My NL All-Star Game Starters

National League

Nowadays, the All-Star Game starting lineups are chosen via fan voting. The fans, at large, came together to vote on who they believe are worthy of starting. Democracy! In this article, instead of letting the fans set the lineup, I had a singular fan (me) make my picks. Below, I’ll reveal my National League All-Star Game starters and provide my thought process for each selection.

NL stats as of 6/30/23*

AL stats are more recent than NL

Catcher

Sean Murphy, ATL (Runner up: Will Smith, LAD)

The Atlanta Braves didn’t *need* a catcher this offseason, but with the Oakland A’s giving away basically all of their contributing players, Atlanta snagged Sean Murphy. From the get-go, Murphy has been fantastic, slashing .289/.385/.540/.925 with a 150 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR. Murphy isn’t just one of the best extra-base hitters for his position, he’s bordering top ten in all of baseball. On top of that, he ranks in the 89th percentile for framing and 96th for pop time, cementing himself as an elite defender. Murphy has taken his game to another level with the Braves and he deserves to start behind the plate for the NL.

First Base

Freddie Freeman, LAD (Runner up: Matt Olson, ATL)

Death, taxes, and Freddie Freeman. You’d be hard pressed to find many players in MLB that come close to Freeman in terms of consistent production each year and 2023 has been no different. Appearing in every single Dodgers game so far this season, Freeman is hitting .321/.399/.544/.943 with a 154 wRC+ and 3.2 fWAR. There’s no great way of trying to attack him as a pitcher, the guy is simply a hitting machine. He is capable of picking up a classic base hit, but his 27 2B (1st in MLB) and 14 HR demonstrate his ability to slug. There are plenty of viable candidates for this spot, Freeman is just simply better.

Second Base

Luis Arraez, MIA (Runner up: Ketel Marte, AZ)

To those who argue against this pick, you are wrong. Luis Arraez has been otherworldly since arriving in Miami, showing that high contact and batting average plays can still succeed in 2023. Currently, he has a line of .389/.440/.482/.922 with a 154 wRC+ and 2.7 fWAR. Arraez leads MLB with 118 hits, despite playing several fewer games than those behind him. He isn’t immune to chasing pitches out of the zone, but his 88.1% chase contact rate is an astonishingly 30% higher than league average. Finishing with a .400 batting average may be unattainable, but Arraez should cruise to the batting title and garner MVP votes.

Third Base

J.D. Davis, SFG (Runner up: Jemier Candelario, WSH)

How about a little twist? J.D. Davis wasn’t selected as an all-star, but he’s actually been one of the better third basemen in 2023. Davis has really found his stride since being traded to San Francisco at the 2022 trade deadline, as can be demonstrated by his 2023 stats of .284/.361/.456/.817 with a 125 wRC+ and 2.0 fWAR. He’s not a very flashy player, which may deter certain fans from finding him to be worthy of appearing in the All-Star Game, but he’s such a well-rounded player. He isn’t necessarily lauded over his defense, but he’s perfectly fine manning the hot corner. The Giants have been on a hot streak and Davis has been a catalyst, I think he’d be a great option to start.

Shortstop

Geraldo Perdomo, AZ (Runner up: Orlando Arcia, ATL)

This was a tough one to pick since I love what Orlando Arcia has been doing in Atlanta, but I also think Geraldo Perdomo deserves some love. After struggling mightily since debuting in 2021, Perdomo has become one of the top producers on a great Diamondbacks team in 2023. As of now, he’s batting .284/.389/.433/.822 with a 126 wRC+ and 2.6 fWAR. He often splits time with gold glover Nick Ahmed, but Perdomo isn’t a slouch with the glove and has earned the right to play every day. His underlying numbers suggest that regression is coming, but this article is about current production, not future production, so Perdomo gets the spot.

