Five Pirates Showing Up on Early All-Star Balloting

The top two vote earners at each position, plus the top six outfielder vote getters, move to Phase 2, that starts on June 29.

Gonzales and Lowe are the closest to being able to make it to Phase 2, just about 100,000 votes off of the second-highest vote getter at third base and second base, respectively. Horwitz, Griffin and Cruz are simply too far behind to make the All-Star game via fan voting.

Fan voting isn't the only way that players make it to the All-Star Game, with 16 players making it via player voting, the manager of each All-Star team adding eight players and then the fans have one more player they can vote for, totaling 34 players on each team.

The Pirates may not get a player on the roster via fan voting, but it's likely they'll all have chances with their fellow players and if the manager thinks they deserve a shot.

Why These Pirates Players Received Votes

All five of these players have had great seasons so far and helped the Pirates have one of the best offenses in MLB.

Gonzales has slashed .301/.352/.370 for an OPS of .722 in 66 games, with 74 hits, 11 doubles, two home runs and 31 RBI.

He leads the Pirates in batting average, while ranking seventh in the NL and 13th in MLB, serving as a top hitter in the game right now.

Lowe joined the Pirates via trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and it's clear that he's been one of the best offseason additions in recent franchise history.

He has slashed .240/.325/.512 for an OPS. of .837 in 66 games, with 61 hits, 16 doubles, 17 home runs and 46 RBI, while also greatly improving defensively at second base, after he was one of the worst at the position last season.

Lowe's best play comes with his power, with his 17 home runs the most on the Pirates and for any second baseman, sixth in the NL and tied 12th in baseball. He also leads all second baseman in RBI, slugging percentage and OPS

Horwitz was the Pirates' best hitter last season and he's been even better in a fully healthy 2026 campaign.

He has slashed .281/.382/.452 for an OPS of .834 in 66 games, with 61 hits, eight doubles, nine home runs, 31 RBI and 34 walks to 37 strikeouts.

Horwitz is second on the Pirates in walks and on-base percentage (.382) and also ranks sixth in the NL and 13th in baseball in on-base percentage, with his OPS also 22nd best in the NL.

Griffin and Cruz are currently on the injured list, with Griffin healing from a forearm flexor strain, which is preventing him from playing shortstop, and Cruz dealing with a left hand fracture, but both have had good seasons so far.

The rookie slashed .270/.327/.402 for an OPS of .729 in 51 games, with 51 hits, nine doubles, two triples, four home runs, 22 RBI and 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts.

Cruz slashed .264/.350/.472 for an OPS of .822 in 64 games, with 66 hits, 45 runs scored, 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 44 RBI and 21 stolen bases on 25 attempts.