Making All-Star case for Betts, Freeman and each Dodgers finalist

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Shohei Ohtani became this year's first National League All-Star when he received the most overall votes in Phase 1 of fan voting. Several of his Dodgers teammates have a chance to join him in the NL's starting lineup.

Phase 2 of All-Star voting began on Monday at 9 a.m. PT, and six Dodgers are finalists at their respective positions: catcher Will Smith, first baseman Freddie Freeman, third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Mookie Betts and outfielders Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández. Vote totals reset after Phase 1.

Let's take a look at the All-Star case for each. All stats are entering Sunday unless otherwise noted.

C Will Smith

Other finalist: Drake Baldwin (Braves)

There's a real question of whether Smith, who has been on the 10-day IL with neck inflammation since June 11, will even be active before the All-Star break. Even so, Baldwin has had a better overall season and made a compelling case to earn his first All-Star nod.

Smith hit .249 with a .720 OPS in 52 games before going on the IL, although the underlying metrics suggest that he hit the ball better than those numbers would convey. Smith started last year's Midsummer Classic, his third career All-Star appearance.

1B Freddie Freeman

Other finalist: Matt Olson (Braves)

Freeman has been the NL's starting first baseman in five of the past seven All-Star Games, and he's a strong contender to earn this year's start as well. He finished Phase 1 in first place among NL first basemen, more than 600,000 votes ahead of Olson.

In his age-36 season, Freeman remains a steady force in the Dodgers' lineup. He slashed .291/.380/.497 in his first 80 games, with his 144 wRC+ tied for second-best among qualified NL first basemen.

3B Max Muncy

Other finalist: Alec Bohm (Phillies)

Muncy received more votes than every other NL player except Ohtani in Phase 1, putting himself in a great position to become the first Dodger to start the All-Star Game at third base since Ron Cey in 1977. Muncy is a two-time All-Star, having previously started at DH in 2021.

This season, Muncy has continued to excel offensively while growing his game on defense. His 141 wRC+ leads qualified NL third basemen, as do his +6 outs above average.

SS Mookie Betts

Other finalist: CJ Abrams (Nationals)

Betts finished Phase 1 about 96,000 votes behind Abrams. The Nationals shortstop has had the better offensive season, but Betts has heated up in June after a slow start at the plate. Betts (+4 OAA) has also been the superior defender at shortstop over Abrams (-9 OAA), which could make this race closer than it would seem.

Before having a career-worst season at the plate last year, Betts had earned eight straight All-Star nods. If he does get back this year, this would be his first Midsummer Classic appearance where he does not play the outfield.

OFs Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández

Other finalists: Brandon Marsh (Phillies), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves), Juan Soto (Mets) and Michael Harris II (Braves)

Hernández was putting together a bounce-back season before he was sidelined for a month due to a strained left hamstring, but the two-time All-Star is not the Dodgers' most compelling candidate in the outfield. That would be Pages.

The 25-year-old Pages has cooled down in June, but he has transformed himself into one of the many stars in the Dodgers' loaded lineup. His 4 bWAR is tied for seventh in the Majors, already ahead of the full-season career-high 3.7 bWAR he accrued last year. Pages has also become a force to be reckoned with in center field, leading Major League outfielders with 10 assists. This would be his first career All-Star nod.