Major League Baseball has opened up fan voting for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game on June 5. Phase 1 of the voting will take place between June 5 and June 27, with fans being able to choose one infielder at each position, three outfielders, and one player for the designated hitter spot in each league. Fans can submit five ballots in the first phase of the voting.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Before Wednesday’s game, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was asked about which of his players should be considered frontrunners. Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports recorded Lovullo’s answer.
The All-Star ballots are live, so here’s Torey Lovullo’s picks for early D-backs front-runners. pic.twitter.com/Z6SIz4Dfzu
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) June 5, 2024
Second Baseman: Ketel Marte
Ketel Marte has arguably been the best second baseman in all of Major League Baseball, leading his position with 3.4 bWAR. He’s putting up a solid batting line, slashing .278/.337/.502 with 14 doubles, two triples, and 12 home runs. In 2024’s softer run-scoring environment, it adds up to a park-adjusted 139 OPS+. Additionally, Marte is getting done in other facets of the game, as Baseball Reference also credits him with +1 baserunning runs and +10 fielding runs. Baseball Savant also credits him on defense at second, with +8 outs above-average in terms of range.
On the Diamondbacks broadcast on Wednesday, Todd Walsh interviewed first baseman Christian Walker, who sang Marte’s praises.
“He’s one of the more not talked about guys. He gets credit, but a lot of the credit is from people who see him play everyday. Around the league, I put him against anybody. The ability to switch hit and slug from both sides of the plate. His defense, he’s learned how to turn himself into a really good infielder. Just a tribute to who he is as a player, and the mentality he shows up with every day.”
Marte is coming off an incredible 2023 season. Not only did he have a fully healthy season for the first time since 2018, but he was a productive bat, hitting .276 with 25 home runs. He keyed the Diamondbacks run to the 2023 World Series, winning the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player. His 21-game postseason hitting streak, which started in 2017, is an MLB record. With the amount of recognition he earned for that strong postseason, it should help him in the balloting.
First Baseman: Christian Walker
Christian Walker has quietly put together another great season for the Diamondbacks at first base. He currently ranks third amongst MLB first baseman in Wins Above Replacement at 1.8, behind the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (2.1) and the Orioles’ Ryan Mountcastle (2.0). Walker leads the team in home runs (12) and RBI (38), and is on pace for another season where he hits 30 home runs, 90 RBI, and a Gold Glove Award.
An All-Star nod would be another accolade to one of the most impressive comeback stories in the past decade. Walker was blocked by Chris Davis and Paul Goldschmidt at first base, but when the opportunity came in 2019, he took it and never looked back. Lovullo has constantly praised Walker’s work ethic, especially on the defensive side of the ball even after winning two Gold Gloves. That’s the type of example that the Diamondbacks first baseman leads with, and an All-Star selection would send a message to the rest of the team that hard work gets rewarded.
Walker described getting named an All-Star as a honor and something he dreams about on the Diamondbacks television broadcast.
“Any time you do something well enough to be recognized for it, it’s just how much you’re helping your team and how much you’re contributing. If you’re doing something good enough for people to recognize, then chances are you’re holding your value and you’re earning your keep every day. That’s what it’s about for me, I want to add value to the team every day. If that’s earning a walk, if that’s making a tag at first, whatever it is, if I’m helping and contributing to a win, that’s all I can do.”
Fans can help Ketel Marte and Christian Walker get to the MLB All-Star Game at Globe Life Field by voting here.
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Cardinals for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
