Early MLB All-Star team picks for the American League and National League

New York Times

2 days ago

MLB All-Star voting starts at noon ET on Wednesday, so I wanted to share my early American League and National League choices to begin a conversation about who should make the teams for this year's midsummer classic, which will be played July 15 in Atlanta at Truist Park.
This year's All-Star teams will be as talented as we've ever witnessed, likely featuring the two best players on the planet, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, at the plate and arguably the sport's two top pitchers, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, on the mound. I also expect there to be several first-time All-Stars such as Jonathan Aranda of the Rays, Jeremy Peña of the Astros and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs, among others.
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Some reminders: Each MLB All-Star team has 32 roster spots — 20 for position players and 12 for pitchers; and every major-league team must be represented by at least one player. There are several steps in the All-Star selection process; go here for a rundown and here to participate in fan voting.
Deserving players are always left out because of roster limits, and my teams are no exception. Several of those players will hit or pitch their way onto the rosters in the coming weeks or make it as injury replacements. But because of the roster rules and voting process, some worthy players inevitably get snubbed. Several races will be fun to monitor, and a lot will change between now and when the teams are finalized.
Here is my early look at the AL and NL All-Star teams, with starters and backups for each position, if I had to pick and project them today. Let me know which ones I got wrong — and right — in the comments section.
(WAR numbers are according to Baseball Reference. All stats are through June 3 unless otherwise noted.)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (starter) — The $500 million man has not been the best offensive first baseman in the AL, but he has played above-average defense and posted a .389 on-base percentage and an .821 OPS. He's the lone Blue Jays representative on this team.
Jonathan Aranda, Rays — Aranda has slashed .324/.408/.508 with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 31 RBIs. He leads AL first basemen in both WAR and OPS (.916) and has been the Rays' most consistent hitter.
Spencer Torkelson, Tigers — He leads AL first basemen in home runs (14) and RBIs (42). I didn't want to carry three first basemen but felt like he had to make this team.
Gleyber Torres, Tigers (starter) — Torres has been a table-setter for the Tigers all season with a .388 on-base percentage, and with Jazz Chisholm Jr. fighting injuries and hitting .194 and Marcus Semien off to the worst start of his career (64 OPS+), the path was open for Torres.
Brandon Lowe, Rays — Lowe leads AL second basemen in home runs (11) and RBIs (31). He edges out the Mariners' Dylan Moore for the backup role.
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Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (starter) — I consider Witt the best all-around shortstop in the sport. Although there are several others with better offensive and defensive numbers, there is no way I can rationalize him not being the starter.
Jeremy Peña, Astros — Peña has been the best offensive shortstop in the AL this season, posting a .848 OPS along with nine home runs and 10 stolen bases.
Jacob Wilson, Athletics — Wilson is batting a robust .355 with just about as many walks as strikeouts. Are you kidding me? He has to make the team, although that means Zach Neto of the Angels and Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles both get snubbed, which I'm not happy about. Wilson ranks second in the majors in hits and has driven in 32 runs.
José Ramírez, Guardians (starter) — The future Hall of Famer continues to rake, slashing .330/.386/.553 with 11 home runs and 16 stolen bases while playing stellar third base and showing off his elite base-running skills.
Alex Bregman, Red Sox — Before his quad injury, Bregman was a game-changer for Boston, both on and off the field, with his leadership. He has a .938 OPS with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs, edging out the Rays' Junior Caminero for the backup role. If Bregman can't go because of injury, I would have Caminero replace him.
Aaron Judge, Yankees (starter) — Judge is batting .387 with a 1.242 OPS, 21 home runs and 50 RBIs while jumping over the walls to rob home runs. He's the best player in the AL and well on his way to winning another MVP award.
Trent Grisham, Yankees (starter) — This is not a typo! Grisham leads AL center fielders in OPS (.846) and home runs (13) while playing Gold Glove-caliber center field for the Yankees.
Julio Rodríguez, Mariners — J-Rod got off to a slow start but has started to heat up. He has 10 homers, 32 RBIs and eight stolen bases.
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Byron Buxton, Twins — Buxton gets the nod over Cedric Mullins of the Orioles for the AL's final outfield spot. He has 10 bombs and is 10-for-10 in stolen-base attempts while playing his usual elite defense in center field.
Riley Greene, Tigers (starter) — Greene has arrived. He's the main cog in the Tigers' lineup and a major reason they have one of the best records in MLB. He's posted a .831 OPS with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs while playing solid defense in left field.
Steven Kwan, Guardians — Kwan is the best defensive left fielder in the league and leads AL left fielders in batting average (.308) and on-base percentage (.368).
Cal Raleigh, Mariners (starter) — The best offensive catcher in the sport, Raleigh is tied for the major-league lead with 23 home runs. He's a key reason the Mariners are in first place, helping lead the way with his power, game calling, framing and blocking abilities.
Logan O'Hoppe, Angels — O'Hoppe has hit 14 home runs with 30 RBIs and a .781 OPS. I was going to make Neto as the Angels' lone representative, but due to the AL's depth at shortstop, I had to pivot to O'Hoppe, who is also deserving of a backup spot.
