Ranking every 2018 MLB All-Star

Perez has no business being in the All-Star Game after the first half he's had offensively, but the Royals simply don't have many other viable candidates. He missed the first three weeks of the season following knee surgery and has slumped to hitting just .213-11-34 with an awful .632 OPS in 67 games. This will be Perez's sixth straight All-Star Game.

One of baseball's most consistent players, Abreu's bat has been uncharacteristically quiet in the first half. He has a career-worst .762 OPS to date, hitting .259-12-50 through 88 games. However, he meets the White Sox All-Star requirement, making his second career appearance.

Hand is San Diego's only All-Star, making his second appearance in as many seasons. He's had a solid first half with 24 saves and a 2.91 ERA, along with 64 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.

A superstar before this year, Blackmon's 2018 season hasn't been quite up to his standards. The bearded center fielder is hitting .276-17-40 with an .822 OPS but is still set for his third All-Star appearance.

Moreland has rewarded the Red Sox for bringing him back this season, posting an .884 OPS with outstanding defense at first base. Now in his ninth MLB season, he is set for his first All-Star appearance.

Torres didn't break camp with the Yankees, but he's been hot since getting promoted in late April. The AL Rookie of the Year candidate gets the All-Star nod after hitting .294-15-42 with a .905 OPS, though he's questionable for the game due to a hip injury.

Jansen started off the year slowly, but he's made up for lost time. The L.A. closer has a 2.34 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 45 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. He had an NL-leading 41 saves last year and is well on his way to 40 saves for the third consecutive year with 24 now. This will be his third consecutive All-Star appearance.

Ramos has returned successfully from a torn ACL to make his second All-Star Game this year. The catcher is hitting .289-12-47 with an .802 OPS and has been mentioned in trade rumors as a pending free agent.

Kimbrel hasn't been able to match last year's epic numbers, but he's still been very good as Boston's closer in the first half. The high-octane right-hander has a 1.98 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 36.1 innings while producing 27 saves. This will be his seventh All-Star appearance.

Brantley is often injured but extremely reliable when he's on the field. That's continued to be the case this year, as he's hitting .306-11-49 with an .841 OPS in 77 games. He's set for his third All-Star appearance.

Harper is set to start in the outfield for the NL All-Stars, but his first half hasn't been deserving. He's hitting only .218 in 88 games, though Harper does have 21 home runs and an .846 OPS. The 25-year-old will be making his sixth All-Star appearance and hopes to play better in the second half as he approaches free agency.

A late bloomer, Cruz continues to rake at age 38. He will be making his sixth All-Star appearance, hitting .267-22-53 with a .909 OPS in 76 games for the Mariners.

In spite of mediocre peripherals, Lester is tied for the NL lead with 11 wins and has a 2.45 ERA in 18 starts. His 6.9 K/9 and 4.28 FIP provide reason for Cubs fans to worry in the second half, but the veteran lefty is certainly deserving of his fifth All-Star appearance.

Springer's offensive numbers aren't up to his usual standards in the first half, but he was still named to his second straight All-Star Game. He's hitting .248-15-43 with 63 runs and a .758 OPS for the defending champs.

The years of wear and tear have clearly taken a toll on Posey, but he remains one of the league's top catchers. He's hitting .285-5-27 with a .780 OPS in 74 games and will be representing the Giants for the sixth time in the All-Star Game.

A key setup man for the Tigers, Jimenez has been good with a 2.85 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 41 innings. He's briefly served as the team's closer while Shane Greene has been on the DL and could be the Tigers' closer of the future. He's making his first All-Star appearance in his first full season.

Story is rebounding from a mediocre sophomore season to make his first All-Star appearance. The Rockies shortstop is hitting .284-17-62 with 11 steals and a solid .879 OPS.

Vazquez started the season known as Felipe Rivero, but he's been excellent by any name. The Pittsburgh closer has a 3.38 ERA and 12.3 K/9 this season, though his ERA has inflated nearly two runs compared to last season. The lefty will be making his first All-Star appearance.

