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If the annual Midsummer Classic allows us to do anything, it's to argue about which league we think is better. For years, the answer has pretty clearly been, "the American League," for some pretty obvious reasons.

The AL has held the edge in Interleague Play in each of the last 14 seasons. They've won the last five All-Star Games and 17 of the last 20, excluding 2002's tie. If we look at the hitting Wins Above Replacement leaderboards, the AL has the top seven names. On the pitching side, it's the top two and six of the top 10. The AL side has a ton of the top talent. It always wins in Interleague Play and usually wins the All-Star Game. The answer is the AL. It's always been the AL.

:: Complete All-Star Game coverage ::

And yet … perhaps that's changing heading into the 89th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX). The National League holds a 101-85 Interleague edge this season, which, if it holds on, would be the first time since 2003 the NL would be the better side. Despite the top-heavy nature of the AL's top stars, a comparison of the full All-Star lineups (excluding injured players like Buster Posey and Gleyber Torres) shows a stunningly even group of stars.

NL hitters
7,364 PA
.294/.370/.513
.375 wOBA  
134 wRC+   
55.6 WAR

AL hitters
7,277 PA
.292/.370/.517    
.377 wOBA  
142 wRC+  
59.1 WAR

It's nearly as tight on the pitching end.

NL pitchers
1,045 2/3 innings    
2.43 ERA
2.80 FIP   
30.3 percent strikeout rate

AL pitchers
1,159 1/3 innings 
2.65 ERA
2.90 FIP   
31.2 percent strikeout rate

So which league actually does have the edge? Let's break it down position by position.

Catcher
NL: Willson Contreras, J.T. Realmuto, Yadier Molina
AL: Salvador Perez, Yan Gomes

Video: Realmuto to represent Marlins at 2018 All-Star Game

This was always going to be an enormous landslide in favor of the NL, because there's been one AL catcher -- starter Wilson Ramos (.297./346/.488) -- having what you might call an above-average season. Then Ramos injured his hamstring and had to be replaced by Gomes (.247/.306/.437), pushing Perez and his very weak .221/.259/.394 line into the starter's role. While Perez is better than that, this one's even more of a blowout than it was before, even with the NL losing Posey to an injury of his own.

Realmuto isn't just here to rep the Marlins, because he's hitting (.310/.365/.536) and may actually be the best all-around catcher in the Majors this season. Throw in another quality year from Contreras (.279/.369/.449) and the fact that Molina somehow has the third-most homers of any catcher, and this is a very easy call. Perhaps the easiest you could imagine.

Big advantage: NL

First base
NL: Freddie Freeman, Joey Votto, Jesus Aguilar, Paul Goldschmidt
AL: Jose Abreu, Mitch Moreland

Here's how stacked the NL first-base collection is: Brandon Belt, Max Muncy, Matt Carpenter, Cody Bellinger and Jose Martinez combined are hitting .272/.369/.510 -- which is basically the same as Matt Kemp -- and none of them made the team. It's that deep.

Here's how much of a mess the AL first-base collection is: As a group, AL first basemen are having their worst season in 70 years. Remember when this was the domain of Miguel Cabrera, Edwin Encarnacion, Prince Fielder and the good version of Chris Davis? It seems like so long ago.

Big advantage: NL

Second base
NL: Javier Baez, Scooter Gennett, Ozzie Albies
AL: Jose Altuve, Jed Lowrie

Video: CWS@HOU: Altuve crushes solo home run to left-center

Altuve is the biggest name here, understandably; he's the defending AL MVP Award winner, he's been the best second baseman in the game for the past half-decade and he's having another great year (.332/.394/.470). But this position is closer than you think, and it's not because the NL has one additional player. It's because the breakout power seasons from all three players, especially Gennett, gives this trio a 51-point slugging advantage, .537 to .486. Then again, the AL pair has a 39-point OBP advantage, so in the end, their production is about the same. The presence of Altuve tilts this to the AL, but it's not by much.

Small advantage: AL

Shortstop
NL: Brandon Crawford, Trevor Story
AL: Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, Jean Segura

This is sort of like the first-base situation, just in reverse. While Crawford has had a nice rebound (.292/.363/.462) from a down 2017, and Story has had a strong all-around campaign, it hasn't been the strongest year for NL shortstops, in part due to Corey Seager's elbow surgery.

Meanwhile, AL shortstops may be having their best hitting season in history, to the point that Andrelton Simmons, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Didi Gregorius are all on the outside looking in. It's not even that Crawford and Story aren't good, because they are. They're just up against Hall of Famers over here.

Big advantage: AL

Third base
NL: Nolan Arenado, Eugenio Suarez
AL: Jose Ramirez, Alex Bregman

Video: ARI@COL: Arenado leaps to snag a sharp line drive

Third base on both sides shows the depth here, because Kris Bryant, Matt Chapman and Anthony Rendon, among others, all didn't get in. Here's how unbelievable this group is: Suarez is hitting .312/.399/.574, his second straight very good season, and he may be the weak link of this group.

