After hearing All-Star opinions from NIT Stu and the other Stu these last two days, I believe it’s my turn to share my stances.
For me, the question is simple: Who’s the best player at each position right now?
American League
First Base: Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
Santana’s BABIP is finally fractionally above .300 after a career in which it’s averaged .266 and only reached .301 once (back in 2013). It’s possible his natural BABIP is simply lower than the league average. It’s possible he’s been abnormally lucky. Whatever the case, he’s finally getting average results on balls in play, and that’s been enough to make him the best first baseman in the AL.
Second Base: Tommy La Stella, Angels of Ambiguous Location
La Stella narrowly gets the nod ahead of Brandon Lowe, on the basis of having a higher wRC+, in the context of BABIP-driven suspicions that Lowe is more due for a short-term downturn than La Stella.
Third Base: Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
Bregman is hitting just as well as he did last year, when he finished the season with 7.6 WAR. Bregman, as should be noted in the year of Bellinger, is 25.
Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox
Bogaerts doesn’t boast the wRC+ of Jorge Polanco, but he does edge him in fWAR thanks to slightly better defensive numbers. As with La Stella compared to Lowe, his BABIP indicates a stronger chance of continued success than that of his counterpart.
Catcher: Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins (Write-In)
I know write-in’s are fruitless, but Garver’s slugging .676. Whether it comes in limited at-bats or not, that’s amazing.
Outfield: Mike Trout, Angels of Dubiously Claimed Location
Mike Trout has an OBP of .457, which is nearly the same frequency with which a roulette wheel lands on red (he’d need to climb to .474 to equal those odds).
Outfield: Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers
Gallo’s strikeout numbers aren’t dropping, but his walks are increasing. Whether this is thanks to a change in his plate discipline or an increase in the degree to which opponents pitch around him, it’s got his OBP over .400.
Outfield: George Springer, Houston Astros
One of the more underappreciated Astros, Springer is mashing this year, with his slugging percentage currently at an absurd .643. He’s on pace for his best major league season by no small margin.
Designated Hitter: Austin Meadows, Tampa Bay Rays
Hindsight is 20/20, so ripping on the Pirates for the Chris Archer trade can sometimes be unfair. But it’s more than fair to appreciate that Austin Meadows has been the most productive DH in the league in what’s just his first full season.
National League
First Base: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
There are a few justifiable options for the NL’s starting first baseman. But Freeman has been the most productive, and unlike Max Muncy, who also enters tonight with 2.6 WAR under his belt, Freeman’s playing first base full-time, where offensive success yields less of a reaction from WAR.
Second Base: Mike Moustakas, Milwaukee Brewers
With all due respect to Ketel Marte, Moustakas has accumulated a higher WAR in fewer plate appearances so far. He also has Marte beat in offensive stats, which are more reliable than their defensive counterparts at this stage in history.
Third Base: Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals
Rendon is still coming back from injury. He’s also already at 3.0 WAR. His wRC+ is a stunning 169. He’s been monstrous at the plate, and while he might not quite be an MVP-level player, he deserves a perennial place in the conversation.
Shortstop: Javy Báez, Chicago Cubs
Cubs fans tend to understate Paul DeJong’s performance, which really is very comparable statistically to that of Báez. Even so, Báez is narrowly performing better offensively, and their WAR is currently just about equal.
Catcher: Yasmani Grandal, Milwaukee Brewers
Grandal’s postseason struggles last year may have been an immense stroke of luck for the Brewers, who, after the Dodgers gave him only a qualifying offer, wound up signing the former first-round pick. To date this year, Grandal’s been the best catcher in the MLB by leaps and bounds.
Outfield: Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers
Bellinger hit two more home runs last night, bringing his wRC+ to an otherworldly 194. He looks like a man among boys right now, which is especially impressive since in terms of age, he’s much close to the opposite.
Outfield: Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
While Bellinger has the early lead in WAR, Yelich is only 0.4 behind, and Yelich’s track record means he’s probably the better choice as the NL MVP “favorite,” even if both should be sizable underdogs against the field.
Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
It’s a shame Kris Bryant is listed as a third baseman and not an outfielder, because he plays enough outfield (at a high enough level) to deserve this spot. But when Acuña is only a fallback option, it’s a sign the game of baseball’s in a good place.
