Breaking down All-MLB Team 3B nominees
Voting for the 2021 All-MLB Team presented by Cue Health is underway, and you can help decide which players will be honored as the best of the regular season at each position, with 50% of the vote coming from fans and 50% coming from a panel of experts.
You can vote right here, and may continue to do so once every 24 hours between now and when voting ends on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. ET. The 2021 All-MLB Team will be announced Nov. 23 on MLB Network. There will be a first team and second team All-MLB, and voters are asked only to consider performance during the regular season when casting their ballots.
The nominees at each position were revealed Wednesday on MLB Network, and seven third basemen are up for consideration to be part of the 2021 All-MLB Team, though only two can be chosen.
Here’s a breakdown of each of the All-MLB third base candidates.
Nolan Arenado, Cardinals
2021 stats: .255 AVG, 34 HR, 105 RBI, 2 SB, .807 OPS
In his first year in St. Louis, Nolan continued to be Nolan -- playing sparkling defense at third base and slugging at the plate. He made his sixth career All-Star team and won a Gold Glove Award, pushing his streak to nine straight -- every single season of his career. Arenado hit 34 homers, marking his sixth 30-plus-homer season.
Rafael Devers, Red Sox
2021 stats: .279 AVG, 38 HR, 113 RBI, 5 SB, .890 OPS
The Red Sox third baseman bounced back in a big way in 2021, putting up the second-best season of his young career by many measures. Devers’ 38 homers led all third basemen, as did his 113 RBIs. He earned his first career All-Star selection, starting at third for the AL in Colorado. His strong season carried over into October as well, when Devers hit five homers in 11 playoff games for the Red Sox.
Manny Machado, Padres
2021 stats: .278 AVG, 28 HR, 106 RBI, 12 SB, .836 OPS
After putting up great numbers in the shortened 2020 season and being first team All-MLB, Machado continued his solid production in ‘21, making his first All-Star team since joining the Padres. He had 247 hard-hit batted balls, more than all but two players in baseball this season -- trailing only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Salvador Perez. Machado was worth 5.0 WAR according to Baseball Reference in 2021, his highest mark since 2018 (6.1).
Yoán Moncada, White Sox
2021 stats: .263 AVG, 14 HR, 61 RBI, 3 SB, .787 OPS
Though Moncada’s power didn’t return to its 2019 levels, the White Sox third baseman raised his batting average by almost 40 points compared to ‘20, and he got on base more consistently than ever. Both his .375 on-base percentage and 13.6% walk rate were career highs, with the latter leading all qualified third basemen.
José Ramírez, Cleveland
2021 stats: .266 AVG, 36 HR, 103 RBI, 27 SB, .893 OPS
Ramírez knocked in 103 runs in 2021, the second most in any season of his career, as he led Cleveland’s offense and was an All-Star for the third time. His 36 homers and 27 stolen bases marked his second season with at least 30 homers and 20 stolen bases, tied with Francisco Lindor for the most such years in franchise history. Ramírez’s 6.7 WAR was the third-highest mark of his career, behind only 2018 (7.5) and ‘17 (7.0). Ramírez was second team All-MLB last year.
Austin Riley, Braves
2021 stats: .303 AVG, 33 HR, 107 RBI, 0 SB, .898 OPS
It was a breakout year at the plate for the 2021 World Series champ, who improved his eye and discipline at the plate to unlock another level. His OPS and batting average were both the best of his three-year career, as were his homer and RBI totals. His .303 average led all qualified third basemen and his .531 slugging percentage ranked third.
Justin Turner, Dodgers
2021 stats: .278 AVG, 27 HR, 87 RBI, 3 SB, .832 OPS
For the eighth straight season, all in a Dodgers uniform, Turner posted an OPS of at least .830. Turner’s 27 homers tied his career high set in 2016 and also matched in '19. Turner’s 87 RBIs were his most since ‘16 and second most in any season of his career. Even at the age of 36, Turner continued to reliably produce for the Dodgers as they won 106 regular-season games.