Voting for the starters in this summer’s MLB All-Star Game closed on June 29. It is interesting how in a league like MLB, All-Star starters are selected solely by the fans. Though many would disagree with this practice, it is a good thing they are doing something to keep the fans engaged.
With this being said, the process does have its weaknesses since the best players do not always get the recognition they deserve.
Here are the players that Chris Driscoll believes should start for the National League. Stats are accurate as of June 28, and players do not have to be finalists to be considered for this list.
Catcher: Sean Murphy
This was a super close one between Murphy and Will Smith. They both have very similar numbers at the plate. Murphy has a slash line of .289/.385/.540 and 150 WRC+. Smith, meanwhile, is slashing .286/.400/.507 with a 149 WRC+. Smith also walks more and strikes out less.
Even though you could go either way offensively, the tiebreaker is behind the plate. Murphy has 6.4 Frame Runs Saved; Smith only has 0.9. Put it all together and Murphy has 3.1 WAR to Smith’s 2.7. While you really cannot go wrong either way, Murphy has the slight edge.
First Base: Freddie Freeman
Even though the first base position is probably the most stacked, this one was not as hard. Though you can make solid arguments for Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Olson, or Christian Walker, Freeman has been on another level this season. His slash line is .316/.395/.545 with a 153 WRC+. Freeman, however, has been below-average in the field with -1 DRS and -3 OAA.
Still, his offensive production outweighs his defensive struggles significantly, where he still leads all first basemen with 3.1 WAR, 0.6 more than Goldschmidt.
Second Base: Luis Arraez
Mister .400 himself. Even though batting average alone is not indicative of a player’s true value, when you’re hitting .400, you deserve to be an All-Star starter. He is currently slashing .399/.450/.495 with a 161 WRC+. Despite his excellent offensive production, he has been underwhelming in the field with 1 DRS and -7 OAA. Arraez ranks first in WAR amongst NL second basemen, tied with Thairo Estrada of the Giants.
Estrada is the complete opposite of Arraez: underwhelming at the plate with a 115 WRC+, but debatably the best defender in the game with 7 DRS and 9 OAA. Nevertheless, at a position like second base, you should probably choose the guy with a bigger upside at the plate, especially when he is batting .400.
Shortstop: Dansby Swanson
The shortstop position in the NL has been pretty weak this year. The finalists are Orlando Arcia from the Braves and Francisco Lindor of the Mets. Any objective Mets fan would tell you Lindor has been a disappointment and not an All-Star-caliber player. Though Arcia has been better, he also has not played enough games.
The best option would actually be Swanson, who is slashing .267/.355/.408 with a 112 WRC+ (second among qualified shortstops). Swanson also leads all NL shortstops in both DRS and OAA with 10 each. Though the race is tight, he headlines the NL shortstop category with 2.9 WAR. If you factor in offense, defense, and those who play every day, Swanson is probably your guy.
Third Base: Jeimer Candelario
The two third base finalists are Nolan Arenado and Austin Riley. Though each of them has a case to be the starter, there have been disappointments relative to expectations. Arenado and Riley have 116 and 110 WRC+, respectively. In addition to this duo, Padres third baseman Manny Machado is another star who has not played up to standards with only 95 WRC+. Even if you throw away expectations, Jeimer Candelario deserves to be the starting third baseman for the National League.
Candelario was not even considered for my Top 10 Third Basemen headed into the season, but he has been great this year. He owns a slash line of .262/.336/.469 with a 116 WRC+. He has also been very solid in the field with 3 DRS and 7 OAA. Arenado has won a Gold Glove every year of his career, but believe it or not, his defense is what is holding him back in 2023. He has -3 DRS and -2 OAA, which is last amongst qualified NL third basemen. Though Arenado and Riley both have cases, putting everything together, Candelario has been the best third baseman in the National League.
Outfielders: Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, and Corbin Carroll
Some great players had to be left off this list. You can make arguments for guys like Mookie Betts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Brandon Nimmo, and a few others, but the three guys selected have been fantastic this year.
Acuña received the most votes in the NL, so he is automatically in, and he absolutely deserves it. He is slashing an absurd .330/.404/.586 with 19 homers and a 164 WRC+. His numbers in the field have been split, with 5 DRS and -4 OAA. With this all being said, combining both his hitting and fielding, he leads the NL in WAR (4.3).
Soto had a “down year” last season with 145 WRC+. Even though this “down year” is something all general managers would take, he has bounced back in 2023, slashing .270/.423/.496 with a 154 WRC+. He is still not so great in the field with 0 DRS and -1 OAA. Despite his defensive struggles, he has still been the second-best outfielder in the National League.
The third outfielder spot came down to Betts and Carroll. Though Betts is one of my favorite players in the league and I prefer him in a clutch spot, Carroll has been better at the plate and in the field. He is slashing .293 /370/.568 with 150 WRC+ while amassing 2 DRS and 2 OAA.
Designated Hitter: Jorge Soler
It is baffling that Soler was not even a finalist. Historically, Bryce Harper is the better overall player, but he has not even been better on a per-game basis this season. The fact of the matter is that someone who has only played 46 games and has a 111 WRC+ as a DH should not make the All-Star Game. The only two players who should even be considered over Soler are J.D. Martinez and Andrew McCutchen.
Soler has a slash line of .250/.346/.525 with 21 homers and 136 WRC+. He has been filthy this year and absolutely deserves to get in as a reserve.
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