MLB: Which Pitchers Should Start in the All-Star Game?
The MLB All-Star Game is rapidly approaching, as it is just over a month away. At this point in the season, which pitchers should start for the American and National Leagues?
The 2016 MLB All-Star Game is the one night every year in which each league bands together to fight for the coveted home field advantage during the World Series.
Both the National and American Leagues will rely on the pitcher selected to start for his respective league to make a statement early and boost momentum as the game goes on.
This year, the race for who will be named the starting pitcher for both the American and National Leagues is tighter than ever.
In the National League, the 39-16 Chicago Cubs boast one of the most dominant pitchers in the game in Jake Arrieta. The right-hander is 9-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 9.79 K/9 ratio. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw will look to keep his throne as the league’s best hurler. Thus far, he is 8-1 with an MLB-leading ERA of 1.46.
San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner and the New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard both have an ERA of 1.91 and will also look to start for the NL as the All-Star Game nears. Not to mention Jose Fernandez’s breakout over the past month, posting an MLB-leading 110 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA this year. However, at this point it is a two-man race in Arrieta and Kershaw.
As for the American League, the race is much closer. Danny Salazar currently leads the AL in ERA, sitting at 2.24, just .01 ahead of comeback sensation Rich Hill. Hill is second in wins with eight, only behind Chris Sale, who has nine. Marco Estrada has also been in contention as the best pitcher in the AL thus far, becoming the newest ace in MLB, as Adam Piede writes here.
With the All-Star Game set to take place in Petco Park on July 12, the question that remains is: which pitchers will toe the rubber for their respective leagues?
Next: American League's Ace
American League: Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox
There is no pitcher in the American League more reliable than the Chicago White Sox’s Chris Sale. The left-hander has been named to four straight All-Star Games and should be chosen as the starting pitcher for the AL in the Midsummer Classic.
In 2016, Sale has posted a 2.54 ERA and AL-leading 0.94 WHIP. He is also 9-2 with an 8.3 K/9 ratio.
Sale is known for being the workhorse and ace of the Chicago White Sox. He goes going deep into ball games in almost every start. In fact, he has gone the complete distance an MLB-leading three times.
While Salazar, Hill, Estrada and Steven Wright all have better ERAs than the left-hander, Sale separates himself in other statistics.
Of the aforementioned four players ahead of Sale in ERA, only one is in the top nine for WHIP (Estrada – 0.98). In strikeouts, two are in the top 10, with only Salazar ahead of Sale by three. Not to mention Sale finds himself first in wins with nine.
There are four solid candidates at this point in the season: Hill, Salazar, Estrada and Sale. However, Sale has been the most reliable for his team, going deep into games and posting the best all-around stat line.
On a 29-28 Chicago White Sox team, Sale has been a huge bright spot, as he has always been. His dominant performance to date should earn him the starting nod in his fifth All-Star selection.
Next: National League's Ace
National League: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
When it really comes down to it, only two pitchers have a shot at starting for the National League at this point in the season. Jake Arrieta, the ace of arguably the best team in baseball, and Clayton Kershaw, the three-time Cy Young winner and always consistent ace of the Dodgers.
While Arrieta and the Cubs’ season has proven to be magical thus far, starting the right-hander over Kershaw does not make sense.
More from MLB All-Star Game
- Stock Up, Stock Down: All-Star week, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox
- Bet $5 on the MLB All-Star Game, Win $150 Guaranteed with DraftKings MLB Promo!
- Throwback glory: Reflecting on a pair of epic MLB All-Star Games
- MLB Stock Up, Stock Down: Angels, Braves, De La Cruz and All-Star Game
- Philadelphia Phillies: Nick Castellanos not an All-Star proves it’s about popularity
Let’s start with the basics. Kershaw currently boasts an MLB-leading 1.46 ERA. Arrieta is right behind him at 1.80. In WHIP? Kershaw has a 0.65 WHIP, again best in all of baseball. Arrieta sits at fourth in the National League with 0.96.
In strikeouts, Kershaw sits at second, just one behind Jose Fernandez. Arrieta sits six spots behind Kershaw with 22 fewer strikeouts (109 to 87). Here’s where things break loose. Kershaw has an astounding 18.17 K/BB ratio, only surrendering six walks all year. That leads the majors and is far better than his previous career high of 7.71 K/BB. Arrieta has a solid 3.35 K/BB ratio, but is nowhere near Kershaw.
Both pitchers have won their fair share of games as well, with Arrieta (9-1) beating out Kershaw (8-1) by one. But that’s about it when it comes to what Arrieta has over Kershaw at this point in the season.
Next: Tyler Naquin seizing opportunity as rookie
The reigning Cy Young Award winner has put together a dominant season – and if he were in the American League, there is no doubt he’d be the obvious start there. But Arrieta comes up just short, as Kershaw has been almost perfect through 12 starts. The five-time All-Star is deserving of the starting gig for the National League, which, surprisingly, would be his first time ever.