The MLB All-Star Game starters will be announced Thursday night (9 ET), so let's update our look from earlier in June at who should be on the 32-man rosters for each league since there have been some changes (hello, Kyle Schwarber!). The roster rules: one player from every team, 20 position players and 12 pitchers, including at least three relievers.
Repeating my general philosophy: An emphasis on 2021 numbers, but I also look for legitimate All-Stars with a proven track record, not half-season wonders. As I wrote three weeks ago, Mookie Betts isn't having his best season, but he hasn't played poorly enough to play himself off All-Star status.
Here are my 2021 roster picks for the July 13 Midsummer Classic at Coors Field in Denver.
National League starters
C - Buster Posey, Giants. Posey's renaissance season continues after he sat out 2020, and he's an easy choice in what is actually a pretty deep group of NL catchers (can't say the same about the American League).
1B - Freddie Freeman, Braves. Max Muncy is having the better season and is certainly a worthy All-Star, having hit 35 home runs in both 2018 and 2019, but Freeman's numbers continue to inch upward and he's the reigning NL MVP.
2B - Jake Cronenworth, Padres. I had Ozzie Albies here three weeks ago, and Adam Frazier is also in the discussion, but Cronenworth is having the best all-around season with his improved power, and his track record of high-end play now extends to over about a season's worth of games over the past two seasons. Cronenworth won't start, however, as Albies, Frazier and Gavin Lux were the finalists.
3B - Justin Turner, Dodgers. Kris Bryant was the leader previously, but a 4-for-52 slump since means this is now a four-man coin flip between Turner, Bryant, Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado. Turner has the edge in advanced offensive metrics, so he gets my nod.
SS - Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres. The man, the myth, the legend.
OF - Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves. He might be the third wheel in the MVP race behind Tatis and Jacob deGrom, but his power-speed combo is just as electric as what those two are doing.
OF - Mookie Betts, Dodgers. He's having such a bad season that he's second among NL outfielders in Baseball-Reference WAR and sixth in FanGraphs WAR. He's a star. He should start.
OF - Nick Castellanos, Reds. He continues to rake, leading the NL in batting average, doubles and total bases. My picks agree with the first round of fan voting, as Acuna, Betts and Castellanos were the top three of the nine outfield finalists.
P - Jacob deGrom, Mets. He gave up two runs the other day and his ERA rose all the way to 0.69.
National League reserves
C - J.T. Realmuto, Phillies. His track record of all-around excellence pushes him past Will Smith of the Dodgers and Omar Narvaez of the Brewers.
1B - Max Muncy, Dodgers. Maybe we can start him at DH.
2B - Ozzie Albies, Braves. The batting average could be a little higher, but he's on pace for 80 extra-base hits.
SS - Brandon Crawford, Giants. Where is this season coming from? He's already closing in on his career high of 21 home runs and the defense is still good for the three-time Gold Glove winner.
SS - Trea Turner, Nationals. He should make his first All-Star team.
SS - Trevor Story, Rockies. We're going to need a Rockies representative, and as I wrote before, Story has been one of the best players in the league since 2018.
3B - Kris Bryant, Cubs. We don't need to force him on the team, as Craig Kimbrel is a lock for the bullpen, but recent struggles notwithstanding, he gets the nod over Arenado and Machado.
3B - Nolan Arenado, Cardinals. This spot could go to Yadier Molina as a third catcher, but he has cooled off after a hot start. For those who think Arenado isn't having a good year, he's on track for a career-best OPS+ and over 80 extra-base hits. If anything, it's his defense that hasn't been quite as all-world.
OF - Bryan Reynolds, Pirates. He was the final cut three weeks ago, but he has been red hot since then and is even pushing for starter consideration. Remember, he hit .314 as a rookie in 2019, so this isn't a fluke.
OF - Jesse Winker, Reds. He has slowed down with just two home run over his past 22 games, but he still ranks among NL leaders in several offensive categories.
OF - Kyle Schwarber, Nationals. With 16 home runs in an 18-game span, he became just the seventh player to hit 16 home runs in a month. He has forced himself onto the team -- perhaps at the expense of teammate Juan Soto.
OF - Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks. He just went back on the IL, but he has hit .370/.419/.556 in 37 games and there are no other good candidates here.
National League pitchers
SP - Kevin Gausman, Giants. He had perhaps his worst start of the season Tuesday against the Dodgers with five walks in five innings, but he's still 8-2 with a 1.68 ERA and great peripherals. The Giants are also 4-1 in games he has started against the Dodgers and Padres.
SP - Brandon Woodruff, Brewers. He allowed five runs at Coors Field but got right back on track, allowing two runs in his next start, and has a 1.87 ERA with 119 strikeouts in 101 innings.
SP - Max Scherzer, Nationals. Should we invite Joe Girardi to the NL coaching staff?
SP - Yu Darvish, Padres. He has allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of his 16 starts.