Kemp was sent from Atlanta to the Dodgers in the a salary dump during the offseason and didn't even look like he'd make the team. Now he's an All-Star, making his third appearance. Kemp is hitting .319-15-57 with a .910 OPS in 85 games, and his defense has improved drastically this season.

Traded from Miami in the offseason, Yelich makes his first All-Star appearance this year. As usual, he's been solid across the board, hitting .285-11-36 with 11 steals and an .821 OPS in 74 games while playing solid outfield defense.

Doolittle has been lights out as Washington's closer this season. The lefty has a 1.45 ERA and incredible 0.54 WHIP with 22 saves. His strikeout and walk numbers are jaw-dropping with 49/3 K/BB in 37.1 innings. The converted first baseman is making his second All-Star Game after representing Oakland in 2014.

Happ's ERA has inflated due to his last two starts, but the lefty has been excellent overall this season. He's 10-5 with a 4.44 ERA, but his 3.97 FIP, 9.8 K/9 and 3.38 K/BB ratio show a much better pitcher. He's making his first All-Star appearance at age 35.

Crawford will start at shortstop for the NL, hitting .300-10-39 with an .844 OPS in the first half of the season. The three-time Gold Glover will be making his second All-Star appearance.

Contreras gets his first All-Star nod in his third MLB season. He's played at an All-Star level all along for the Cubs with an .847 OPS over three seasons. His OPS is .838 this season, hitting .287-7-34 with excellent defense behind the plate.

Markakis is one of the best stories of 2018. After posting a combined .743 OPS in his first three seasons with Atlanta, Markakis' offense is back this year. He's hitting .322-10-59 with an .879 OPS and now makes his first All-Star appearance at age 34.

Haniger had a very good 2017, albeit with significant time missed to injury. He's picked up this season right where he left off, hitting .271-17-62 with an .847 OPS and excellent defense. His all-around performance was rewarded with his first All-Star appearance.

Now in his 14th season, Choo will be making his first All-Star Game after a great first half. He has a .903 OPS, hitting .293-17-42 with 52 runs scored and a .399 on-base percentage for Texas. At age 35, it's been a long time coming for the outfielder.

Minnesota's season hasn't gone as planned, but Berrios is having a fine year. Through 18 starts, the right-hander is 8-7 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 114 strikeouts in 114.1 innings for the Twins. He's making his first All-Star appearance.

Oakland bought low on Treinen last year, acquiring him in July from Washington. He had a 2.13 ERA and 13 saves in his first go-around with the team and has been far better this year. Flashing his nasty high-90s sinker, Treinen is 5-1 with 22 saves, a 0.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 44.2 innings. He's been rewarded with his first All-Star appearance.

Chapman has rebounded from a disappointing 2017 season to put together the type of year we're accustomed to seeing from him. The hard-throwing lefty has 24 saves and a 1.42 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 38 innings. He's been named to his fifth All-Star Game, though a knee issue that popped up about 10 days before the Midsummer Classic could be worth watching for his game status.

Foltynewicz has shown a great arm during his pro career, but it took him a while to put everything together. He's done just that in the first half with a 2.37 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 95 innings as the Braves' ace. His 3.8 BB/9 is still a concern going forward, but the Braves have to be happy with the development as he makes his first All-Star appearance.

Votto's season started off slowly, but he's made up for lost time. The former MVP and now six-time All-Star leads the NL in on-base percentage for the third consecutive season, though he has only eight home runs in 89 games.

He has a long way to go, but Francisco Rodriguez's single-season record of 62 saves is within reach for Diaz. The flame-throwing right-hander has 35 saves through 91 games for the Mariners, also posting a 2.30 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 47 innings. He's been the top closer in the game this year by nearly every measure and is making his first All-Star appearance in his third season.

When the season started, many predicted that a pitcher coming over from Japan would be making the All-Star Game, but few predicted that it would be Mikolas. He's been the Cardinals' best pitcher in the first half, going 9-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while displaying nearly perfect control.

