After a long, trying campaign and an extremely late, but obviously successful push in the online fan-voting, both Javier Baez and Willson Contreras are starting for the National League in the 2018 MLB All-Star Game!
.@WContreras40: IN. pic.twitter.com/A5gOIzHyBK
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 8, 2018
.@javy23baez: IN. pic.twitter.com/hPoqCwgVVo
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 8, 2018
Willson Contreras is slashing .287/.372/.466 (127 wRC+) this season and has been worth a total of 2.5 WAR. Both marks trail the Marlins’ J.T. Realmuto (who will still be an All-Star this year, along with Buster Posey), but Contreras has played 11 more games to this point, is walking nearly twice as much, is striking out slightly less and has better defensive ratings. He’s also clearly deserving of the honor in a broader sense and earned his entry with an NL-leading 2,172,682 votes.
A message from @WContreras40: pic.twitter.com/e8i3GUFbgM
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 8, 2018
Javier Baez is slashing .295/.328/.565 as of today’s game, which gives him a 132 wRC+ that ranks second best in the NL behind only Scooter Gennett (137 wRC+). By WAR, Baez’s 3.1 at the start of play today also ranks second in the NL, behind the Braves’ Ozzie Albies. There are a million other ways I can compare and contrast these three players – and all of them are All-Stars, like Posey and Realmuto – but Baez, with his flair for the dramatic and inherent charisma, was the obvious choice as the starter. And he won with a grand total of 2,757,401 votes. Well done, fans. You got it right.
This will be both Baez and Contreras’ first – but obviously not last – trip to the All-Star Game.
Way to show up! Thank you, #Cubs fans! #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/0mSJbKVXNw
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 8, 2018
But that’s not all! Jon Lester has also been selected to the All-Star team for the fifth time in his career, and second time as a Chicago Cub (2016)!
.@JLester34: IN. pic.twitter.com/F7SkhNFJn6
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 8, 2018
So far this season, Lester has had some questionable peripherals, but some truly outstanding results – 11-2, 2.25 ERA (6th in MLB) – and when it comes to All-Star selections and awards/honors, results matter. So congrats to him, as well.
#EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/otlqjsedj0
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 8, 2018
And congrats to all of us! We helped get two of the most exciting players in all of baseball in Baez and Contreras onto the starting roster of the 2018 MLB All-Star game and that’s going to make next weeks’ event that much more fun. I’m sure MLB is absolutely thrilled that both players made the cut, because they’re each so much fun to watch.
Here is a look at the rest of the NL All-Stars – starters, reserves, and pitchers:
Here are your 2018 @AllStarGame starters as voted by the fans via the @CampingWorld All-Star Ballot. @JoseAltuve27 is @MLB leading vote-getter, while @FreddieFreeman5 paces NL. Record eight teams represented among nine AL starters. pic.twitter.com/Nr4ehlgP9K
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) July 8, 2018
Talk about a bench mob. 😳
We present your National League All-Star reserves. pic.twitter.com/ioa6gSFbMQ
— MLB (@MLB) July 8, 2018
Prepare for filth. There’s plenty to go around on this National League All-Star pitching staff. pic.twitter.com/oCbpEfY7YD
— MLB (@MLB) July 8, 2018