3 Cubs Players Making Compelling Case To Earn All-Star Selection
With voting officially open, a defensive wizard, a breakout ace, and a lockdown reliever are surging toward Philadelphia, vying to represent Chicago at the Midsummer Classic.
Video Transcript
What is up, Cubs fans?
And welcome back to Cubs Roundtable.
I'm Joey Polizzi, talking about all things Cubs.
And the All-Star MLB ballot is finally open.
That means fans from around the baseball world can vote for their favorite players for the All-Star Game, which is held in the middle of July at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
The Cubs will have at least one representative in the All-Star Game, as every MLB team is guaranteed at least one All-Star every season.
But the Cubs could also send two or three All-Stars this year.
So who are the three likeliest candidates that could make the All-Star Game for the Cubs this year?
The first one, and the player that's probably going to make the All-Star Game this year for the second straight year, is P.J.
Armstrong.
P.J.
Armstrong has been phenomenal all around this season.
Great offensive numbers recently.
Defensively, continuing to do his job in the outfield, as he ranks first among all outfielders in outs above average and runs prevented.
P.J.
Armstrong is going to make the All-Star Game.
It, it would be very shocking if he doesn't, considering he has a 3.5 WAR at this point in the season, which is tied for the fifth best in all of baseball, and is the second best among all National League outfielders this season.
So the likelihood of P.J.
makes this probably in the 90%.
The second player that could make the All-Star Game is Ben Brown, and what Ben Brown has done on the mound recently is definitely All-Star worthy.
Since entering r- the rotation on May 8th, Ben Brown has a 1.44 ERA.
Yeah, so 1.44 ERA.
That's how good he's been on the mound.
He has the sixth lowest ERA in baseball among all starters with at least 20 innings pitched since May 8th.
Ben Brown, if he continues to pitch like this, there is a chance that he does make the All-Star Game.
And the last pitcher that could make the All-Star Game, a little lower odds, but Daniel Palencia.
When Daniel Palencia has pitched, he has been really good on the mound.
The problem is he hasn't really pitched because the Cubs haven't used him a lot this season.
He only has three saves, three save opportunities this year, so not a lot going for Palencia's way.
But if he continues to be used a lot over the next three, four weeks, there's a chance he could get called.
But his likelihood is probably lower than the first two guys, and probably only like a 5% chance he does make it.
But Palencia deserves to be considered if he does, if he continues to pitch more down the stretch.
But let me know what you guys think about these three all-stars.
Which one do you think is the likeliest to make the All-Star Game?
Let me know down below.
And as always, guys, go Cubs go.