SP - Zack Wheeler, Phillies. Wheeler actually leads deGrom in Baseball-Reference WAR and isn't too far behind him in FanGraphs WAR, thanks to great pitching and a much bigger workload.
SP - Trevor Rogers, Marlins. The rookie lefty is the only Marlins player, but he made it on merit three weeks ago and continues to make it on merit with a 2.14 ERA and impressive strikeout numbers (110 in 92⅓ innings).
SP - Walker Buehler, Dodgers. I had Trevor Bauer in the last iteration, but Bauer has scuffled a bit since the crackdown on illegal substances and has surrendered 19 home runs. Buehler continues to impress and improved to 8-1 with a 2.35 ERA after outdueling Gausman on Tuesday.
SP - Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers. Last time, it was Corbin Burnes here and now it could also be Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta, who ranks second only to deGrom in both batting average allowed and strikeout rate. But Kershaw has been very good -- he's on pace for his first 200-inning season since 2015 -- and he's Clayton Kershaw.
RP - Craig Kimbrel, Cubs. Who knows where this season came from after Kimbrel struggled the past two seasons, but he has been the most dominant closer in the majors in 2021.
RP - Josh Hader, Brewers. Well, this guy is right there with Kimbrel and he'll be a surefire selection for his third All-Star Game.
RP - Mark Melancon, Padres. He had that four-run blowup against the Reds since the last write-up, but he leads the majors in saves and still has an ERA under 2.00.
Not many changes from last time. No Juan Soto, no Bryce Harper, no Manny Machado, and I would have loved to find room for Peralta and a couple of other pitchers, but the NL is deep in candidates this season.
American League starters
C - Salvador Perez, Royals. He still walks about once a full moon and his strikeout rate is higher than ever, but he's hitting for power and driving in runs and this is hardly the strongest group of catchers. This should be his seventh All-Star Game and sixth start.
1B - Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays. He has hit .373/.472/.747 since the first edition of these picks, which means he might be getting better. His OPS+ has soared over 200, which just eight players have achieved since 1969 (Barry Bonds did it six times).
2B - Marcus Semien, Blue Jays. Jose Altuve is the bigger "star" and is having an outstanding season, but Semien was better in 2019, better in 2020 (although neither was good), and a little better in 2021. I have to go with Semien.
3B - Jose Ramirez, Indians. Rafael Devers might have the slight edge at the plate, but Ramirez is better in the field, on the bases and has been a strong MVP candidate for years.
SS - Carlos Correa, Astros. Xander Bogaerts was my starter here three weeks ago, but Correa has pulled ahead -- they're pretty even at the plate, but Correa has the advantage in the field.
OF - Mike Trout, Angels. He's now out until after the All-Star break, so we have to replace him on the roster. The outfield situation in the AL is a mess, with Trout injured, George Springer just recently returning after having missed most of the season, and Byron Buxton out with a fractured hand -- playing just three games after returning from a previous IL stint before going down again. What's amazing is Buxton is still second among AL outfielders in WAR despite having just 110 plate appearances.
OF - Aaron Judge, Yankees. The one AL outfield star who has been healthy and having a good season.
OF - Michael Brantley, Astros. He's an iconoclast in this era of all-or-nothing sluggers, electing to hit for contact and average rather than selling out for power. He's on track for his fourth straight .300 season and hit .299 the season before this stretch.
OF - Cedric Mullins, Orioles. He has kept his breakout season going and ranks first among AL outfielders in WAR. As you might know, Mullins gave up switch-hitting, sticking to the left side, but is still hitting over .300 against southpaws.
DH - Shohei Ohtani, Angels. Three weeks ago, you could have made a statistical argument for Nelson Cruz or J.D. Martinez, but I picked Ohtani because of the excitement he brings to the game. Well, now he owns the statistical argument as well, with 12 home runs over a stretch of 17 starts, and each one of those home runs seemingly harder hit than the previous one.
P - Gerrit Cole, Yankees. He has had a couple of hiccups since the no-substance enforcement began, but with Shane Bieber out with a shoulder strain and Tyler Glasnow on the 60-day IL, Cole is the obvious selection here.
American League reserves
C - Mike Zunino, Rays. Well, we have to pick somebody -- and as it turns out, we'll need somebody from the Rays. I had Glasnow and Austin Meadows on the team three weeks ago, but then Glasnow got injured and Meadows has been in a slump. I have a feeling the actual AL All-Star squad will differ widely from this one since I'm fitting players in the puzzle, while the actual roster won't have the same luxury depending who gets voted in as the backups. It's possible the Rays' rep ends being a pitcher like Diego Castillo or Rich Hill, since it's easier to fit a pitcher on the roster. (It's also odd that a team as good as the Rays may only have one rep.)
1B - Matt Olson, A's. He's quietly having a monster season but is lost in the shadow of Vladdy's Triple Crown chase.
