Ranking every 2019 MLB All-Star

Trout trails Cody Bellinger in WAR this season, but he's the clear best player in the game if we include his track record and year-to-year consistency. He's finished top four in the AL MVP voting in seven straight seasons, winning the award twice, and he is having another spectacular year hitting .297-22-57 with an AL-leading .452 on-base percentage and 1.057 OPS.

The reigning NL MVP, Yelich leads the NL with 29 home runs this season and is in contention for the Triple crown with a .330 batting average and 66 RBI. His .711 slugging percentage is more than 100 points higher than last season, leading the league, and Yelich also has 18 stolen bases.

After a down sophomore campaign, Bellinger is having an otherworldly season for the Dodgers. He leads baseball with a 1.137 OPS and is hitting .346-27-67 with more walks than strikeouts. Bellinger is neck and neck with Christian Yelich for the NL MVP through the first half of the season.

Scherzer turns 35 this month, but he's still going strong as the best pitcher in the game. He leads the NL in strikeouts for the fourth straight season, currently on a Randy Johnson-like pace with 170 strikeouts in 122.1 innings. His 2.09 FIP is also tops in the league, while his actual 2.43 ERA isn't too shabby either.

Bregman finished fifth in the AL MVP voting with a breakout 2018 season, and he's well on his way to another spectacular year. He's well on pace to exceed last year's 31 home runs with 22 this year, and Bregman's OPS is just four points below last season. He has more walks than strikeouts for the second straight season, helping him post an elite .391 on-base percentage, and has also filled in nicely at shortstop while Carlos Correa has been sidelined.

Arenado is off to another great start this season, currently sporting a career-high .965 OPS and hitting .320-20-65. His defense continues to be make almost as big of an impact, and Arenado ranks ninth in WAR among all hitters at 3.4.

Chapman continues to make a name for himself as the non-Coors Field version of Nolan Arenado. He's htiting .270-21-52 with a .908 OPS while playing elite defense for the A's. The performance has not only helped him make his first All-Star appearance but also rank sixth in WAR (3.7) among hitters.

Does Verlander ever age? He's 36 but off to another blazing start, currently standing at 10-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 147/26 K/BB in a league-high 119.2 innings. His league-high 23 home runs allowed is an indication that Verlander's ERA has had some luck involved, but it's hard to find fault in his 5.65 K/BB ratio. This will be Verlander's eighth All-Star appearance.

Gallo has transformed from an elite power bat to an elite player this season, period. He leads the AL with a .683 slugging percentage and is hitting 80 points higher than last season (.286), helping him produce an elite .426 slugging percentage. Oh yeah, Gallo also has 20 home runs, as he looks to hit at least 40 home runs for the third straight year.

Cole led the AL with a 12.4 K/9 last year, but that apparently wasn't enough. It's up to 13.2 this season, as he leads the AL with 161 strikeouts over only 109.2 innings. Houston's "No. 2 starter" is 8-5 with a 3.28 ERA and appearing in his fourth All-Star Game.

Baez finished second to Christian Yelich in NL MVP voting last year, and he's picked up where he left off. While Baez leads the NL with 101 strikeouts, he's made up for it by hitting .284-20-56 with an .868 OPS and outstanding defense at shortstop.

Betts is having a disappointing year relative to his MVP campaign last season, but remains one of the top players in baseball. He's hitting .261-13-37 with nine steals, 62 walks, and Gold Glove caliber defense. His OPS is more than 240 points lower than last year, but Betts is hoping to right the ship in the second half.

Lindor started the year on the injured list but has made up for lost time, hitting .291-12-27 with 12 steals and elite defense. He's making his fourth straight All-Star appearance and has finished top 10 in the AL MVP voting in three straight seasons. His 2.3 WAR is down significantly from last year (7.9), but Lindor has time to make up for it with a healthy second half.

The 2019 season didn't start as well for deGrom as his last year's Cy Young campaign, but he's still been good for the Mets. Wins continue to be tough to come by, with only four so far, but deGrom has a 3.32 ERA and 11.2 K/9 for the second straight year. He's on pace to notch 200-plus innings for the third straight season.

