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Omar Narváez
Omar Narváez
Voting is underway for the 2022 MLB All Star Game, but the Brewers hoping to start the game face an uphill challenge to get there.
The Brewers have had just one player start the game in the last six contests (Christian Yelich in 2019), and any members of the Crew hoping to follow in his footsteps this season will need to get through a two-step voting process: Through the end of June fans will have an opportunity to narrow the field of prospective candidates, and from July 5-8 there will be a final dash to select the starting position players for each squad.
Pitchers are not a part of this process, and the Brewers most likely to make the All Star roster are almost certainly among that group. Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes seems like a near-lock to make the roster, and Josh Hader and his sub-1.00 ERA can likely be penciled in for a spot in the bullpen. In fact, NL manager Brian Snitker might be well-served to also select one of the late-innings relievers who have worked in front of Hader like Devin Williams, Brad Boxberger or Hoby Milner.
Heavy Challenges
On the position player side, however, some of the Brewers’ top performers face heavy challenges on their respective ballots. Rowdy Tellez has been one of the Brewers’ best and most consistent offensive performers, for example, but the NL ballot at first base includes no less than nine players with a higher on-base plus slugging. That list includes likely MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals, Pete Alonso of the Mets and Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers. Similarly, Hunter Renfroe’s .793 OPS ranks him ninth among NL candidates in the outfield and behind some players with significantly more star power.
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Additionally, the fact that teams submit their candidates for ballot consideration early in the season creates some ballot mismatches. The Brewers’ representatives on the 2022 ballot include Luis Urías at third base, a position he’s played just eleven times all season. They also include Lorenzo Cain, who is no longer on the roster after being designated for assignment over the weekend.
The ballot does, however, contain a couple of Brewers whose candidacy merits some further consideration:
Willy Adames
Despite missing 20 of the Brewers’ 68 games through Sunday, Adames continues to compile an impressive resume in his second season in Milwaukee. His 13 home runs this season are the most by any National League shortstop and the second most by any shortstop on the ballot in either league, trailing only Corey Seager of the Rangers (15). Adames’ power has come at the cost of some offensive consistency, as his on-base percentage is down 80 points from his Brewers tenure last season and sits at just .281, but he’s a dynamic threat at the plate and has added value to his ledger on defense.
Adames’ competition on the ballot is two-pronged: He’s facing a pair of players with significant star power in Trea Turner of the Dodgers and Francisco Lindor of the Mets and another less-heralded player who has been one of the most valuable contributors in all of baseball this season in Tommy Edman of the Cardinals.
Omar Narváez
Their numbers don’t always jump off the page, but the Brewers’ catching duo has been a significant asset for the team this year when considered in context: As a whole, major league catchers were batting just .222 with a .292 on-base and .357 slugging through Sunday’s games. Narváez and Victor Caratini are each noticeably outperforming that mark, with Narváez about 100 OPS points above the curve and Caratini closer to 200 points above in less playing time. Both players are also positive contributors on defense. Narváez is the Brewer listed on the ballot and is looking to be an All Star for the second consecutive year.
As might be expected from a thin position across the board, Narváez has somewhat limited competition for a spot on the All Star roster. If he’s not voted in, however, he might have a hard time finding his way onto the roster as three of his primary rivals (Willson Contreras of the Cubs, Tyler Stephenson of the Reds and Daulton Varsho of the Diamondbacks) could be their teams’ only All Star representative.
Through June 30 fans can vote up to five times per day at mlb.com/all-star/ballot.
