VOTE NOW: Pick the 2021 All-MLB Team

November 11th, 2021
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      As fans participate in their yearly debates surrounding the game's marquee awards, they once again will have the opportunity to help decide the third annual All-MLB Team.

      Nominees were announced on Wednesday for the 2021 All-MLB Team, which -- as in each of the last two years -- will be split into a First and Second Team.

      Fan voting is underway and runs through 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 19, with 50% of the vote coming from fans and 50% coming from a panel of experts. Winners will be announced on MLB Network on Nov. 23.

      Voters are asked to consider only performance during the regular season when casting their ballots. Each team will include one selection at each position (including designated hitter and three outfielders, regardless of specific outfield position), five starting pitchers and two relievers.

      Fans will have their hands full as they try to whittle down a list that includes 66 position-player candidates (seven catchers, 10 first basemen, nine second basemen, 10 shortstops, seven third basemen, five designated hitters and 18 outfielders) and 38 pitcher candidates (22 starters and 16 relievers).

      The Dodgers lead the way with 10 nominees, including at least one player at every position except second base. Those candidates are catcher Will Smith; first baseman Max Muncy; shortstops Trea Turner and Corey Seager; third baseman Justin Turner; outfielder Mookie Betts (a First Team All-MLB selection in 2020 and a Second Team All-MLB pick in '19); starting pitchers Max Scherzer (a 2019 First Team All-MLB selection), Walker Buehler and Julio Urías; and reliever Kenley Jansen.

      The White Sox paced all AL clubs with nine nominees, including five pitchers. They have a trio of starters -- Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease and Carlos Rodón -- in the running, as well as their dominant bullpen duo of Liam Hendriks (a First Team All-MLB selection in 2020 and a Second Team All-MLB pick in '19) and Craig Kimbrel.

      Key injuries in 2021 certainly opened the door for some newcomers.

      Mike Trout, who made the First Team in both 2019 and '20, was limited to just 36 games by a strained right calf. Meanwhile, Jacob deGrom -- another two-time First Team honoree -- seemed well on his way to a third straight selection before being sidelined by right forearm tightness. The Mets right-hander posted a ridiculous 1.08 ERA through 15 starts, but he made his final appearance of the season on July 7. The only other player named to the All-MLB First Team in each of the last two years was DJ LeMahieu, who is not a nominee in 2021.

      There will certainly be some tough choices across the diamond. Can anyone surpass the MVP Award finalists at first base (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), second base (Marcus Semien), shortstop (Fernando Tatis Jr.) or designated hitter (Shohei Ohtani)?

      Speaking of Ohtani, he has the chance to become the first player named to the All-MLB team at multiple positions, as he's also one of the 22 nominees for the 10 spots -- five apiece on the First Team and Second Team -- for starting pitchers. Though Ohtani may be the favorite at DH against fellow candidates J.D. Martinez, Giancarlo Stanton, Yordan Alvarez and Nelson Cruz, he faces a stacked field when it comes to starting pitchers.

      Along with the Cy Young Award finalists in the NL (Scherzer, Corbin Burnes and Zack Wheeler) and the AL (Lynn, Gerrit Cole and Robbie Ray), the starting pitcher nominees also include the likes of Buehler, Brandon Woodruff and Kevin Gausman -- each of whom had Cy Young aspirations of their own for most of the season -- among many other worthy candidates.

      Once you have all that sorted, you'll still need to decide how to navigate an outfield group that includes MVP Award finalists Bryce Harper and Juan Soto, as well as Betts, Nick Castellanos, Aaron Judge, Cedric Mullins and Teoscar Hernández.

      All-Star selections awarded the top first-half performers, while the MVP and Cy Young Awards will honor the top players in each league, but it's time for you to cast your votes for the top overall players across the Majors -- and the entire season. Let the debates begin.

      1B

      Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR
      Max Muncy, LAD
      Joey Votto, CIN
      Matt Olson, OAK
      Freddie Freeman, ATL
      José Abreu, CWS
      Paul Goldschmidt, STL
      Yuli Gurriel, HOU
      Pete Alonso, NYM
      Ryan Mountcastle, BAL

      2B

      Marcus Semien, TOR
      Brandon Lowe, TB
      Ozzie Albies, ATL
      Jose Altuve, HOU
      Jonathan India, CIN
      Whit Merrifield, KC
      Jake Cronenworth, SD
      Jorge Polanco, MIN
      Adam Frazier, SD

      3B

      Rafael Devers, BOS
      Austin Riley, ATL
      José Ramírez, CLE
      Manny Machado, SD
      Nolan Arenado, STL
      Justin Turner, LAD
      Yoán Moncada, CWS

      SS

      Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
      Carlos Correa, HOU
      Trea Turner, LAD
      Xander Bogaerts, BOS
      Bo Bichette, TOR
      Brandon Crawford, SF
      Tim Anderson, CWS
      Corey Seager, LAD
      Trevor Story, COL
      Nicky Lopez, KC

      Catcher

      Salvador Perez, KC
      Will Smith, LAD
      Buster Posey, SF
      Mike Zunino, TB
      J.T. Realmuto, PHI
      Yasmani Grandal, CWS
      Willson Contreras, CHC

      DH

      Shohei Ohtani, LAA
      J.D. Martinez, BOS
      Giancarlo Stanton, NYY
      Yordan Alvarez, HOU
      Nelson Cruz, TB

      Outfield

      Cedric Mullins, BAL
      Bryce Harper, PHI
      Juan Soto, WSH
      Tyler O'Neill, STL
      Nick Castellanos, CIN
      Aaron Judge, NYY
      Teoscar Hernández, TOR
      Jesse Winker, CIN
      Bryan Reynolds, PIT
      Mitch Haniger, SEA
      Kris Bryant, SF
      Mookie Betts, LAD
      Kyle Tucker, HOU
      Randy Arozarena, TB
      Adam Duvall, ATL
      Kyle Schwarber, BOS
      Enrique Hernández, BOS
      Adolis García, TEX

      Starting pitchers

      Max Scherzer, LAD
      Walker Buehler, LAD
      Corbin Burnes, MIL
      Gerrit Cole, NYY
      Lance Lynn, CWS
      Robbie Ray, TOR
      Zack Wheeler, PHI
      Shohei Ohtani, LAA
      Julio Urías, LAD
      Kevin Gausman, SF
      Dylan Cease, CWS
      Carlos Rodón, CWS
      Brandon Woodruff, MIL
      Logan Webb, SF
      Adam Wainwright, STL
      Charlie Morton, ATL
      Max Fried, ATL
      Chris Bassitt, OAK
      José Berríos, TOR
      Freddy Peralta, MIL
      Sandy Alcantara, MIA
      Lance McCullers Jr., HOU

      Relievers

      Josh Hader, MIL
      Liam Hendriks, CWS
      Kenley Jansen, LAD
      Ryan Pressly, HOU
      Mark Melancon, SD
      Raisel Iglesias, LAA
      Emmanuel Clase, CLE
      Giovanny Gallegos, STL
      Craig Kimbrel, CWS
      Jake McGee, SF
      Devin Williams, MIL
      Andrew Kittredge, TB
      Garrett Whitlock, BOS
      Jonathan Loáisiga, NYY
      Jordan Romano, TOR
      Aroldis Chapman, NYY

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      Paul Casella is a reporter/editor for MLB.com based in Philadelphia.