Acuna won NL Rookie of the Year last season and is well-deserving of his first All-Star appearance this year at age 21. One of the game's budding stars, Acuna is hitting .295-20-52 with 13 steals and an .889 OPS while spending most of the first half as Atlanta's leadoff man. He's picked up right where he left off last season.

Marte got his bat going during the second half of last season and has helped Diamondbacks fans forget about Paul Goldschmidt this year. Splitting time between center field and second base, Marte is hitting .309-20-52 with a .928 OPS. Formerly a shortstop, Marte is set to make his first All-Star appearance and ranks fourth among all hitters in WAR (3.7).

For all the great starting pitchers in the Dodgers rotation, Buehler is the most talented at this point. The hard-throwing right-hander makes his first All-Star appearance after going 8-1 with a 3.43 ERA and 104/14 K/BB in 97 innings during the first half. His 7.43 K/BB ratio trails only teammate Hyun-Jin Ryu, and the 2.87 FIP suggests Buehler could have an even better second half.

Ryu is having a truly remarkable year, with a league-best 1.83 ERA in 16 starts. The lefty has walked only seven batters in 103 innings, helping him produce an unbelievable 13.43 K/BB ratio as he makes his first All-Star Game. Ryu finished last season with a 1.97 ERA in 15 starts.

Freeman has become the gold standard of MLB first basemen and could be set for a career year. Making his fourth All-Star appearance, Freeman is hitting .312-22-65 with a career-high .991 OPS. He's likely to shatter his career high of 34 home runs from 2016.

Signing Morton to a two-year deal this offseason looks like another astute move by the Rays, as he's off to a career-best start with a 2.43 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 100 innings. The late bloomer is making his second consecutive All-Star appearance and went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA in 30 starts for Houston last season.

Grandal settled for a one-year deal this offseason but is doing his best to make sure that doesn't happen again. The Brewers catcher is having a career year, hitting .263-18-47 with a career-high .906 OPS. He's making his second career All-Star appearance and is well on his way to hitting more than 20 home runs for the fourth straight season.

Martinez is one of the game's truly great hitters, though his value is hurt by playing primarily as a DH for the Red Sox. He's produced an OPS above 1.000 in consecutive seasons, along with a total of 88 home runs. The start has been slightly worse this year but still terrific, hitting .298-18-47 with a .923 OPS in 335 plate appearances.

A former top prospect, Giolito is finally realizing his potential this season after struggles and inconsistency over the last three years. He currently leads the AL with 11 wins and also has a 2.72 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 96 innings.

Contreras is set for his second straight All-Star appearance, quickly becoming one of the elite catchers in the game. He's hitting .285-17-48 with a .936 OPS in 279 plate appearances while also helping the Cubs with his defensive contribution.

The Mets have a likely Rookie of the Year on their hands, as Alonso has been a revelation so far this season. The 24-year-old is hitting .278-28-64 with a .999 OPS, ranking second in the league in home runs. The Mets have willingly withstood his sometimes less-than-stellar defense in the process.

While Realmuto's bat hasn't been quite what the Phillies hoped for when they acquired him from Miami this offseason, he's still been great overall. Realmuto is hitting .265-10-37 with a .750 OPS and has graded extremely well defensively. He's set for his second consecutive All-Star Game.

Springer is established as a true star, making his third straight All-Star Game for the Astros. The Houston leadoff man is hitting .306-18-45 with a career-high 1.004 OPS in only 243 plate appearances.

Rendon has been incredibly consistent for Washington over the last three seasons, and he's set to have his biggest year yet as he readies for free agency. He's hitting .311-19-58 with a career-high 1.028 OPS. Despite his third straight season with an OPS above .900, this is Rendon's first All-Star appearance.

Greinke is make his third straight All-Star Game and fifth in six years, as he continues to perform as Arizona's ace. The right-hander is 9-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 115 innings over 18 starts.

Sanchez's offense has helped secure what has been an injury-plagued year for the Yankees. The second-time All-Star is hitting .261-23-54 with a .918 OPS in only 264 plate appearances,while also showing marked improvement defensively.

