The 2023 MLB All-Star starters were announced Thursday night on ESPN. Unfortunately, there will be no Cincinnati Reds All-Star starters in Seattle on July 11. Of the eight players announced for the National League Thursday, there are a few notable selections. Rookie Corbin Carroll was announced as a starter in his first major league season. Sean Murphy, who has ties to the Cincinnati area (Centerville, Ohio High School Alum) was given his first All-Star start.
The remaining rosters for both teams will be announced on Sunday. With each team having to be represented, the Reds will get at least one guy heading to Seattle. There have been a few players on the Reds that have had big seasons. Although some have them have come back down to earth a bit (Jonathan India, Jake Fraley), there are still some that have kept the momentum through the first three months of the season. There is one no-doubt lock Reds All-Star and two guys who have a chance. Let’s take a look at those three.
Pencil in Alexis Diaz as a Reds All-Star
Throughout the first half of the season, Alexis Diaz has not only been the best reliever for the Reds, it can be argued he’s been the best in baseball. Through 36 games, Diaz has converted 22 of 23 save attempts, good for second most in the NL. His first blown save came Friday night against the San Diego Padres. Below are Diaz’s numbers along with where he ranks in the National League per Fangraphs.
- ERA- 1.80 (7th)
- FIP- 2.36 (3rd)
- K%- 40.4 (1st)
- OPP AVG- .127 (2nd)
Alexis is the most trusted reliever Cincinnati has to offer. With his 22 saves, he has answered the bell every time. Despite early-season trade rumors, he has put together a very impressive first half of the year. So much so, it’s time for him to be recognized in the Midsummer Classic as a Reds All-Star.
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Has Rookie Matt McCain Done Enough in Less Time?
The majority, if not all of the hype around Reds rookies this year has surrounded Elly De La Cruz, and for good reason too. But what Matt McLain has done through the first 40 games of his career has been nothing short of incredible. He is slashing .316/.371/.538 with a 139 wRC+ prior to Friday night’s game. McLain also has an impressive 20-game on-base streak. The 2021 first-round pick ranks in the top three among rookies for wOBA and wRC+.
The big question mark for McLain will be, will his short amount of time in the big leagues be an Achilles heel for him?
These rookies are making major impacts for their squads. pic.twitter.com/jUbfSm9tJo
— MLB (@MLB) June 27, 2023
Although it doesn’t guarantee anything, it is at least good to see McLain get the recognition he deserves. In his 40 games as a big leaguer, McLain has shown he’s worthy of being a Cincinnati Reds All-Star. Every time you look, he seems to be on base, making the routine plays at short, and even making starts at second base. It may be a long shot, but McLain has definitely deserved the right to be in the conversation.
Where Did TJ Friedl Come From?
Much like the American League, the National League outfield is filled with superstar-level talent. When you think of superstar talent, the name TJ Friedl surely doesn’t come to mind for most. But if you look at the year Friedl has had thus far in 2023, it’s hard to argue against putting him in the All-Star Game. Per Fangraphs, Friedl doesn’t appear among the list of qualified outfielders. This is due in large part to his stints on the injured list. Still, Friedl has just over 230 plate appearances on the year, a fairly large sample size. With that in mind, let’s take a look at where the 27-year-old ranks inside the National League outfielder ranks with a minimum of 230 plate appearances.
- AVG- .320 (2nd)
- OPS- .885 (4th)
- wOBA- .382 (4th)
- wRC+- 134 (7th)
- Stolen Bases- 14 (T-6th)
Again, do you think of TJ Friedl when you think of one of the best outfielders? Probably not. But has he had the year deserving of being a Reds All-Star representative? Absolutely. Although Friedl may be the least likely of the three to make the All-Star roster, his work this year shouldn’t go unnoticed.
The 2022 All-Star game saw one player from Cincinnati. Before that, you have to go all the way back to 2009 to find the last time the Cincinnati Reds only sent one player to the game. Could this year be much like the years prior? There are definitely options out there. But it will be up to the voting. Hopefully, the Reds’ success and spotlight have given fans the knowledge of these deserving players to be Cincinnati Reds All-Stars.
Photo Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Corbin Carroll, Sean Murphy, Jonathan India, Jake Fraley, Alexis Diaz, Elly de la Cruz, Matt McLain, TJ Friedl
