Max Muncy, Justin Turner, Mookie Betts among five Dodgers alive in Phase 2 of MLB All-Star voting

Five Dodgers advanced to the second round of MLB All-Star voting, still alive for the chance to start for the National League in the midsummer classic.

Max Muncy had the most votes among National League first basemen (1,276,688, narrowly ahead of 1,156,966 for Freddie Freeman) in the first phase of voting, which ended last Thursday. Justin Turner was third at third base. Mookie Betts was fourth and Chris Taylor fifth among NL outfielders. Voting resets for the second phase, which begins Monday at 9 a.m. and runs through Thursday at 11 a.m. PT.

The top three at each position, plus the top nine outfielders advanced from phase one, with eight fan-voted starters determined from these finalists.

All-Star starters will be revealed on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN. The full All-Star rosters will be unveiled on Sunday, July 4 at 2:30 p.m., also on ESPN.

National League All-Star finalists

First base: Muncy, Freeman, Anthony Rizzo

Muncy, who was an All-Star reserve in 2019, is hitting .262/.415/.533 with 15 home runs. He leads the National League in on-base percentage and walks (50), and ranks fourth in wRC+ (163). Muncy also leads the majors in Defensive Runs Saved (+5) at first base, and has also been above average defensively (+4 DRS) in his 21 games at secodn base.

The last Dodgers first baseman to start an All-Star Game was Steve Garvey in 1980.

Second base: Ozzie Albies, Adam Frazier, Gavin Lux

Lux had the third-most votes among NL second basemen. He’s hitting .229/.309/.361 with a 90 wRC+ and has filled in at shortstop with Corey Seager out with a broken hand. The only way Lux would get into this year’s All-Star Game is through the fan vote.

Third base: Kris Bryant, Nolan Arenado, Turner

Bryant had a sizable advantage in the first round of voting, with a vote total over 62 percent higher than second-place Arenado, and nearly double Turner’s tally. But the vote totals reset for phase two. Turner is hitting .288/.381/.477, leading NL third basemen in on-base percentage and batting average, and second to Evan Longoria in wOBA (.373) and wRC+ (142). Turner’s 12 home runs are a career best through 77 team games. Turner was an All-Star in 2017.

Shortstop: Fernando Tatis Jr., Javier Báez, Brandon Crawford

This will be a runaway for Tatis, and rightfully so. Seager, who has been out since May 15 with a broken fifth metacarpal in his right hand, was fourth in voting. He might return to the Dodgers in the last week before the All-Star Game, but that is still to be determined.

Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr., Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker, Betts, Taylor, Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, Joc Pederson, Mike Yastrzemski

The top four were bunched together here. If that continues, the three starters will be among Acuña, Castellanos, Winker, and Betts. Despite what he and Dave Roberts have described as a “frustrating” first half, Betts is still hitting .248/.368/.452, his 131 wRC+ pretty much in line with his career 135 wRC+. Betts is fifth among NL outfielders in FanGraphs WAR (2.3), and would be a worthy All-Star choice based on both this year’s performance and career track record. Betts made the last four All-Star Games (2016-19) with Boston, starting three times.

Taylor ranks fifth among NL outfielders in fWAR (2.2), but his path to a first All-Star berth remains as a reserve, especially considering he’s started at six different positions this year, including 27 times in the infield to go with his 38 outfield starts.

Catcher: Buster Posey, Yadier Molina, Willson Contreras

These three account for nine of the last 11 starts behind the plate for the NL in the midsummer classic, including the last two (2018-19) by Contreras. MLB should institute some sort of skills challenge just so we can watch Contreras throw.

Will Smith ranked fourth among NL catchers, so he won’t start the game. He’s got a good chance to make it as a reserve, hitting .260/.363/.465 with improved framing numbers, second among NL catchers in fWAR (2.5), fourth in wRC+ (131), first in extra-base hits (22), and third in games started (50) and defensive innings at catcher (448⅓).

“I know it’s the fans’ vote, but hopefully the players get it right,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “I just don’t see how he’s not one of the top three catchers in the National League.”

Fans elect eight starting position players in each league, plus a designated hitter for the American League. Players voting accounts for one player at every infield position, one catcher, three outfielders, five starting pitchers, and three relief pitchers. The commissioner’s office fills the remaining roster spots, which include four pitchers and three position players for the National League, as well as the final vote candidates for the 32nd and final roster spot.

The All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 13 at Coors Field in Colorado. Roberts will manage the National League for a third straight midsummer classic.