Gennett has gone from waiver claim to star for the Reds. After hitting .295-27-97 last season, he leads the NL with a .326 batting average and has added 14 home runs, 58 RBI and an .883 OPS. Milwaukee has to be kicking itself after letting Gennett go elsewhere for nothing, and he's set to play in his first All-Star Game.

The Reds could have a star on their hands, as Suarez leads the NL in RBI (68) and holds a .995 OPS despite missing significant time in April with a wrist injury. He's in the first year of a seven-year, $66 million contract and making his first All-Star appearance.

Baez is having a true breakout season for the Cubs. The power-hitting middle infielder has 17 home runs, just six off his career high, and his .893 OPS is nearly 100 points higher than his previous career high. He's also added 16 steals in 17 attempts. Baez will be making his first All-Star appearance.

Hader's value can't be overstated. He's been a true stopper in the Milwaukee bullpen, posting a 1.21 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 83 strikeouts and seven saves over 44.2 innings. The lefty has the 15th highest WAR among all pitchers and a ridiculous 16.7 K/9. He's making his first All-Star appearance in his first full season.

The development of Corbin's slider has turned him from a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher to an ace. During the first half, he's 6-3 with a 3.05 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 112 innings for the Diamondbacks. The lefty will be making his second All-Star appearance after making the Midsummer Classic in 2013.

If you fell asleep on June 1, you're probably shocked to wake up and find Goldschmidt in the All-Star Game. He was hitting just .209-7-19 with a .719 OPS before his bat woke up. He's been on fire since, and he's now up to .281-20-51 with a .929 OPS for the season, making his sixth All-Star appearance.

Kluber's ERA has inflated somewhat recently, but the defending AL Cy Young winner has still been terrific. He's 12-4 with a 2.49 ERA, leading the league with 126.1 innings. Kluber also has an AL-best 1.1 BB/9, but he has seen his strikeout rate regress significantly after posting a career-best 11.7 K/9 last year. This will be his third All-Star appearance in a row.

Albies is one of the biggest reasons Atlanta is in the playoff hunt, emerging as a star at age 21. He's hitting .281-18-50 and leads the NL in at-bats, runs scored and doubles. Albies has also made only six errors during the first half while showing great range.

The only Oriole selected to the All-Star Game, there's a chance Machado could be wearing another uniform for the All-Star Game with the O's looking to trade the pending free agent. He's having a career year offensively, hitting .313-21-60 with a .943 OPS, though he hasn't graded outstanding defensively with the position switch. Machado is set for his fourth All-Star appearance at age 26.

Acquired from the Pirates in the offseason, Cole is pitching like the Cy Young candidate many saw when he was drafted first overall in 2011. The right-hander is 9-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 116.2 innings, showing a significant jump in strikeouts this season. He's making his second All-Star appearance.

Milwaukee surprisingly emerged in the Cain sweepstakes this offseason, signing the free agent to a five-year, $80 million contract. He's delivered in the first half with an .829 OPS, hitting .290-8-26 with 16 steals, a career-high .394 on-base percentage and elite defense. It's the defense that makes him crack the top 20 in the first half. Cain will be making his second All-Star appearance.

Bauer has never posted an ERA below 4.00 until this season. Finally establishing his control and keeping the ball in the park, Bauer is 8-6 with a 2.45 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 121.1 innings. His 2.17 FIP suggests Bauer could be headed for even better results in the second half. He represents Cleveland with his first All-Star appearance.

Realmuto is Miami's only All-Star, but this wasn't a charitable pick. He's been an elite hitter, batting .317-12-44 with a .919 OPS in 66 games played. This will be his first All-Star appearance.

Nola is making his first All-Star appearance this year, though he's quickly ascended since being drafted seventh overall in 2014 out of LSU. The right-hander is tied for the NL lead with 11 wins and has a 2.41 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 116 innings for the emerging Phillies.

