Across Major League Baseball all the votes have been cast, the ballots near submissions and the majority of the 2018 All-Star Game rosters are essentially decided.
Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET marked the close of the 2018 Fan Vote of the 2018 MLB All-Star Game.
As the league decides on how the final few players will make the roster for the Midsummer Classic in Nationals Park, there is already a good idea on which superstars will be suiting up. This year’s batch of All-Stars will feature an abundance of youthful talent in the National League, with a mix of stardom and rising stars in the American League.
Ultimately we will all find out which players will receive the honor on Sunday, July 8 at 7:00 p.m. ET when ESPN reveals the preliminary rosters.
Most of the voting though is already enough to declare some winners based on the final returns on July 2. For the most part, the voting populace got the selections correct.
UPDATE: The final 2018 MLB All-Star Game voting results are in. CLICK HERE to view the A.L. and N.L. All-Star rosters.
National League
In the National League, Freddie Freeman, Nolan Arenado, Brandon Crawford, and Nick Markakis, are locks to get in as starters via the fan vote. If by some miraculous reason they do not get selected, their statistics are strong enough to at least get them in as reserves.
As a whole the National League was an easier roster projection. There are clearly defined upper-level players in the first half of the season. This rings true even past the fan vote.
A reminder here is how the roster is created in the National League for the 2018 All-Star Game:
•   Fan vote: eight position players
•   Player ballot: next 16 players (one substitute for each position, five starting pitchers, three relievers)
•   MLB Commissioner’s Office: seven players (four pitchers, three position players)
The MLB Commissioner’s Office is merely there to ensure that there is one representative from all 30 MLB teams and that any significant snubs still make the team.
National League All-Star Roster Projection:
C – Buster Posey, Giants (Fan Vote), Wilson Contreras, Cubs (Player Ballot)
1B – Freddie Freeman, Braves (Fan Vote), Jesús Aguilar, Brewers (Player Ballot), Jose Martinez, Cardinals (Commissioner’s Office)
2B – Ozzie Albies, Braves (Fan Vote), Scooter Gennett, Reds (Player Ballot)
3B – Nolan Arenado, Rockies (Fan Vote), Kris Bryant, Cubs (Player Ballot)
SS – Brandon Crawford, Giants (Fan Vote), Chris Taylor, Dodgers (Player Ballot)
OF – Nick Markakis, Braves (Fan Vote), Matt Kemp, Dodgers (Fan Vote), Bryce Harper, Nationals (Fan Vote), Albert Almora Jr., Cubs (Player Ballot), Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (Player Ballot), Odúbel Herrera, Phillies (Player Ballot), David Peralta, Diamondbacks (Commissioner’s Office), Corey Dickerson, Pirates (Commissioner’s Office)
SP – Max Scherzer, Nationals (Player Ballot), Aaron Nola, Phillies (Player Ballot), Sean Newcomb, Braves (Player Ballot), Jon Lester, Cubs (Player Ballot), Jacob deGrom, Mets (Player Ballot), Mike Foltynewicz, Braves (Commissioner’s Office)
RP – Brad Hand, Padres (Player Ballot), Sean Doolittle, Nationals (Player Ballot), Josh Hader Brewers (Player Ballot), Wade Davis, Rockies (Commissioner’s Office), Archie Bradley, Diamondbacks (Commissioner’s Office), Kyle Barraclough, Marlins (Commissioner’s Office)
Manager: Dave Roberts, Dodgers
Expected Fan Vote:
-Max Muncy, 3B, Dodgers
-Trevor Story, SS, Rockies
-Juan Soto, OF, Nationals
-J.T. Realmuto, C, Marlins
-Andrew Chafin, RP, Diamondbacks
Noted Changes:
1. At first base, Jesús Aguilar of the Brewers surpasses Jose Martinez in the Player Ballot due to seven home runs in the past two weeks. On the season he has a .303 batting average and a .971 OPS.
