Every month, we go through and build a roster for each league out of who’s posted the highest fWAR at each position so far. It’s a little more complicated post-trade deadline, but here are baseball’s best through August 1st, compiled into serviceable rosters with minimal changing of positions.
A few highlights:
- Ronald Acuña Jr. is still in the top ten in fWAR after missing three weeks now. Jacob deGrom is still second in fWAR despite not throwing enough innings to even be a qualified pitcher.
- Starling Marte makes the AL starting lineup during his first full week on the A’s. Craig Kimbrel and Richard Rodríguez are in their league’s bullpens while also playing in new locales.
- The AL East has five of the six best AL position players by fWAR, with the whole infield coming from Boston and Toronto.
- Germán Márquez is the most productive player left off either roster.
- Only two position players from either Central division made a roster. One is a Pirate and the other has missed twenty games, mostly due to injury.
- Each Central division leader has two of the best four starters in its league and the best relief pitcher.
- Taylor Rogers’s injury could theoretically shake up the Twins for the next decade, given the prices paid for comparable relievers and Rogers’s affordable salary for this year and next year.
- The Rays are tied for the best record in the American League but have just one player on these rosters—the AL’s last reliever, who is currently injured.
American League
C: Sean Murphy, Oakland (2.7 fWAR)
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto (5.3 fWAR)
2B: Marcus Semien, Toronto (4.5 fWAR)
SS: Xander Bogaerts, Boston (4.0 fWAR)
3B: Rafael Devers, Boston (4.3 fWAR)
OF: Cedric Mullins II, Baltimore (4.2 fWAR)
OF: Starling Marte, Oakland (3.6 fWAR)
OF: Joey Gallo, New York Yankees (3.4 fWAR)
DH: Shohei Ohtani, Anaheim (6.4 fWAR)
Bench (C): Max Stassi, Anaheim (2.6 fWAR)
Bench: Matt Olson, Oakland (4.0 fWAR)
Bench: Jose Altuve, Houston (3.7 fWAR)
Bench: Carlos Correa, Houston (3.7 fWAR)
SP: Nathan Eovaldi, Boston (3.9 fWAR)
SP: Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees (3.9 fWAR)
SP: Carlos Rodón, Chicago White Sox (3.7 fWAR)
SP: Lance Lynn, Chicago White Sox (3.1 fWAR)
SP: Sean Manaea, Oakland (3.0 fWAR)
RP: Craig Kimbrel, Chicago White Sox (2.2 fWAR)
RP: Matt Barnes, Boston (1.9 fWAR)
RP: Jonathan Loaisiga, New York Yankees (1.8 fWAR)
RP: Liam Hendricks, Chicago White Sox (1.6 fWAR)
RP: Taylor Rogers, Minnesota (1.5 fWAR)
RP: Ryan Pressly, Houston (1.5 fWAR)
RP: Scott Barlow, Kansas City (1.5 fWAR)
RP: Collin McHugh, Tampa Bay (1.5 fWAR)
National League
C: Buster Posey, San Francisco (3.6 fWAR)
1B: Max Muncy, Los Angeles (4.3 fWAR)
2B: Chris Taylor, Los Angeles (3.7 fWAR)
SS: Fernando Tatís Jr., San Diego (4.6 fWAR)
3B: Manny Machado, San Diego (3.4 fWAR)
OF: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta (4.3 fWAR)
OF: Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh (3.7 fWAR)
OF: Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati (3.3 fWAR)
Bench (C): Will Smith, Los Angeles (3.1 fWAR)
Bench: Trea Turner, Los Angeles (4.2 fWAR)
Bench: Jake Cronenworth, San Diego (3.6 fWAR)
Bench: Justin Turner, Los Angeles (3.4 fWAR)
Bench: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia (3.3 fWAR)
SP: Jacob deGrom, New York Mets (5.4 fWAR)
SP: Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia (5.0 fWAR)
SP: Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee (5.0 fWAR)
SP: Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee (3.8 fWAR)
SP: Walker Buehler, Los Angeles (3.5 fWAR)
RP: Josh Hader, Milwaukee (1.7 fWAR)
RP: Edwin Díaz, New York Mets (1.6 fWAR)
RP: Aaron Loup, New York Mets (1.4 fWAR)
RP: Giovanny Gallegos, St. Louis (1.3 fWAR)
RP: Richard Rodríguez, Atlanta (1.3 fWAR)
RP: Blake Treinen, Los Angeles (1.2 fWAR)
RP: Will Smith, Atlanta (1.1 fWAR)
RP: Dylan Floro, Miami (1.0 fWAR)