Martinez signed a five-year, $110 million contract with Boston in the offseason, and so far it's been money well spent. Playing mostly at DH, Martinez is a legitimate candidate for the AL Triple Crown, ranking fourth in batting average (.329), first in home runs (27) and first in RBI (74). This will be only his second All-Star appearance.

Atlanta's offense has been surprisingly elite this season, led by Freeman. The star first baseman has an OPS above .900 for the third straight year and is hitting .315-16-59 in 89 games. Surprisingly, this will be just his third All-Star appearance.

It's hard to be more consistent than Arenado has been since 2015. He's headed to his fourth straight All-Star Game and has won five straight Gold Gloves and three straight Silver Sluggers. Arenado has a career-best .970 OPS and is tied for the NL lead with 22 home runs, adding a .305 batting average and 63 RBI.

Bregman became a household name in last year's playoffs, and he's a superstar with his performance in the first half of 2018. The third baseman has a .903 OPS, hitting .281-17-57 while showing elite defense at the hot corner for Houston.

The Mets are imploding, but that's not deGrom's fault. The ace is just 5-4 despite an NL-best 1.79 ERA, and he's added 142 strikeouts in 115.1 innings. 2018 is just his second All-Star appearance, but he's certainly deserving.

There was some skepticism regarding Judge's rookie campaign after he struggled in the second half and led the league with 208 strikeouts. He's getting the last laugh with a .971 OPS and 25 home runs through 85 games. The numbers aren't quite what he produced in the first half of last season, but Judge has been phenomenal.

Verlander picked up this year right where he left off last season, but he's slowed recently. Still, the former Detroit Tiger has elite numbers with nine wins, a 2.15 ERA, AL-best 0.84 WHIP and 154 strikeouts in 125.2 innings. He certainly remains in the hunt for the AL Cy Young, which would be his second.

The reigning AL MVP got off to a bit of a slow start, but he's made up for it. Altuve has won three AL batting titles in the last four seasons, and he trails only Mookie Betts for the lead this season. In addition, he leads the AL in hits for the fifth straight year and has an .892 OPS at a premium position. His nine home runs and 13 steals are somewhat of a disappointment, but this remains one of the truly elite players in the game.

Severino finished third in the AL Cy Young voting last year while making his first All-Star appearance. He's been even better this year, leading the AL with 14 wins and posting a 2.12 ERA in 123.1 innings. Severino has done a great job keeping the ball in the park at Yankee Stadium and is challenging Chris Sale and Justin Verlander for the Cy Young thus far.

Sale has never won the Cy Young Award, but he's finished in the top six in the voting in each of the last six seasons. This could be the year. The lefty leads the AL in strikeouts for the third time in four seasons with 176 and has a miniscule 2.36 ERA to go along with nine wins.

Scherzer has won two straight NL Cy Young Awards and has his sights set on his third straight and fourth Cy Young overall. The Nats ace leads the NL in wins (11), innings (127.2), strikeouts (177) and WHIP (0.89). He's making his sixth consecutive All-Star appearance.

A very good offensive player before this season, Lindor has turned into a great one this year. He has a .940 OPS and is hitting .298-23-56 with 12 steals in 87 games for Cleveland. Now in his third straight All-Star Game, Lindor has clearly become the best of a great crop of young shortstops in MLB.

Those who thought Ramirez's power breakout from 2017 was a fluke are now sorely mistaken. After hitting 29 home runs last season, the third baseman has 24 homers and a .985 OPS. He finished third in the AL MVP race last year and is well on his way to finishing high in the voting this year.

Betts is rebounding from a "down" year to put up an epic first half as the Boston leadoff man. The right fielder has a league-leading .342 batting average and 1.105 OPS with 22 home runs and 16 stolen bases. He's a two-time defending Gold Glove winner heading into this third straight All-Star game at age 25.

Trout is the best player in baseball by almost any measure. The two-time MVP is now on his third straight year leading the league in on-base percentage and will make his seventh straight All-Star appearances. He has a career-high 1.085 OPS heading into the final week of the first half.