This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

I hope everybody enjoyed the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. I may be biased, but I’ve always thought baseball had the best All-Star Game among the four major sports. It’s the closest to being competitive, and the performances and effort are there. It may not be as intense as when Pete Rose barreled into Ray Fosse, but it still means a lot to the players who participate.

The second half of the 2022 season begins Friday, but first …

REDS FIRST-HALF AWARDS

Team MVP: Brandon Drury
Drury also qualifies as offseason pickup of the year. He’s been huge for the club after he was signed to a Minor League contract in March. He made the roster as a role player out of camp and is making only $900,000 in 2022.

Instead of having a quiet season in a utility role, Drury has enjoyed a breakout year for Cincinnati and has overtaken Mike Moustakas at third base. In 81 games, he is batting .278 with an .864 OPS and already has a career-high 18 home runs -- just in the first half.

Top Pitcher: Luis Castillo
Despite a shoulder injury that delayed his season until May and a slow start after that, Castillo has a 2.77 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 starts. Over his last four starts, he is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA, 17 hits, nine walks and 33 strikeouts in 27 innings.

The last three of those starts were against serious contenders in the Braves, Rays and Yankees.

Top Rookie: Alexis Díaz
Another player who earned his way onto the roster out of camp, Díaz went from Double-A to the big leagues and is a rare bright spot for a beleaguered Reds bullpen. In 32 appearances, the 25-year-old younger brother of Mets closer Edwin Díaz has a 2.16 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 43 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings. His walk rate remains too high with 20 so far, but that could come down if he continues sharpening his slider. Díaz is already viewed as the go-to guy for manager David Bell in the highest leverage situations.

Most Electric Performances: Hunter Greene
It’s been a tough rookie year for Greene, who is 3-11 with a 5.78 ERA in 18 starts. But three games standout that show what could be a more regular part of Greene’s future.

April 16: In his second big league start, Greene threw a record 39 pitches at 100 mph or faster out of the 80 overall against the Dodgers in a loss.

May 15: Greene threw 7 1/3 hitless innings vs. the Pirates but still found himself on the wrong end of a 1-0 loss in a crushing afternoon in Pittsburgh.

June 6: In a seven-inning complete game shortened by rain, Greene allowed one hit and faced the minimum 21 batters during a 7-0 victory.

Wackiest Win: The Balk-Off
On July 8, the Reds defeated the Rays in the 10th inning when a balk call scored Mark Kolozsvary with the winning run.

Best Slump-Breaking Assist: Kyle Farmer’s grandmother and Barry Larkin
In a May 9 win over the Brewers, Farmer snapped an 0-for-34 slump with a three-run home run and said it “felt like 200 pounds off my back.” Farmer credited his grandmother for watching the previous day’s game and listening to TV analyst and Hall of Famer Barry Larkin talk about his slump. She encouraged Farmer to talk to Larkin, and he did with outstanding results.

Coolest Broadcast Moment: Joey Votto
On Opening Day at Atlanta, Votto agreed to wear an earpiece and do a live interview with ESPN during game action. It was a huge hit for fans.

Most Bizarre Moment: Tommy Pham
During batting practice before a May 27 game vs. the Giants at Great American Ball Park, Pham slapped opposing outfielder Joc Pederson because of an offseason dispute over their fantasy football league. Pham was suspended three games for his actions by Major League Baseball.

Most Fun Moment: Votto
Before a June game at Arizona, Votto found time to choreograph and record a dance on TikTok with a 12-year-old fan.