Rafael Devers, Red Sox (starter) — Devers has found a home at DH. After a slow start to the season, he has flat-out raked: His OPS is up to .919. Devers also has 12 homers, 53 RBIs and a .408 on-base percentage.
Ryan O'Hearn, Orioles — O'Hearn has been the Orioles' best hitter, slashing .335/.423/.538 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs. If the Orioles 'sell' at the trade deadline, like they should, O'Hearn will be one of the bats contending teams will pursue.
Tarik Skubal, Tigers (starter) — He is the best starting pitcher in the AL and the favorite to win the Cy Young Award for a second straight season. Skubal has a 2.26 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 99 strikeouts in 75 2/3 innings.
Kris Bubic, Royals — Bubic has made an incredible transition from reliever to starter, becoming one of the best left-handed starting pitchers in the game. He has a 1.43 ERA over 12 starts. He's ranked in the 99th percentile in pitching run value and in the 98th percentile in both breaking run value and off-speed run value.
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Garrett Crochet, Red Sox — He was my preseason pick to win the AL Cy Young Award and has not let me down so far, posting a 1.98 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 82 innings.
Max Fried, Yankees — Fried has lived up to his new eight-year, $218 million contract, starting his Yankees career by going 7-1 with a 1.92 ERA in 12 starts.
Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers — Eovaldi was recently placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation, which could jeopardize his spot on the All-Star team. However, just based on how he's pitched to date — 1.56 ERA over 12 starts — he deserves to make the team.
Hunter Brown, Astros — Brown has surpassed Framber Valdez as the ace of the Astros. He has a 1.83 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over 12 starts. He has been worth 2.9 WAR, third-most among pitchers. Opponents are hitting .084 against his four-seam fastball.
Carlos Rodón, Yankees — Rodón's fastball has been in the mid-90s, and his slider is as good as ever (.102 batting average against). His command and control are much improved, as shown by his 0.93 WHIP.
Shane Smith, White Sox — Smith is the lone White Sox representative. He has impressed in his rookie season, posting a 2.45 ERA over 12 starts.
Andrés Muñoz, Mariners — He has a 1.40 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 17 saves with 33 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.
Carlos Estévez, Royals — He has been a difference-maker in the back end of the Royals' bullpen with 17 saves and a 1.71 ERA.
Josh Hader, Astros — Hader is back to dominating, and once again the best left-handed closer in the game. He has a 1.38 ERA and 16 saves with 39 strikeouts in 26 innings.
Jhoan Duran, Twins — Duran has a 0.99 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and nine saves. The average velocity on his four-seamer is over 100 mph, and opponents are hitting just .182 against it. In addition, they're hitting .162 against his split-finger and .192 against his knuckle curve.
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (starter) — Freeman is slashing .369/.435/.626 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs while scooping everything at first base. There is no debate who should be starting at first for the NL.
Pete Alonso, Mets — The Polar Bear leads NL first basemen with 12 homers and 48 RBIs while posting a .921 OPS.
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Brendan Donovan, Cardinals (starter) — Donovan leads all second basemen in WAR and has slashed .321/.384/.462 while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense.
Brice Turang, Brewers — It was a close call between Turang and Nico Hoerner of the Cubs for the backup spot, but I went with Turang because I needed a Brewers representative on the roster. He's played Gold Glove-caliber defense, has 14 steals in 18 attempts and has reached base at a .352 clip.
Francisco Lindor, Mets (starter) — Lindor leads all shortstops with 14 home runs and has put up an .854 OPS while stealing 10 bases in 12 attempts and playing plus defense.
Elly De La Cruz, Reds — De La Cruz has 12 home runs, 17 stolen bases and a .786 OPS. He's a threat to homer every time he comes to the plate and a threat to steal every time he's on base. And he's still just scratching the surface of what he's capable of doing.
Trea Turner, Phillies — Turner leads NL shortstops in hits with 73 and has 16 steals and an .815 OPS. He beat out the Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo for the final shortstop spot on the NL team.
Manny Machado, Padres (starter) — Machado has slashed .315/.380/.489 with 17 doubles, seven home runs and seven steals while playing well-above-average defense at third base.
Austin Riley, Braves — Riley edges out the Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez and the Giants' Matt Chapman to back up Machado at the hot corner. He has 10 homers and 33 RBIs.
Kyle Tucker, Cubs (starter) — Tucker is having another consistent season with 12 home runs, 16 stolen bases and a .918 OPS while playing strong defense in right field. He'll be the headliner of the 2025-26 free-agent class.
Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks — Carroll leads all NL right fielders with 18 homers while posting a .914 OPS with 10 steals and 44 runs scored.
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Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres — Tatis has put up an .818 OPS with 13 home runs and 11 steals while playing Platinum-caliber defense in right field. The energy he brings to the park every day is remarkable. It's amazing to think that I couldn't get Juan Soto, a $765 million right fielder, on this team, but the reality is he's fourth-best in the NL this season behind Tucker, Carroll and Tatis.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (starter) — The most exciting center fielder in the sport has been one of the biggest — if not the biggest — individual stories of the 2025 campaign. PCA has belted 15 homers, stole 20 bases, and played Gold Glove-caliber defense in center, making diving catches and throwing runners out. He plays with an edge.