2. Joey Votto falls off of the ballot on the Commissioner’s list because Jose Martinez takes the Cardinals spot in the All-Star Game
Potential National League All-Star Snubs:
Anthony Rizzo, Cubs; Brandon Belts, Giants; Javier Báez, Cubs; Johan Camargo, Braves; Trevor Story, Rockies; Yadier Molina, Cardinals; Zach Grienke, Diamondbacks; Max Muncy, Dodgers; Joey Votto, Reds; Kenley Jansen, Dodgers; Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
American League
The American League All-Star roster is much more difficult to project. There is so much more top-heavy talent floating around in the AL. No matter how it plays out in the American League, there will be players that are snubs for the 2018 All-Star Game.Â
Still, some players stood out in the last All-Star balloting update. Jose Altuve, J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and Aaron Judge have all pretty much punched their ticket to their All-Star Game. No matter what there is no way that this group does not make it to the nation’s capital.
After that group it gets messy. There are a lot of players that can make their case into why they should be included in the 2018 All-Star Game, and some players will miss the cut that deserve to be in.
As a reminder, here is how the process shakes out for the MLB All-Star roster selection on the American League side:
•   Fan vote: nine position players (DH)
•   Player’s ballots: next 17 players (nine position players, five starting pitchers, three relievers)
•   MLB Commissioner’s Office: five players (four pitchers, one position player)
American League All-Star Roster Projection:
C – Wilson Ramos, Rays (Fan Vote), Yan Gomes, Indians (Player Ballot)
1B – José Abreu, White Sox (Fan Vote), Yuli Gurriel, Astros (Player Ballot)
2B – Jose Altuve, Astros (Fan Vote), Jed Lowrie, Athletics (Player Ballot)
3B – José RamÃrez, Indians (Fan Vote), Alex Bregman, Astros (Player Ballot), Mike Moustakas, Royals (Commissioner’s Office)
SS – Manny Machado, Orioles (Fan Vote), Jean Segura, Mariners (Player Ballot)
OF – Mookie Betts, Red Sox (Fan Vote), Mike Trout, Angels (Fan Vote), Aaron Judge, Yankees (Fan Vote), Michael Brantley, Indians (Player Ballot), Eddie Rosario, Twins (Player Ballot), Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox (Player Ballot)
DH – J.D. Martinez, Red Sox (Fan Vote), Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees (Player Ballot)
SP – Luis Severino, Yankees (Player Ballot), Justin Verlander, Astros (Player Ballot), Corey Kluber, Indians (Player Ballot), Gerrit Cole, Astros (Player Ballot), Chris Sale, Red Sox (Player Ballot), Blake Snell, Rays (Commissioner’s Office), J.A. Happ, Blue Jays (Commissioner’s Office)
RP – Edwin DÃaz, Mariners (Player Ballot), Blake Treinen, Athletics (Player Ballot), Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox (Player Ballot), Joe Jiménez, Tigers (Commissioner’s Office), Keone Kela, Rangers (Commissioner’s Office)
Ineligible All-Star: Kelvin Herrera, RP (traded from Royals to Nationals)
Manager: A.J. HInch, Astros
Expected Final Fan Vote:
-Nicholas Castellanos, OF, Tigers
-Matt Duffy, 3B, Rays
-Aroldis Chapman, RP, Yankees
-Trevor Hildenberger, RP, Twins
-Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians
Noted Changes:
1. Yan Gomes moves past Gary Sánchez who now resides on the disabled list. His batting average is too low and his catching numbers are not high enough to keep him ahead of Gomes whose been hitting .290 in the past 30 days.
2. Yuli Gurriel rightfully gets a spot and unfortunately he will take over Yonder Alonso at first base.
3. There are a ton of deserving closers that should be in the All-Star Game but, Blake Treinen has been a stellar middle reliever this season. Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees is the low closer on the totem pole.
Potential American League All-Star snubs:
Carlos Correa, Astros; Delin Betances, Yankees; Gleyber Torres, Yankees, Charlie Morton, Astros; Andrelton Simmons, Angels; Yonder Alonso, Indians
Bottom line, there are going to be some big names that miss out on the 2018 All-Star Game. You better prepare for it now that getting ready for bed to end your weekend. Find out the All-Star rosters on Sunday, July 8 at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
MORE ALL-STAR GAME NEWS:
- All-Star Game: Your ultimate fan guide
- ASG History: Nationals All-Stars, ranked
- MLB Power Rankings: Pre-All-Star Update