The 2025 MLB All-Star Game is right around the corner, and fan voting is officially open! It’s time to dive into the exciting races and potential debuts that could shape this year’s Midsummer Classic. With a blend of seasoned veterans and rising stars vying for a spot, the competition is fiercer than ever. From breakout rookies to established aces, the All-Star Game promises to be a showcase of baseball’s best talent.
In this roundtable, our experts tackle the most pressing questions surrounding the All-Star Game ballot. We’ll explore potential first-time All-Stars, dissect the crowded National League outfield race, debate the American League’s starting shortstop, highlight deserving rookies beyond Jacob Wilson, and make our picks for the starting pitchers. Get ready for an in-depth analysis that will help you make informed decisions when casting your votes!
Making the Case for All-Star Game Debuts
The All-Star Game is the perfect stage for players to make a name for themselves, and this year is no different. Several players are in contention for their first All-Star appearance, each with a compelling case.
Tom Verducci highlights James Wood of the Washington Nationals, citing his impressive NL OPS and ranking among the league leaders in home runs and RBI. “He hits lefties, he’s a .305 hitter with runners in scoring position and he absolutely mashes fastballs (.667) with his easy off-field power.”
Stephanie Apstein champions Cal Raleigh, stating that he’s on pace for the greatest season of all time by a catcher. “Raleigh has played in every game for the Seattle Mariners this season, he leads the league in dingers and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down.”
Nick Selbe makes a case for Nick Pivetta of the San Diego Padres. Despite waiting until mid-February to sign, Pivetta has posted a 6–2 record with a 2.74 ERA backed up by a 2.97 FIP. “It’s a crowded field of worthy arms in both leagues, but he’s done enough to earn a roster spot.”
Ryan Phillips points to Shane Smith of the Chicago White Sox, a Rule 5 pick with a 2.45 ERA and 60 strikeouts. “He also leads the team with 1.7 WAR, making him an easy pick as their lone participant. And he’s a former undrafted free agent, so this is a great story to boot.”
Will Laws suggests Ryan O’Hearn of the Baltimore Orioles, who has surpassed his previous career high in WAR. “A former eighth-round pick of the Royals, O’Hearn has proven to be quite the find for the O’s over the last several years and is somehow the team’s most deserving nominee amid a hugely disappointing season in Baltimore.”
The Crowded National League Outfield Race
The National League boasts an abundance of talented outfielders, making the selection process particularly challenging. Who deserves to start?
Tom Verducci envisions an outfield of youth and athleticism with Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, and Corbin Carroll. “No offense to Fernando Tatís Jr. and Kyle Tucker, but those three rank 1-2-3 in some order in slugging and total bases among NL outfielders.”
Stephanie Apstein believes Pete Crow-Armstrong is a lock and expects Padres fans to vote in force for Fernando Tatís Jr. She gives the third spot to James Wood, praising his light-tower power and poise at age 22. “The light-tower power, the poise at age 22 and the fact that he was asked to replace Juan Soto and then basically did that—this guy is incredible.”
Nick Selbe opts for Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, and Kyle Tucker, citing their superior defensive abilities and offensive production. “Wood has the highest wRC+ (163) among all NL outfielders and is tied for the lead in home runs. Tucker ranks second in wRC+ and has the highest on-base percentage (.394). And Crow-Armstrong ranks first in runs, second in RBI and stolen bases, and leads all center fielders in Outs Above Average (10) and ranks second in defensive runs saved (8).”
Ryan Phillips emphasizes WAR, selecting Pete Crow-Armstrong, Fernando Tatís Jr., and James Wood. “Crow-Armstrong should be a lock to start as he leads the National League in WAR (3.7). While it’s a deep field, I’m going with the guys who are second and third in WAR.”
Will Laws also includes Pete Crow-Armstrong, while opting for Corbin Carroll and James Wood. Tatís is penalized for a social media misstep. “There are nine players with at least 15 homers and only four with at least 20 stolen bases. Crow-Armstrong is the only player in both clubs, and he’ll be starting.”
The American League Shortstop Showdown
The race for the starting shortstop position in the American League is heating up, with Bobby Witt Jr., Jeremy Peña, and Jacob Wilson all in the mix. Who will emerge as the frontrunner?
Tom Verducci is fascinated by Jacob Wilson, a .363 hitter with exceptional contact skills. “He could join Placido Polanco as the only righthanded hitters in the past 50 years to get 200 hits with less than 40 strikeouts. He also leads AL shortstops in OPS.”