Oneil Cruz, Pirates — Cruz hit the hardest ball of the season. He has 12 home runs, 20 steals in 21 attempts, and has reached base at a .351 clip thanks to leading all NL center fielders with 35 walks. I seriously considered Andy Pages of the Dodgers for this spot.
James Wood, Nationals (starter) — Wood leads all left fielders in WAR, OPS (.951) and home runs (16). He's also stolen nine bases. He's the next Nationals superstar, and it will be interesting to see whether they'll be able to sign him long term, something they weren't able to do previously with Bryce Harper or Juan Soto.
Kyle Stowers, Marlins — Stowers has been the Marlins' best hitter, slashing .283/.352/.488 with 10 bombs and 33 RBIs. He is Miami's lone representative on the team.
Will Smith, Dodgers (starter) — Smith is slashing .323/.433/.487 with 11 doubles, five homers and 31 RBIs while doing an excellent job handling the Dodgers' pitching staff.
Hunter Goodman, Rockies — Goodman leads all catchers with 61 hits, has 10 homers and an .802 OPS. Carson Kelly of the Cubs and other catchers such as Gabriel Moreno of the Diamondbacks and William Contreras of the Brewers deserved to make the team over Goodman, but he's my Rockies representative on this team.
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Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (starter) — Ohtani has been the best hitter in the NL, crushing 23 homers, stealing 11 bases and posting a 1.039 OPS. He has continued to rehab from elbow surgery and is expected to return to the Dodgers' rotation sometime after the All-Star break if there are no setbacks.
Kyle Schwarber, Phillies — Schwarber has 19 homers, a .391 on-base percentage and a .962 OPS. The left-handed hitter has crushed southpaws this season, posting a 1.133 OPS against them. He's one of the game's best sluggers, but also a terrific team leader.
Paul Skenes, Pirates (starter) — Skenes has a 2.05 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 13 starts with 85 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings. He has been worth 3.2 WAR. The Pirates have made it clear they are not trading Skenes, at least for now, but that hasn't stopped any of us from coming up with trade ideas.
Zack Wheeler, Phillies — Wheeler was my preseason pick to win the NL Cy Young Award and he hasn't disappointed, going 6-2 with a 2.96 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 94 strikeouts in 76 innings. Opponents are hitting .151 against his four-seamer, .143 against his sweeper and .103 against his split-finger.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers — Yamamoto has been the Dodgers' ace, posting a 2.39 ERA over 67 2/3 innings. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 of his 12 starts. Opponents are hitting .169 against his four-seamer and .131 against his split-finger.
Chris Sale, Braves — The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has logged a 3.06 ERA over 12 starts with 86 strikeouts over 67 2/3 innings. He has yielded two earned runs or fewer in each of his past eight starts.
Logan Webb, Giants — Webb is masterful at the bottom of the strike zone and has been consistent as always, posting a 2.55 ERA over 13 starts. He is second in the NL with 81 1/3 innings pitched. His ground-ball rate is 57.9 percent, according to Baseball Savant, which ranks in the 93rd percentile.
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Jesús Luzardo, Phillies — Luzardo is 5-1 with a 3.58 ERA, but the ERA is deceiving because he gave up 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings Sunday against the Brewers. He's allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 12 starts and had a 2.15 ERA before the poor outing.
Robbie Ray, Giants — Ray is finally healthy and pitching like he did in 2021, when he won the AL Cy Young Award with the Blue Jays. He's 7-1 this season with a 2.43 ERA over 12 starts. The key has been his changeup, which opposing batters are hitting just .138 against.
MacKenzie Gore, Nationals — Gore leads the NL with 101 strikeouts over 68 1/3 innings for an average of 13.3 K's per nine innings, the best rate in the sport. The most impressive part of his game has been the improved walk rate, from 3.5 per nine innings last season to 2.8 per nine this season.
Hunter Greene, Reds — The command and control have finally arrived for Greene, who has reduced his walk rate, from 3.4 per nine innings to 2.1 per nine this year, while maintaining the same strikeout rate (11.0 per nine). He has a 2.72 ERA and .097 WHIP over 11 starts. The slider has been his best pitch; opponents are hitting .123 against it. Greene exited Tuesday's game with groin discomfort and is scheduled to get an MRI.
Kodai Senga, Mets — After a lost 2024 season (5 1/3 innings pitched), Senga is healthy and showing he's the ace of the Mets' staff. He is 6-3 with a 1.60 ERA over 11 starts. His ghost forkball has again been sensational; opponents are hitting just .108 against it.
Robert Suarez, Padres — Suarez continues to show he's one of the game's best closers, converting 19 of 21 save opportunities with a 1.98 ERA over 27 1/3 innings. He has not allowed an earned run in his past eight appearances and in 25 of 27 appearances overall.
Edwin Díaz, Mets — Díaz has converted 13 of 14 save opportunities, posting a 2.49 ERA and 0.99 WHIP and striking out 39 batters in 25 1/3 innings.
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Michael Reaves, Gregory Shamus, Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)