Bryant struggled last year due to a shoulder injury, but he's back on track this season. Splitting time between third base and the outfield, Bryant is hitting .289-16-42 with a .933 OPS in 357 plate appearances. This will be Bryant's third All-Star Game.

Story is returning from a thumb injury this week just in time for his second All-Star appearance. The Rockies shortstop is on a pace nearly in line with his great 2018 season, hitting .294-17-48 with 12 steals and a .907 OPS in 328 plate appearances. Despite the time missed, Story ranks 21st in WAR among all hitters.

What a first half it's been for Minor. The lefty leads the AL with a 2.40 ERA, and he also has eight wins and 110 strikeouts in 112.2 innings. His fastball has been dominant, with the highest spin rate of any starting pitcher fastball in the game. The Rangers have a chance to make the playoffs if he can keep it up, though Minor's 3.72 FIP shows some regression could be in order during the second half.

Polanco missed 80 games due to PEDs last season, but he's making up for lost time this year. The Twins star is hitting .320-11-39 with an .899 OPS and has also shown a slick glove.

LeMahieu has been a complete surprise performer for the Yankees and one of the glue players holding the first place team together despite its injures. The former NL batting title holder leads the AL with a .345 batting average and 108 hits, and he's added 12 home runs, 61 RBI and 62 runs scored in 343 plate appearances. He's split time at three infield positions, providing Gold Glove defense as he makes his third All-Star appearance.

The Pirates could have a star on their hands with what Bell has delivered during the first half. He's hitting .308-25-77 with a 1.035 OPS, leading the NL in RBI and doubles (29). It's been quite a breakout for the fourth-year MLB player, whose previous career-high OPS was .800, in 2017.

Odorizzi is having a breakout year for the first place Twins, going 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 85.2 innings so far this season. The right-hander has been Minnesota's ace up to this point and is making his first All-Star Game.

Hader continues to establish himself as the game's premier reliever. He's spent the year as Milwaukee's primary closer, with 20 saves, 2.16 ERA, and 0.648 WHIP. Perhaps most impressive is his 78 strikeouts and 17.0 K/9 in only 41.2 innings.

Santana is back in Cleveland this year after one season in Philly, and he's having a career year hitting .293-18-50 with a .945 OPS. While he's been a productive offensive player for a long time, this will by his first All-Star appearance at age 33.

After a disappointing sophomore season, Castillo has been a legitimate ace for the Reds. Castillo is 7-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 starts, with a dominant 115 strikeouts in 98.1 innings. The hard-thrower still has shown some blemishes, such as his NL-leading 52 walks and 3.79 FIP.

Soroka made five good starts last year but has been even better in his official rookie season. The groundball specialist is 9-1 with a 2.13 ERA in 14 starts, allowing only four home runs in 84.2 innings.

Yates took over as closer for the Padres last season when they traded Brad Hand. He was good in the role last year and has further silenced the doubters this year with an MLB-leading 27 saves. He shows further dominance with his 1.27 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 14.3 K/9 for the Padres.

After a slow start, Blackmon has made up for lost time over the last two months as he embarks on his third straight All-Star appearance and fourth overall. The Rockies leadoff man has a career-high 1.036 OPS and is hitting .337-20-56 with 65 runs scored with the help of Coors Field. Blackmon's slippage defensively over the last two seasons has hurt his overall value.

McNeil hit well when he was called up last year, but he's been incredible this year. He currently leads the NL with a .348 batting average and has a .922 OPS for the year. A natural second baseman, the 27-year-old has also played well in left field while effectively learning on the job.

Incredibly, DeJong is the only Cardinals All-Star representative, though he's certainly deserving. The shortstop makes his first All-Star appearance, hitting .260-13-36 with an .803 OPS and excellent defense.

Moustakas re-signed with Milwaukee this offseason and has been everything the Brewers could have hoped for and more. The former Royals third baseman has also split significant time at second base and is on pace for a career year, hitting .274-23-50 with a .911 OPS. He's making his third All-Star appearance.

Arguably the best closer of his generation, Chapman is having another great year with an AL-leading 23 saves and 1.36 ERA, along with 47/9 K/BB in 33 innings. The flame-throwing lefty's 2.5 BB/9 is less than half of what it was last season.

