Pick your All-Star: Swanson vs. Turner

Phase 2 of the Chevrolet MLB All-Star Ballot has arrived, and that means some of the most exciting players in MLB going head to head for the right to start the 92nd All-Star Game on July 19 at Dodger Stadium.

The Phase 1 results were announced last Thursday, leaving two final candidates per league at each position except for outfield, where four finalists will battle it out for two spots. (The Yankees' Aaron Judge and the Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. clinched automatic starting spots by virtue of being their respective leagues' top vote-getters in Phase 1). In each case, vote counts start over from zero rather than carrying over from Phase 1.

Fans can vote once per day in Phase 2, which began at noon ET on Tuesday and continues until 2 p.m. ET on Friday. Unsure of which box to check? MLB.com is here to help, with breakdowns of some of the more intriguing one-on-one ballot showdowns.

One of those showdowns is at NL shortstop, which pits Atlanta’s Dansby Swanson against Los Angeles’ Trea Turner. Here is what you need to know:

• Swanson vs. Turner: Vote here

FAST FACTS

Dansby Swanson, Braves
Born: Feb. 11, 1994 (Age 28)
Birthplace: Kennesaw, Georgia
Drafted: 1st overall pick, 2015 (by ARI)
Debuted: August 17, 2016 (with ATL)
Bats/throws: Right/right
Jersey number: 7

Trea Turner, Dodgers
Born: June 30, 1993 (Age 29)
Birthplace: Boynton Beach, Florida
Drafted: 1st round, 2014 (by SDP)
Debuted: August 21, 2015 (with WSH)
Bats/throws: Right/right
Jersey number: 6

DEFINING STAT (THROUGH TUESDAY)

Swanson: 12.4 percent barrel rate
Swanson has been on a four-year power surge. After having a barrel rate in the single digits for the first three years of his career, Swanson has had a double-digit barrel rate for the past four years, with this year’s mark serving as a career-high.

Turner: 30.3 ft/sec sprint speed
One of the fastest players in baseball, Turner’s world-class sprint speed is in the 100th percentile, his eighth straight year being in the top percentile. Turner has stolen 16 bases this year and leads baseball with 69 bolts.

FIRST-HALF PERFORMANCE

Swanson: On June 1, the Braves were 24-27 and 10 1/2 games back of the Mets in the NL East. Entering play on Tuesday, Atlanta had cut the deficit to 3 1/2 games while also holding a 3 1/2 game lead in the Wild Card. Swanson played a huge role in that turnaround, batting .330 in June with seven home runs and 19 RBIs -- the top marks in baseball among shortstops.

Turner: The Dodgers boast a healthy 4 1/2 game lead in the NL West with Turner leading the way. Turner, who has switched between leading off and batting third in LA's lineup, is third in baseball in hits (99), 13th in batting average (.311) and is tied for fifth in RBIs (59). Turner had his best month of the season in June, batting .315 with six home runs and 35 hits.

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Swanson: The No. 1 pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, Swanson is in the midst of a career turnaround. After being traded to Atlanta for Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier, Swanson was hampered by injuries and inconsistencies in his first four years in Atlanta before turning things around in 2020. Last year Swanson drove in 88 runs and started at shortstop for a Braves team that won the World Series. Swanson had the assist on the Series-clinching out.

Turner: Despite swapping teams midseason last year, Turner led baseball with a .328 batting average with a league-high 195 hits. That output led to Turner tallying a fifth-place finish in the NL MVP voting -- his second top-10 MVP finish. In 2016, Turner finished as the runner-up to Corey Seager in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. He also won the 2019 World Series with the Nationals.

ALL-STAR HISTORY

Swanson: This would be Swanson’s first trip to the All-Star Game. Last year the Braves had three All-Stars in Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman. As mentioned earlier, Acuña Jr has already clinched a starting spot in this year’s Midsummer Classic.

Turner: Turner earned his first All-Star Game nod last year after he was voted in by the players. He went 0-for-2 as a reserve. If Turner makes it, he'd be playing in front of his hometown fans at Dodger Stadium.

FUN FACTOR

Swanson: The only thing smoother than Swanson’s play on the field is his hair. Known for his signature flow, Swanson’s luscious locks almost make us wish he was able to take the field without wearing a hat. Last fall, Brett Phillips said what we were all thinking.

Turner: Trea Turner might be the smoothest slider in the history of baseball.

No, seriously, we mean it. It’s like he’s on a slip-and-slide that only he can see.

If Turner is voted into the All-Star Game, we can only hope that his sweet slides come with him.