The races for the starting spots in the MLB All-Star Game rosters are still very much in place.
The first phase of voting finished with Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees as the leading vote-getter in the American League, with Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves as the leader in the National League.
Both players, as a result, are guaranteed a starting spot in their respective team’s outfield.
Phase one, however, also helped us determine the finalists for phase two.
Two players per position will depend on the fan vote once again in order to be named starters.
The third base situation in the National League, as you probably can imagine, is crowded, to say the least.
We say “crowded” because the two candidates, or finalists, are both deserving of a starting spot.
“Two of this generation’s best third basemen are vying for a starting spot in LA. Who has your vote?,” MLB tweeted, with the link for voting.
Two of this generation's best third basemen are vying for a starting spot in LA.
Who has your vote? https://t.co/36Bf4yKu0K pic.twitter.com/W93kyALPon
— MLB (@MLB) July 6, 2022
Two Stars Vying For Just One Spot
The men in question are Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado, who proudly defend the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals, respectively.
Machado recently returned from an ugly ankle injury, in an effort to bolster his case not just for the All-Star Game, but for MVP, too.
Despite missing a few days with the injury, he still leads the league in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) with 4.3, thanks to his elite .316/.389/.526 hitting line and excellent defense.
If we are talking about excellent defense, however, there is no one like Arenado.
With his ten Outs Above Average (OAA) and his .296/.357/.538 line (plus 17 homers), he is third in WAR with 4.1.
It’s a very tight race, and whoever wins will be a deserving candidate.
NEXT: Julio Rodriguez Had The Perfect Reaction To Latest Honor