL: 3.32010s NL: 2.22010s AL: 3.82020s NL: 1.22020s AL: 1.6If All-Star starting lineups in recent years feel a little less star-studded than in the past, it's pretty clear that's exactly the case. The AL, for example, hasn't had a repeat starter at shortstop since Derek Jeter in 2010. The only player to start the past three All-Star Games has been Shohei Ohtani, who has started all five this decade. (This would have been the case for Aaron Judge as well, but he was injured in 2023 after being voted in as a starter.)Let's get to the selections, where we'll focus primarily on the best players so far, but acknowledge a player's entire career if it's close. The usual rules apply: 32 players per team, broken down into 20 position players and 12 pitchers (including at least three relievers), with one representative from each MLB club. Players will be considered for the position they're listed at on the official All-Star ballot.National LeagueStartersC: Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves1B: Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves2B: Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers3B: Max Muncy, Los Angeles DodgersSS: Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati RedsOF: James Wood, Washington NationalsOF: Corbin Carroll, Arizona DiamondbacksOF: Andy Pages, Los Angeles DodgersDH: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles DodgersSP: Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee BrewersBaldwin and De La Cruz are both on the injured list but should be back shortly, and both still lead their positions in FanGraphs WAR. De La Cruz has more competition at shortstop, even though Francisco Lindor has been injured, Trea Turner has struggled, and Geraldo Perdomo hasn't repeated his breakout 2025. CJ Abrams and Otto Lopez are having outstanding seasons, however, and could push De La Cruz out if he doesn't make it back soon.NL second base is very deep -- there are eight players I would take over any second baseman in the AL. Turang gets the nod as his improvement continues to amaze. Check his year-to-year OPS gains in his four major league seasons: +80, +129, +87.Muncy is the easy choice -- the only choice -- at third base. Just recently, NL third base was absolutely loaded with All-Star candidates, but Muncy is the only one having an All-Star-caliber season.Jordan Walker draws the short straw in the outfield behind Wood and Carroll -- all three are having similar seasons in terms of value, but Wood and Carroll were already stars -- while Pages gets the third spot. He's having the slightly better all-around season, leading NL position players in bWAR and topping the circuit in RBIs while playing outstanding defense in center.I'd be perfectly fine with Cristopher Sanchez starting the game since it's in Philadelphia, and Ohtani, of course, is also in the running, but Misiorowski is the starting pitcher we've been talking about the most this season as he spins zeroes on the scoreboard and triple digits with his fastball. He was a controversial All-Star selection last year when he was selected despite just five career starts, but there will be no arguments this year if Miz draws the start (except from Phillies fans).And lastly, apologies to Kyle Schwarber.ReservesC: Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies1B: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies2B: Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins2B: Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants3B: Nolan Arenado, Arizona DiamondbacksSS: CJ Abrams, Washington NationalsSS: Otto Lopez, Miami MarlinsOF: Jordan Walker, St. Louis CardinalsOF: Juan Soto, New York MetsOF: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago CubsDH: Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia PhilliesWe can't have an All-Star Game in Philadelphia without Harper. It's either him or Freddie Freeman -- who has made the past seven All-Star Games, last missing a roster in 2017 -- but let's give Harper the hometown nod.Two Marlins! You would not have projected Edwards and especially Lopez as potential All-Stars before the season, but both are hitting over .300, with Lopez second in the NL with his .336 average. Arraez is the lone representative of the Giants, but he's a worthy All-Star, hitting over .300 with much improved defense at second base. Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt gets squeezed out at second.Soto and Crow-Armstrong also end up being the only representatives from their teams, which helps explain why those two clubs have disappointed -- not enough big seasons from their star players. When was the last time the Mets and Cubs had just one rep each? Answer: Actually, not that long ago, with Pete Alonso and Shota Imanaga in 2024. Crow-Armstrong's offensive surge over the past week, in combination with his excellent defense, makes him a potential starter, and you could argue Soto deserves to start as well based on his track record.We'll get into this more with the AL roster, but some NL stars are having down seasons: Five-time All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. and three-time All-Star Fernando Tatis Jr. haven't done enough at the plate to merit selection in this deep group of NL outfielders. Manny Machado is hitting .166 and has negative WAR. Mookie Betts missed time but is hitting just .183. Ketel Marte's numbers are down, although he hasn't been terrible. Alex Bregman hasn't been great with the Cubs. We mentioned Turner and Lindor already. Jackson Merrill, an All-Star as a rookie in 2024, has struggled offensively. New Mets Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette have hit like Tim Foli and Doug Flynn.This has been bad, but wait until we get to the AL.PitchersSP: Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia PhilliesSP: Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh PiratesSP: Chris Sale, Atlanta BravesSP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles DodgersSP: Chase Burns, Cincinnati RedsSP: Kyle Harrison, Milwaukee BrewersSP: Max Meyer, Miami MarlinsSP: Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia PhilliesRP: Mason Miller, San Diego PadresRP: Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia PhilliesRP: Dylan Lee, Atlanta BravesThis is a loaded NL pitching staff. The first six guys were easy choices based on what they're doing. Harrison is the big surprise, coming over to the Brewers and sitting at 7-1 with a 1.57 ERA in 11 starts. And he's getting better, with a 12-strikeout game in his last start while allowing just one run over his past four outings.Meyer is another surprise, but the former No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft is finally healthy and putting it all together at 6-0 with a 2.81 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 