Stephanie Apstein leans towards Jeremy Peña, who seems to have unlocked something offensively this year. “The chance to hit leadoff this year…seems to have unlocked something in Peña, who’s been by offensive WAR the fourth-best player in the American League. He’s also a stellar defender, although that’s always been true.”
Nick Selbe also picks Jeremy Peña, citing his stellar defense and elevated hitting. “The 27-year-old has maintained his usual stellar defense, but has elevated his hitting to another level. A league-average hitter for his career with a 100 wRC+ prior to this season, Peña has put up a 145 mark to date, trailing only Wilson.”
Ryan Phillips agrees with Peña, noting that he leads AL shortstops in WAR and has an edge on Witt in OPS and home runs. “Peña has earned this one. He leads AL shortstops in WAR by nearly a full point—he’s at 3.6 while Witt is at 2.8.”
Will Laws gives the edge to Wilson, whose high batting average and extra-base hits have vaulted him to the top of the race. “Wilson trailing only Aaron Judge and Freddie Freeman in batting average while compiling more extra-base hits than the likes of Austin Riley, Trea Turner and Paul Goldschmidt…vaults him to the top of the race for now.”
Rookies Deserving All-Star Consideration
Last year saw several rookies named All-Stars. Besides Jacob Wilson, are there any other rookies deserving of the honor this year?
Tom Verducci suggests Shane Smith of the White Sox, Chad Patrick of the Brewers, and Tomoyuki Sugano of the Orioles. He also mentions catcher Drake Baldwin of the Braves. Chad Patrick of the Brewers (2.97 ERA in 63.2 IP) and 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano (3.04 ERA in rookie-high 71 innings) of the Orioles bear watching.”
Stephanie Apstein acknowledges Drake Baldwin’s fun story but believes he hasn’t played enough to unseat Will Smith and Gabriel Moreno. “Baldwin has been a really fun story for Atlanta, and the Drake Rakes T-shirts are sick, but he just hasn’t played enough this season to unseat Will Smith and Gabriel Moreno.”
Nick Selbe highlights Shane Smith and Carlos Narváez, partially due to a lack of other options. “Smith, on the other hand, won’t face much competition in his own clubhouse for an invitation to the Fall Classic.”
Ryan Phillips is in agreement on Smith and Wilson. “Smith and Wilson make it for me. I’d put Dodgers reliever Ben Casparius and Orioles starter Sugano on the borderline.”
Will Laws believes Smith’s odds are looking good and notes that Patrick has had a nice start. “Smith’s odds are looking pretty good, and not entirely by default of the White Sox needing a representative.”
Picks for Starting Pitchers
While fans don’t vote for pitchers, who would our experts choose as the starting pitchers for each league?
Tom Verducci selects Garrett Crochet of Boston and Paul Skenes of Pittsburgh. “Skenes is the Pedro Martínez of this generation: The best put-away pitcher in baseball because he has so many options to finish hitters.”
Stephanie Apstein would enjoy seeing Tarik Skubal and Logan Webb. “Skubal throws a billion miles an hour and tries to strike everybody out; Webb directs his sinker into hitters’ bat paths and makes them roll over to the infield.”
Nick Selbe goes with Tarik Skubal for the AL and Logan Webb for the NL. “Skubal gets the ball for the AL. The reigning Cy Young Award winner has the league’s best strikeout rate (34.7%), walk rate (2.5%) and WHIP (0.79).”
Ryan Phillips picks Kris Bubic for the AL and Skenes for the NL. “Skenes is a no-brainer to start for the National League. The American League crowd is a lot tighter.”
Will Laws chooses Skubal and Skenes, highlighting their dominance. “Skubal is on pace to be the first qualified pitcher in history to average more than 11 strikeouts and less than one walk per nine innings.”
Final Thoughts on the All-Star Game
As fan voting for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game gets underway, the debates and discussions are sure to intensify. From potential debuts to crowded races and pitcher picks, the All-Star Game is shaping up to be a captivating event. The combination of rising stars and established veterans makes it a must-watch for baseball fans.
Whether it’s the electrifying performance of James Wood, the dominant pitching of Paul Skenes, or the all-around excellence of Pete Crow-Armstrong, the 2025 All-Star Game promises to deliver unforgettable moments. So, cast your votes wisely and get ready to witness the best of baseball on display in Atlanta! With the Midsummer Classic just around the corner, the excitement is building, and the anticipation is palpable.
Leave a Reply