Milwaukee Brewers 2nd Baseman Brice Turang Is Strong All-Star Snub Candidate

Buried in ninth place, Turang is tied with Marte for most Wins Above Replacement among second basemen, both NL and AL, at 2.9. That puts him on pace to finish the season at 5.9; last year, that would have ranked fifth among NL position players.

So far in 2025, along with Marte and several others, Turang ranks 10th. He leads the Brewers.

Rather than putting up gaudy batting stats, Turang helps the team in other ways – prominently with his dazzling defense, responsible for a 1.1 DWAR. Last season’s league leader, he currently sits second among all second baseman, behind Chicago’s Nico Hoerner. Turang is having a much better season in the batter’s box.

Turang Is Swinging Bigger Stick This Season

Turang’s defense is a known quantity, as is his speed. After swiping 50 bags in 2024, he has 16 this year, tied for 7th in the NL. But he’s also picked it up at the plate.

Compared to last season, he’s raised his average by 20 points and his on-base percentage by 35. His OPS has risen 50 points, to .716. He has five homeruns, 31 RBIs, and 50 runs scored.

Naturally, none of those numbers jump off the page – his power remains pedestrian – but on top of his stellar defense, an improved stroke boosts his already elite value (yes, Turang is an elite position player). WAR is not an end-all be-all metric, but it is a far better indicator of actual worth than a peach cobbler of box score stats.

Milwaukee Brewers Players Lack Big Market Attraction

The main problem for Turang is that standard stats and team popularity are the biggest factors in fan voting and ultimate All-Star team selection.

Marte deserves the top spot, no qualms there. But guys like Edman and Hoerner, of the Dodgers and Cubs, respectively, inhabit saturated markets, overrun with diehard and bandwagon fans alike. Even non-baseball fans know about Shohei Ohtani; they’ve seen him in a blue Los Angeles jersey. Bryson Stott has no place on an All-Star ballot (.654 OPS, 0.0 WAR), but hey, the Phillies recently went to the World Series.

Small-market teams like the Brewers are effectively landlocked from public perception. Turang has an extremely strong case as an All-Star reserve behind Marte. Given how far down on the list he is, however, his selection seems unlikely, even after the commissioner’s office takes over. If he doesn’t make the official cut, he should be an undisputed starter on the 2025 All-Snub team.