73 innings. He has already made a career-high 13 starts, so let's hope he can stay healthy for a full season.Miller? Chalk. Duran? Heading for his first All-Star selection. Lee? Yeah, he has been this good as a setup guy for the Braves: 31 appearances, 1.17 ERA, .133 batting average allowed, 38/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.With Ohtani counted on the position player side, one spot remains. Let's give it to hometown favorite Zack Wheeler, who began the year on the IL after recovering from last year's thoracic outlet surgery and has been outstanding in eight starts since his return. It's not exactly a comeback story, but given the unknown recovery from that surgery, he has been one of the best stories of the season.American LeagueStartersC: Shea Langeliers, Athletics1B: Ben Rice, New York Yankees2B: Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays3B: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland GuardiansSS: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City RoyalsOF: Cody Bellinger, New York YankeesOF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles AngelsOF: Byron Buxton, Minnesota TwinsDH: Yordan Alvarez, Houston AstrosSP: Cam Schlittler, New York YankeesWhen selecting these All-Star rosters, it's easy to see why the NL has a decisive 172-133 edge in interleague games this season. The gap in star power between the two leagues right now is sizable -- and it doesn't help that some of the AL's biggest names are either injured or having bad seasons, leading to what might end up looking like one of the weakest starting lineups ever in an All-Star Game. I stretched just to include Ramirez here, as even his numbers are down.Let's see: Aaron Judge is injured; Cal Raleigh is injured and was struggling anyway with a .161 average; Gunnar Henderson has an OPS under .700; Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has three home runs; Roman Anthony didn't take off and got hurt; Munetaka Murakami was one of the most exciting players of the first two months and then injured his right hamstring and might be out until after the All-Star break; Wyatt Langford missed 40 games and Corey Seager hasn't hit; and Jose Altuve missed some time and his numbers are down. Even the list of injured pitchers includes Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Hunter Brown and Max Fried -- who finished 1, 2, 3 and 4 in last year's Cy Young voting.With Guerrero struggling, it's Rice over Nick Kurtz at first base in the toughest call on this starting lineup. Rice is second behind Alvarez in the majors in slugging percentage and OPS, so he gets the nod, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Kurtz overtake Rice by season's end as the A's first baseman has rebounded from a slow start.Second base is a mess. Clement has a career OPS+ under 100 but has been solid this season, picking up where he left off after his big postseason last October. He's the pick, but this might be the weakest any position has been in a long time. Maybe Guardians rookie Travis Bazzana, who hasn't quite played enough for All-Star consideration but looks good, will eventually take over the position.In the outfield, Bellinger's all-around play has him second in bWAR among AL position players behind Witt, but he's not even in the top 10 in the AL in OPS. It's nice to see Trout make it on merit, although his numbers are hardly what they were at his best. Buxton gets the nod over Julio Rodriguez for the third spot with Judge sidelined, but that could go either way (J-Rod's defensive metrics are way down, hurting his WAR).ReservesC: Dillon Dingler, Detroit TigersC: Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles1B: Nick Kurtz, Athletics2B: Ezequiel Duran, Texas Rangers3B: Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay RaysSS: Kevin McGonigle, Detroit TigersSS: Colson Montgomery, Chicago White SoxOF: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle MarinersOF: Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red SoxOF: Riley Greene, Detroit TigersDH: Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay RaysIt's interesting that three Tigers made it here even though their offense has been terrible (only the Royals and Padres are scoring fewer runs per game). Dingler has excellent power numbers to go along with good defense. This should be the first of many All-Star appearances for McGonigle. Greene sneaks in over Ceddanne Rafaela and Randy Arozarena in the outfield.Duran ends up as the only Rangers representative, since we need another second baseman anyway. In terms of Texas players, Jacob deGrom would be the next-best option or maybe one of the relievers, Jacob Latz or Jakob Junis.If Murakami had been healthy, he would have received the final spot. Instead, it came down to two other White Sox, Montgomery and Miguel Vargas, both with similar WAR totals. I went with Montgomery.PitchersSP: Gavin Williams, Cleveland GuardiansSP: Davis Martin, Chicago White SoxSP: Joe Ryan, Minnesota TwinsSP: Parker Messick, Cleveland GuardiansSP: Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay RaysSP: Nick Martinez, Tampa Bay RaysSP: Will Warren, New York YankeesSP: Jose Soriano, Los Angeles AngelsRP: Louis Varland, Toronto Blue JaysRP: Cade Smith, Cleveland GuardiansRP: Grant Taylor, Chicago White SoxWith all those injured pitching stars, this could go a million different directions. Schlittler is the clear AL All-Star starter right now over Williams or Martin. For the rest of the selections, I basically went with the lowest ERA guys over the more proven starters like Bryan Woo, Kevin Gausman or deGrom. Skubal might be nearing a return and could still make the team (although, he would certainly ask out of the game). We'll probably see a lot of changes in this group between now and next month.McClanahan, who started the 2022 All-Star Game, has been a key to the Rays' hot start, returning after missing two seasons in a feel-good story. Martinez is striking out just 14.4% of the batters he has faced, so he's unlikely to keep this up, but for now he makes it on the strength of a 2.29 ERA.Soriano was the pitching story of April with a 0.84 ERA but is fading fast with a 5.26 ERA over his past seven starts as he has once again started walking too many batters. He gets the final nod for now over Drew Rasmussen, Emerson Hancock and guys like Woo and Gausman.Taylor is the final reliever over Aroldis Chapman. This is mostly a matter of volume as Taylor has pitched 32 innings to just 19 for Chapman. Orioles reliever Rico Garcia -- 1.00 ERA, .092 average allowed -- isn't listed here but has a very good chance to make the All-Star team, which, for a player released or claimed on waivers numerous times in his career, would make him one of the unlikeliest All-Stars ever.