Left Field

Corbin Carroll, AZ (Runner up: Juan Soto, SDP)

Coming into this season, Corbin Carroll was regarded as a legit prospect with a good chance of winning the Rookie of the Year award. Update? He should cruise to ROTY and may contend for MVP. He’s currently slashing .289/.365/.557/.922 with a 146 wRC+ and 3.6 fWAR. Carroll measures in at 5’10” and weighs 165 lbs, yet he’s managed to already blast 17 homers. Among NL left fielders, only Juan Soto has a higher wRC+. However, Juan Soto doesn’t have the 99th percentile speed (24 SB) and range in the outfield that Carroll has. If you’re wondering what a five-tool player looks like, it’s Corbin Carroll.

Center Field

Ronald Acuna Jr, ATL (Runner up: Brandon Nimmo, NYM)

Remember when Ronald Acuña Jr. looked like a solid, but unspectacular player after recovering from a torn ACL? Me neither. The Atlanta Braves have been the best team in the National League, while Acuña has probably been the best player in all of MLB that isn’t named Shohei Ohtani. The superstar is hitting .336/.415/.604/1.019 with a 171 wRC+ and 4.7 fWAR. Joining the 40 HR/40 SB club is quite the feat, but Acuña may mess around and eclipse 40 HR and 60 SB, as he’s already hit 21 bombs and swiped 39 bases! He’s the clear frontrunner for NL MVP and is back on track looking like the generational talent he is.

Right Field

Mookie Betts, LAD (Runner up: Lane Thomas, WSH)

Ronald Acuña Jr. dominates the right field leaderboards (shifted to center for the ASG), but that shouldn’t distract people from noticing that Mookie Betts continues to be fantastic. He still makes contact (.271 BA) and gets on base well (.372 OBP), but his power numbers have spiked higher than ever, slugging .555 with 22 long-balls. His wRC+ currently sits at 150 and he has accumulated 3.7 fWAR. As if Betts couldn’t be even more valuable to the Dodgers, he’s shifted to the middle infield frequently to compensate for injuries and getting playing time for others. Funny enough, he has played the positions well, accumulating 3 DRS playing 2B and SS. Betts is always a fun player to watch and we’ll see plenty of him in Seattle, as he’s also participating in the Home Run Derby.

Designated Hitter

Jorge Soler, MIA (Runner up: J.D. Martinez, LAD)

Luis Arraez is the leader of the Marlins' ascension to contention, but Jorge Soler has been a fantastic Robin to Arraez’s Bat-Man. The former World Series MVP is hitting .241/.339/.514/.853 with a 131 wRC+ with 22 HR. After experiencing a total power outage in 2022, Soler is back to squaring up the ball with authority and an upward trajectory. He also boasts a strong plate approach, chasing few pitches and consistently working walks. Watching him play defense isn’t fun, but that’s why he primarily appears as a DH, thus him being categorized as such.

Starting Pitcher*

Zac Gallen, ARI (Runner up: Blake Snell, SDP)

Truth be told, I originally picked Clayton Kershaw in this spot. I wrote a whole spiel about how good he is and the impressiveness of the way he’s defied father time… then he got hurt. The asterisk you see above denotes that these numbers are more recent than the other positions, thanks for the trouble Clayton! That paragraph will never see the light of day, but it shouldn’t be too hard for me to praise my alternate, Zac Gallen. Gallen has an ERA of 3.04 and FIP at 2.77, while also leading MLB in innings pitched and coming in second for pitcher fWAR. Gallen’s success shouldn’t be shocking to anyone, as he ranked top ten in all of MLB with a 2.54 ERA across the 2022 season. Gallen isn’t a hard thrower, but he has a deep arsenal of pitches that fluster batters, including his wicked curveball with a 44.3% whiff rate. What’s taken him to the next level and should be a good indicator of his future success is his dwindling walk rate. The Arizona ace surrenders only 1.75 BB/9, which grades out in the 93rd percentile. I see little reason as to why Gallen wouldn’t continue this success and I expect him to be a prime contender for the NL Cy Young. Also, Blake Snell didn’t actually make the All-Star Game, but he’s been ridiculously dominant as of late and should have gotten the opportunity to pitch in his hometown.

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