Next man up: 12 players worthy of ASG trips
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Sure, you've got a few suggestions. Turns out, I've got one or two myself. There's just no getting this All-Star team thing exactly right, is there? That's the beauty of it.
Hey, we kid because we care. There's little to argue about regarding the 62 players who were named to the American League and National League All-Star teams on Sunday.
Here's the tough part: More than 62 players were deserving of All-Star honors. Another player will be added to each team after fans cast ballots in the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote on MLB.com, club sites and mobile devices until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday.
• Cast your Esurance Final Vote now
Other players will be named to replace injured players and pitchers who will not be able to pitch in the 88th All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on July 11 at Marlins Park in Miami.
• Miami, here we come: ASG rosters unveiled
Let's call this list the Next Man Up Additions. Here are a dozen players who've built a very solid case for themselves during this first half. (No players from the Final Vote were considered.)
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1. Alex Wood, Dodgers LHP
9-0, 1.83, 0.91 WHIP
Despite beginning the season in the bullpen and then spending time on the disabled list, Wood has built an airtight case in just 12 starts. He has allowed fewer than two runs in eight of his last 10 starts and is a big reason the Dodgers have been baseball's hottest team the past month.
2. Lorenzo Cain, Royals CF
.808 OPS, 14 doubles, 10 homers, 15 steals
He's 31 now and in his eighth season, and he just keeps getting better. Let's make this simple: He's a complete player. He's still one of baseball's best defensive outfielders, and his offensive game runs the gamut from power to speed.
3. Brett Gardner, Yankees LF
.804 OPS, 14 doubles, 15 homers, 10 steals
Some may have wondered what he still had left in his tank as he turned 33 and began his 10th season. Turns out, the answer is plenty. Like Cain, Gardner does everything well and is a big reason not named Aaron Judge or Gary Sánchez the Yankees have had a solid first half.
Know your All-Stars: 2017 Interactive Roster
4. Chris Devenski, Astros reliever
33 games, 50 1/3 innings, 2.15 ERA, 0.77 WHIP
He's a huge reason the Astros have been baseball's best team and survived a string of injuries to the rotation. He's tied for the Major League lead in relief innings and strikeouts.
5. Chris Archer, Rays RHP
6-5, 3.92 ERA, 110 1/3 innings, 131 strikeouts, 1.21 WHIP
His surface numbers obscure how good he has been. His 3.0 Wins Above Replacement is fourth-highest among all Major League pitchers, and 131 strikeouts in 110 1/3 innings is an indicator that his stuff is almost as nasty as ever.
6. Roberto Osuna, Blue Jays closer
0.75 WHIP, 2.25 ERA, 44 K's in 32 IP, 19 saves
He's only 22 years old and in just his third season. But he's close to unhittable, combining a 95-mph fastball with one of the game's best sliders. He hasn't allowed a run in 25 of his last 28 appearances and has made good on 19 of 22 save chances.
7. Marwin Gonzalez, Astros super utility
.975 OPS, 10 doubles, 14 homers, 45 RBIs
There ought to be a place for a guy who does the things he does. He has fully embraced the Ben Zobrist role and been invaluable for the Astros in starting 18 games in left, 13 at first, 13 at third, five at second and four at short. He has played all of those positions competently and has produced at a high offensive level at all of them.
8. Adam Duvall, Reds LF
.895 OPS, 23 doubles, 19 homers, 5 steals, 58 RBIs
He has taken advantage of a chance to play full time and taken a significant step forward in his offensive game. His defense in left has been solid. He gets overshadowed by other stars on the Reds, but he's plenty deserving of his own All-Star honor.
9. Andrelton Simmons, Angels SS
.757 OPS, 18 doubles, 9 homers, 13 steals
He makes the tough plays at shortstop look routine and has done this for so long that he's easy to take for granted. This is easily his best offensive team and a reason the Angels, despite all the injuries, have remained in the hunt for a postseason berth.
10. Steven Souza Jr., Rays RF
.871 OPS, 14 doubles, 16 homers
Just when the Rays must have wondered if he'd ever be the impact player they projected him to be, Souza has had a very solid first half. He's already approaching his career highs in home runs (17) and doubles (17) and has tacked almost 100 points onto his slugging percentage (.500). His 2.4 WAR is tied for 10th among AL position players.
11. Jimmy Nelson, Brewers RHP
6-4, 3.43 ERA, 97 innings, 104 strikeouts, 1.25 WHIP
After leading the NL in walks and hit batsmen in 2016, Nelson has done a much better job of harnessing his 94-mph fastball in his fifth season. His 2.5 WAR is sixth among NL pitchers.
12. Robinson Canó, Mariners 2B
.846 OPS, 17 homers, 60 RBIs
He's methodically putting together another 30-home run, 100-RBI season, and while there's been a power surge around the game, Cano is still one of the game's best producers. He has made a reasonable case for an eighth All-Star selection.
Fans can cast ballots for the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote on MLB.com, Club sites and their mobile devices until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. The winners, as chosen exclusively by online fan voting totals, will then be announced during "MLB Tonight" live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m. Extensive coverage throughout the Final Vote will be provided by MLB Network and MLB.com, including interviews with the candidates, frequent updates, heat maps indicating where votes are being cast for each candidate, news on player and club campaigns, and a running countdown clock leading up to the announcement.
Now in its 16th season, with more than 680 million votes cast, the Final Vote again will include social votes on the last day of balloting, as Twitter support for the 10 candidates over the final six hours of balloting will count toward their vote totals. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET on Thursday, any tweet that includes a designated player hashtag will be tabulated as part of the official vote total used to determine the winners.
On Tuesday, July 11, at 7:30 p.m. ET, tune in to the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 88th All-Star Game, in Miami, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.