(AUDACY) MLB released its first update on All-Star Game voting Monday, but that was limited to just position players. While fans get to decide a portion of the roster, All-Star berths for pitchers -- along with reserve position players -- are determined by "a combination of player ballot selections and choices made by the commissioner's office."
Teams will typically carry 14 or 15 pitchers, with 10 or so likely to be starters. Here's a look at where the race for those spots currently stands.
National League locks
Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom has had an incredible 2021 season.Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesFive starters from the senior circuit appear to be relative locks to be All-Stars -- Jacob deGrom (New York Mets), Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies), Brandon Woodruff (Milwaukee Brewers), Kevin Gausman (San Francisco Giants) and Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers). Barring injury or an unforeseen collapse, deGrom, already a three-time All-Star, would be the likely starter.
Josh Hader (Milwaukee Brewers) and Craig Kimbrel (Chicago Cubs) already have nine combined career All-Star appearances between them, and that number is likely to reach 11 soon, as each currently has ERAs under 0.70.
Other National League candidates
Dodgers right-hander Trevor Bauer is in his first season in Los Angeles.Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty ImagesWe listed seven players above who are pretty certain to be All-Stars, which leaves approximately seven or eight spots for other candidates. It's important to remember that each team is guaranteed to have at least one All-Star, which could serve as a tiebreaker in some of these cases.
-- Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals): 5-4 with a 2.21 ERA, 3.05 FIP and 2.1 fWAR in 77 1/3 innings
-- Trevor Rogers (Miami Marlins): 7-3 with a 2.02 ERA, 2.56 FIP and 2.2 fWAR in 75 2/3 innings
-- Trevor Bauer (Los Angeles Dodgers): 6-5 with a 2.64 ERA, 3.79 FIP and 1.4 fWAR in 88 2/3 innings
-- Taijuan Walker (New York Mets): 5-2 with a 2.07 ERA, 2.84 FIP and 1.8 fWAR in 61 innings
-- Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies): 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA, 3.25 FIP and 2.0 fWAR in 83 innings
-- Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres): 6-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 3.13 FIP and 2.0 fWAR in 79 innings
-- Richard Rodriguez (Pittsburgh Pirates): 24 games, 1.78 ERA, 1.93 FIP, 1.1 fWAR and seven saves in nine opportunities
-- Edwin Díaz (New York Mets): 24 games, 2.81 ERA, 1.56 FIP, 1.1 fWAR and 12 saves in 13 opportunities
-- Giovanny Gallegos (St. Louis Cardinals): 28 games, 2.27 ERA, 2.45 FIP and 1.0 fWAR
-- Ryan Tepera (Chicago Cubs): 31 games, 1.99 ERA, 2.55 FIP and 0.8 fWAR
American League locks
Right-hander Lance Lynn has been great in his first season with the White Sox.David Berding/Getty ImagesLike in the National League, there appears to be five starters in the American League who you can be pretty sure will be All-Stars: Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees), Carlos Rodón (Chicago White Sox), Tyler Glasnow (Tampa Bay Rays), Shane Bieber (Cleveland) and Lance Lynn (White Sox).
Boston Red Sox closer Matt Barnes -- who has 14 saves in 16 attempts and a 1.5 fWAR -- is the only reliever in the AL who seems to be a lock to be an All-Star.
Other American League candidates
Red Sox right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has had a strong 2021 season.Kathryn Riley/Getty ImagesMuch of the game's elite starting pitching is currently concentrated in the NL, which means that the standard to be an All-Star in the NL may not be quite as high.
-- Nathan Eovaldi (Boston Red Sox): 7-3 with a 4.11 ERA, 2.63 FIP and 2.2 fWAR in 72 1/3 innings
-- Dylan Cease (Chicago White Sox): 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA, 3.26 FIP and 1.8 fWAR in 66 2/3 innings
-- John Means (Baltimore Orioles): 4-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 4.18 FIP and 1.4 fWAR in 71 innings
-- Kyle Gibson (Texas Rangers): 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA, 3.41 FIP and 1.4 fWAR in 71 2/3 innings
-- Chris Bassitt (Oakland Athletics): 7-2 with a 3.43 ERA, 3.29 FIP and 1.7 fWAR in 86 2/3 innings
-- Matthew Boyd (Detroit Tigers): 3-6 with a 3.56 ERA, 3.81 FIP and 1.4 fWAR in 68 1/3 innings
-- Sean Manaea (Oakland Athletics): 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA, 3.18 FIP and 1.7 fWAR in 75 2/3 innings
-- Scott Barlow (Kansas City Royals): 29 games, 1.95 ERA, 1.79 FIP and 1.1 fWAR
-- Liam Hendriks (Chicago White Sox): 30 games, 2.22 ERA, 2.66 FIP, 0.9 fWAR and 17 saves in 20 opportunities
-- Paul Fry (Baltimore Orioles): 24 games, 1.93 ERA, 1.65 FIP and 1.0 fWAR
-- Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees): 25 games, 1.93 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 0.8 fWAR and 12 saves in 14 opportunities
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