Kershaw missed the All-Star Game last year for the first time since 2010, but he's back this year. He hasn't been the same dominant pitcher we're used to seeing, though the three-time Cy Young winner has still been good. He's 7-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 82/15 K/BB in 92 innings.

Brantley signed a two-year, $32 million contract with Houston in the offseason, and he's made good on that deal so far. He's appearing in his third straight All-Star Game, hitting .313-11-43 with an .862 OPS.

Merrifield led the AL in stolen bases over the last two seasons. He had only 11 steals as of July 1 but has contributed more with his bat, hitting .303-11-43 with a career-high .852 OPS. Merrifield's value has also come in the field, as he's been a plus defender at multiple positions.

Part of Tampa Bay's return in last year's Chris Archer trade, Meadows has done quite well for himself in the first half despite missing some time due to injury. He's hitting .291-12-41 with eight steals and an .876 OPS in only 288 plate appearances.

Hand has helped fix Cleveland's bullpen since he was acquired from San Diego last season, and he's having arguably his best season yet. The closer has 23 saves and a 2.29 ERA with 53/9 K/BB in 35.1 innings.

Pressly has been unbelievable since the Astros acquired him from Minnesota last year, posting a 1.20 ERA and only seven walks in 60 innings. During that time he set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings. So far this season, Houston's setup man has a 1.47 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 41/4 K/BB in 36.2 innings.

Smith gained the closer job in San Francisco late last season and hasn't looked back. The lefty has 21 saves and a 2.16 ERA, with 51/8 K/BB in 33.1 innings. He's making his first All-Star Game in his seventh season.

Stroman has become the face of the Blue Jays organization, but he's appearing in his first All-Star Game during his sixth MLB season. The 5-foot-7 groundball specialist is on pace for one of his best seasons, with a 3.18 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 104.1 innings over 18 starts.

A career .240 hitter before this season who was non-tendered by the Tigers in the offseason, McCann has taken the baseball world by surprise with his bat this year. He's hitting .319-9-28 with an .890 OPS in 229 plate appearances, effectively replacing Welington Castillo as the White Sox starting catcher.

The oft-injured Dahl is having better health this year and finally putting it all together. He's hitting .317-12-51 with a .914 OPS while appearing at all three outfield positions for the Rockies.

A former second-round pick of the Cubs, Vogelbach has struggled in his major league opportunities until this season. He's been a power and on-base machine, with a .379 on-base percentage and 20 home runs in 317 plate appearances.

Pence is the type of story that only baseball could bring. A former star who made three All-Star appearances previously, Pence scuffled at the plate with the Giants in recent seasons. He remade his swing in the offseason and has hit .294-15-48 with a .962 OPS in 215 plate appearances to make it back to the All-Star Game this year. Whether he can continue to hit at this level during the second half is anyone's guess, but it's been admirable and enjoyable to this point.

Serving primarily as a pinch hitter for the Cubs in recent seasons, La Stella has made the most of additional playing time in L.A. He had only 10 career home runs in 947 plate appearances before this season but has hit 16 home runs in 309 plate appearances this year while also hitting .304.

Abreu's on-base percentage has fallen sharply over the last two seasons, but the 32-year-old has shown enough power (19 home runs) to make his third career All-Star appearance. He's hitting .268-19-60 with an .817 OPS for the season.

Greene is being honored for his amazing first half, recording 22 saves with an 0.87 ERA and 0.84 WHIP over 31 innings. The right-hander's 3.36 FIP doesn't suggest that the current performance will continue, but Green deserves credit for what he's done thus far as a shutdown closer.

Means has come out of nowhere to be the best pitcher in the Orioles rotation this season. The rookie lefty is 7-4 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 75.2 innings, including 13 starts. Through the month of June, his seven wins were 29 percent of Baltimore's team wins.

Alcantara is one member of what has been a surprisingly strong Marlins rotation this year. The hard-throwing right-hander has a 3.86 ERA over 95.2 innings, though his poor 1.51 K/BB and 4.54 FIP suggest he could see some regression during the second half.