1B - Yuli Gurriel, Astros. I had him on here last time, and he has kept on hitting since then.
2B - Jose Altuve, Astros. Altuve led the fan voting over Semien in the first round, so he probably ends up winning the starting nod, which is fine, as both have been top-10 players in the AL. A good Altuve is good for the game.
3B - Rafael Devers, Red Sox. Third base in the AL is usually pretty loaded, but Alex Bregman, Matt Chapman and Anthony Rendon are all down a bit or have been injured, leaving Devers and Yoan Moncada of the White Sox as candidates to back up Ramirez.
SS - Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox. He's an easy second behind Correa in FanGraphs WAR, but he actually ranks behind Bo Bichette, J.P. Crawford and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at Baseball-Reference, which doesn't like his defensive metrics. I'll take the bat.
SS - Bo Bichette, Blue Jays. Tim Anderson was here last time, but Bichette squeezes past him to get the final spot on my team.
OF - Adolis Garcia, Rangers. He has all the signs of being a three-month wonder, and over his past 28 games he's hitting .255 with four home runs, but he's been fun, the defense has been good and we'll put him on the team.
OF - Joey Gallo, Rangers. This one surprised me, but he hits home runs, gets on base, was a Gold Glover last year, has had a big June, and he's actually among the top 10 in the AL in fWAR among all position players. Let's put him in the Home Run Derby as well.
OF - Mark Canha, A's. Flip a coin between Canha and teammate Ramon Laureano.
DH - Nelson Cruz, Twins. With Buxton injured, we're going to need a Twins player, so Cruz gets the nod over J.D. Martinez. I guess you could consider Jose Berrios for the pitching staff as well, but Cruz continues to rake ... and he turns 41 today!
American League pitchers
SP - Lance Lynn, White Sox. Always underrated, Lynn has upped his strikeout rate the past three seasons and should be headed to his second All-Star Game -- but his first since 2012, his first season as a starter with the Cardinals.
SP - Carlos Rodon, White Sox. He leads AL starters in lowest batting average and strikeout rate. One of the best stories of the season.
SP - Kyle Gibson, Rangers. The 33-year-old vet entered 2021 with a 69-74 career record and 4.57 ERA -- a classic definition of "solid innings eater." Now he's 6-0 with a 2.00 ERA and has allowed more than two runs just twice in 15 starts. One of the best stories of the season.
SP - Sean Manaea, A's. He wasn't on the most recent version of the team, but he's on a roll with a 1.24 ERA and just one home run allowed over his past seven starts. Perhaps this is the breakout we've been waiting for.
SP - Casey Mize, Tigers. He had a 5.06 ERA in April and everyone was wondering what the deal was with the No. 1 overall draft pick from 2018, but he has been solid and consistent since then and reps the Tigers.
SP - Yusei Kikuchi, Mariners. Mitch Haniger was our Mariners nominee three weeks ago, but he's slumping a bit. J.P. Crawford gets squeezed out at shortstop. Kikuchi has been pretty solid, however, going 5-3 with a 3.34 ERA, including a 2.44 ERA and .169 average over his past 10 starts.
SP - Zack Greinke, Astros. My last two spots would have gone to Shane Bieber and John Means, but both are on the IL and not certain to return before the All-Star break. I'm going to fill these spots with a couple of starters who have proved themselves over the long haul, rather than over a shorter span.
SP - Hyun-Jin Ryu, Blue Jays. This spot could be Lucas Giolito or Aaron Civale or Chris Bassitt or Jose Berrios, but Ryu has been one of the best starters over the past several seasons and has been solid so far. Or, if we really want to have fun, let's give this spot to Shohei Ohtani -- the pitcher.
RP - Liam Hendriks, White Sox. The best reliever in the AL the past two seasons leads the league in saves so far, although he has been a little vulnerable with six home runs allowed.
RP - Matt Barnes, Red Sox. He has been dominant all season and ranks among the leaders in saves, strikeout rate and win probability added for relievers.
RP - Ryan Pressly, Astros. I had Aroldis Chapman here last time, but he's had a couple of bad outings recently and his control has been an issue. Pressly, an All-Star in 2019, is 12-for-13 in save chances and has allowed just one home run. Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak both merit strong consideration and Scott Barlow of the Royals has been a top setup guy.
The potential list of AL candidates has been decimated with injures, with veteran stars such as Trout, Springer, Bregman, Rendon, Glasnow and Bieber all injured at various points this season. Up-and-coming potential All-Stars such as Buxton, Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez and Kyle Lewis are also injured (thinning the outfield ranks). And some potential All-Stars such as DJ LeMahieu, Jose Abreu, Brandon Lowe and Giolito have not performed as well as they did in 2020. In recent years, the AL has lost Mookie Betts and Francisco Lindor to the NL. You know what, though? The AL leads interleague play, 83 wins to 71, entering Wednesday's action.