With MLB All-Star voting now in full swing, the Cleveland Indians could have several players selected to the midseason classic in July.
Some obvious choices of who might be selected from the Indians include Francisco Lindor (who could get voted in by the fans), Andrew Miller, and Cody Allen. If we assume they make the team, who else on the Tribe might have a chance? If the team and certain players get hot as the weather continues to warm, could the Indians have as many as six or seven all-stars?
In the recent past, the skipper of the previous season’s league champion would be responsible for naming some players to the All-Star team roster, meaning those who are not selected by a fan or player vote. Terry Francona would have had that duty this year. However, because of a change in the collective bargaining agreement approved in December, that responsibility now belongs to the MLB Commissioner’s Office.
It’s possible no one else from the Indians gets the nod from the Commissioner’s Office, but let’s look at who could be in consideration, especially if they catch fire at the plate. It’s still early enough that if a player has a great month of June, then they can propel themselves into earning a spot. A case in point was Jason Kipnis, who was hitting just .237 heading into June in 2013. Then he torched the ball hitting .419 in June and was named to his first all-star team.
Michael Brantley, OF
Brantley is having a terrific bounce back season from 2016, when he played in only 11 games due to injuries. He’s played in 38 games and has 145 at bats and looks to be fully recovered from his health woes. Brantley is hitting .290, which ranks him 6th among AL outfielders among those who qualify, is 7th in on-base percentage at .364, and 10th with an .819 OPS. However, he’s hit only 5 HRs (20th) and has 19 RBI (19th), which doesn’t exactly help his cause when traditional statistics are measured. Guys like Mike Trout, Avisail Garcia, Aaron Judge, and Kevin Pillar are among the leading candidates to get the starting nod, but it’s quite possible Brantley could be added as a reserve especially if he gets hot and carries the Tribe along with him for a while.
Odds to make team: 50/50
Carrasco might not have a sexy win total with only four wins, but he’s among the league leaders in some other pitching categories. He ranks 4th in WHIP at 0.94 and batting average against with .194. and is 13th in ERA at 2.93. Carrasco also is 4th for pitchers in wins above replacement (WAR) at 2.2 and hits allowed per nine innings with 6.171. The thing about Carrasco is he’s quite capable of putting together several high quality and dominant starts in a row. If he does, then the chatter for him to be selected will grow louder.
Odds to make the team: 50/50
Jose Ramirez, 3B
Ramirez had started strongly this season and was a trendy choice earlier when talking about players who should make the team, but he seems to have hit a funk lately. In the last two weeks, Ramirez has seen his production drop dramatically as he’s hitting 7-for-41 with no home runs or RBI and only one run scored. For the season, Ramirez is still hitting a respectable .265 (3rd among AL 3B) with 6 HR (6th) and 24 RBI (5th). He’s also getting on base at a decent clip (.335 ranking 3rd), .451 slugging (4th) and .786 OPS (3rd). Like Brantley, if he gets on a roll he could greatly enhance his chances to make the squad. Leading contenders include Miguel Sano, Mike Moustakas, Yunel Escobar, Manny Machado, and Joey Gallo, so the competition at this position will make it tough.
Odds to make the team: 30%
Nick Goody, P
He’s having an outstanding season, giving up no runs and only 7 hits in 16.2 innings. He’s also struck out 14 batters and walked just four. He’s only pitched three innings fewer than Cody Allen, but despite his outstanding statistics it’s hard to see him right now getting the nod as a middle reliever who isn’t used in many high-pressure situations. If he keeps firing scoreless innings by the time selections are made, Goody could perhaps move his name into the discussion.
Odds to make the team: 10%
The remaining players listed below probably have little or no chance to make the All-Star team, but are worth mentioning as they have been named to the squad in the past.
Corey Kluber, P
Kluber made his first all-star appearance in 2016 and earned the win for the American League (for whatever that’s worth). He also finished third in the Cy Young voting last year, but he’s battled injuries and mediocrity in 2017. Kluber is on the 10-day DL and is projected to be back with the Indians in early June.
Salazar was named to the AL squad in 2016, but he did not appear in the game. There is virtually no chance he’ll be named in 2017. At times, Salazar has really struggled. His WHIP is a career-worst 1.532 and he’s already given up 11 home runs and 23 BB in 47 innings. But he also can be filthy on the mound with his dominating stuff. He’s struck out 69 Ks in 47 innings and leads the AL with 13.21 Ks/9IP.
Kipnis, 2B
After missing a good chunk to start the season, the two-time all-star Kipnis is slowly rounding into form as one of the better hitters who pay second base. He’s now slashing .226/.256/.374 (.640 OPS) for the season. In the last two weeks, he’s hitting 15-for-52 (.288 BA) with 4 HR and 10 RBI. So he’s on his way toward a typical season, if he continue his recent trends. But he probably doesn’t have a shot (as of now) to be an all-star.
The three-time all-star has been off to a slow start by his standards. But it looks like he’s coming together and now has 9 home runs (19th in AL) and 20 RBI. Unless he goes on a major and extended tear at the plate, he’ll be watching the game from home.
* Lonnie Chisenhall, OF
Chisenhall neither fits this list nor has been named an all-star, but is worth mentioning because he is quietly on his way toward putting together his best season in MLB. Chisenhall has hit 6 HR (his career-high is 13 in 478 ABs in 2014) and driven in 22 RBI (11th among AL OFs) in just 92 ABs. He’s slashing .261/.333/.543 (.877 OPS) which is tops on the Tribe. As a mostly platoon option, he could be on his way to more of a full-time status if injuries continue in the Tribe outfield and he’s still hitting well.
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