The Major League Baseball regular season is six months long, which allows us to break it up into six convenient chunks. Each of these chunks is equal to one another, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time; it always feels, in the moment, that the first and last months count more. But as with last year, we will be putting together an All-Star Team for each month of the season. Can you believe it has been two months already? Here’s an All-Star pick from each league, at each position, for May. (All stats entering Tuesday's games.)

Catcher:
NL: Francisco Alvarez, Mets (1.088 OPS, 7 HR, .309 BA)
AL: Salvador Perez, Royals (.971 OPS, 9 HR)

The Mets may be having some issues, fair to say, but this is the Francisco Alvarez that was leading all those prospect lists. He may have a little bit longer to go to get his behind-the-plate game to match his batter's box game, but having a catcher who hits like this is an advantage any team would crave.

First Base:
NL: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (1.141 OPS, 25 RBIs)
AL: Yandy Díaz, Rays (1.034 OPS, .421 OBP)

Yandy Díaz would have been a terrific hitter if he had remained doing what he was doing: Getting on base, hitting the ball hard but on the ground, being a generally tough out all around. But now he is hitting the ball in the air more often, which is to say: Look out. By the way, how is it possible that Freddie Freeman joined one of the most famous sports teams on the planet and somehow got more underappreciated? (Also, sorry Pete Alonso.)

• Hitter Power Rankings

Second Base:
NL: Nolan Gorman, Cardinals (.993 OPS, 7 HR)
AL: Marcus Semien, Rangers (.392 OBP)

Gorman has been alternating between DH and second base (with an occasional start at third), but we’ll put him here because his defense has improved and also because he’s destroying the ball right now. As for Semien, considering the way they’re playing, we had to have at least one Ranger on here.

Shortstop:
NL: Tucupita Marcano, Pirates (.564 SLG)
AL: Bo Bichette, Blue Jays (.360 BA)

It was such a lousy month for National League shortstops that I was almost tempted to put Mookie Betts here. Instead, let’s give it up for Tucupita, who somehow still has to hear “The Macarena” every time he comes to the plate in opposing ballparks.

Third Base:
NL: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals (.893 OPS, 7 HR)
AL: Isaac Paredes, Rays (.923 OPS, .380 OBP)

Nolan Arenado’s first month struggles are as forgotten as we all knew they would be, though he, like the rest of his team, still has some catching up to do to be where everyone thought they both would be at this point. Paredes is just another Ray who has been amazing.

Outfield:
NL: Juan Soto, Padres (1.135 OPS, .481 OBP); Christopher Morel, Cubs (1.084 OPS, 9 HR); Jorge Soler, Marlins (12 HR)
AL: Aaron Judge, Yankees (11 HR, 24 RBI, 1.377 OPS); Luis Robert Jr., White Sox (1.004 OPS, 8 HR); Riley Greene, Tigers (1.018 OPS, .439 OBP)

First off, I’ll confess to feeling downright terrible that Ronald Acuña Jr. couldn’t crack this outfield. But c’mon: Soto is getting on base nearly every other at-bat, Soler hit 12 homers this month and Morel has more homers and a higher OPS. Sorry, Ronald; You’ll have to settle for being the best player in baseball right now.

Also: It has to have been years since a Tigers hitter has been on this list. Nice work, Riley Greene!

Designated Hitter:
NL: Marcell Ozuna, Braves (1.066 OPS, 9 HR)
AL: Yordan Alvarez, Astros (1.053 OPS, 8 HR)

It has been a long time since Ozuna had a month like this one; his .679 slugging percentage in May is his highest since his sixth-place MVP finish in the shortened 2020 season. (That’s all the Braves need, another hitter.) It has not been a long time since Alvarez had a month like this one. He essentially has these every month now.

Starting Pitchers:
NL: Mitch Keller, Pirates (3-1, 2.45 ERA)
AL: Jon Gray, Rangers (4-0, 1.95 ERA)

There are many reasons why both of these teams have been among the most surprising in baseball so far, but Keller and Gray are very high among them. And for both of them, it has been a long road to this point.

Relief Pitchers:
NL: Jesse Chavez, Braves (13 IP, 1 ER, 17 K)
AL: Kendall Graveman, White Sox (10 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 4 SV)

How about some love for Chavez, who will turn 40 in August and may have just had the best month of his career? As for Graveman, he’s done a splendid job filling in for Liam Hendriks, who returned earlier this week after missing the first two months while recovering from cancer.