That's a little unfair to him, but it shows you the strength here, in part because Ramirez may legitimately be the best non-Trout player in baseball. Arenado lights up the defensive highlight reels every night, and you might have noticed that Bregman, still only 24, is in the midst of a breakout year. (He's almost certainly going to have the best season ever by a Houston third baseman.)

There's not a lot of difference here, but the combo of Ramirez/Bregman gives the AL a small edge.

Small advantage: AL

(For the outfield, we'll have to make our best guesses as to where the reserves will play, since some will have to move out of their primary positions.)

Left field
NL: Kemp, Christian Yelich
AL: Aaron Judge, Michael Brantley

Judge (.276/.392/.544 ) is the best player in this group, and it's not even really particularly close; he's got a 17-point lead in slugging over Kemp and a 28-point lead in OBP over Yelich. That alone gives the AL an advantage, though Kemp's breakout season and Yelich's solid all-around game at least make it close. Still, Judge has more than backed up his fantastic debut with a strong sophomore campaign, giving the AL the edge here.

Advantage: AL

Center field
NL: Bryce Harper, Charlie Blackmon
AL: Mike Trout, George Springer

Video: WSH@NYM: Harper hangs on for a snow-cone catch

When in doubt, go with the best player of his generation having the best season of his career, so we'll have Trout (.310/.454/.606) carrying yet another group. This is actually somewhat of an odd quartet, because Harper's struggles have been well documented and neither Blackmon nor Springer are having particularly great seasons, at least by their standards. Going up against Trout was always going to put the NL at a disadvantage, and they haven't done enough to overcome that.

Advantage: AL

Right field
NL: Nick Markakis, Lorenzo Cain
AL: Mookie Betts, Mitch Haniger, Shin-Soo Choo

There's five good stories here, but the most important one is this: Betts, hitting .359/.448/.691 with his usual fantastic defense, is on the very short list of players battling to be "the best player in baseball behind Trout." (It's probably just Betts and Ramirez, really.) If not for the abdominal strain that cost him time in June, he might be atop the WAR leaderboards; as it is, he's actually outhitting the Angels' star right now.

While Markakis' unexpected career season (.323/.389/.488) has been a huge part of Atlanta's success, Cain has quietly been one of the best players in baseball this year, as his above-average glove and 18 steals, to go with a .293/.393/.427 line, puts him in 10th in WAR. (Though he's a center fielder, we're assuming he enters in right, since Yelich has more experience in left and Cain played 157 games in right over the years in Kansas City.) 

It's close here, really, but the AL has a nearly 100-point advantage in slugging, and this is the Mookie show anyway.

Small advantage: AL

Designated hitter
NL: Unclear. Maybe Aguilar?
AL: J.D. Martinez, Nelson Cruz

Video: TOR@BOS: Martinez belts a solo home run to left

This one is a little unfair, simply because we don't know who the NL will roll out here. Aguilar seems like a decent guess, just because the NL has four first basemen to find playing time for. (Perhaps Molina or Realmuto appears here, too, since they have three catchers to the AL's two.)

Then again, it hardly matters. Martinez (.328/.393/.644) has legitimately been one of the most elite hitters in baseball this year, tied with Ramirez for the most homers in the game, at 29. Cruz, meanwhile (.267/.363/.538) is having the same strong campaign he has every year.

Advantage: AL

Pitchers

Starters
NL: Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Ross Stripling, Patrick Corbin, Zack Greinke, Aaron Nola, Mike Foltynewicz
AL: Chris Sale, Luis Severino, Blake Snell, Trevor Bauer, Jose Berrios, Gerrit Cole, J.A. Happ, Charlie Morton

Relievers
NL: Josh Hader, Kenley Jansen, Brad Hand, Jeremy Jeffress, Felipe Vazquez
AL: Edwin Diaz, Craig Kimbrel, Blake Treinen, Joe Jimenez

The thing is, there's not much to separate the sides here, as we showed above -- the numbers are so similar. Over the course of a full season, you'd probably take the AL's starters, perhaps, just because of depth, but are you really going to argue against the idea of going Scherzer to deGrom to Nola and eventually ending with Hader and Jansen in a one-game scenario? Probably not.

There's not really a meaningful difference here, so why try to make one? Both sides are dominating.

Advantage: Push

When it comes to the fluid trade market for Manny Machado, momentum has been shifting daily -- even hourly. Keep it here to stay up to date.

• The latest news? It's big. Machado reportedly is expected to be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The Baltimore Orioles' star shortstop will be moved the day after the Midsummer Classic barring a "last-minute snag," Nightengale writes, citing a baseball official with direct knowledge of the deal.

• A report earlier Tuesday morning had the Dodgers as the "leading contender" for Machado, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman in a story for Fancred Sports.

Tweet from @JonHeyman: Breaking; The Dodgers appear to be the leading contender for superstar Manny Machado as talks head toward the finish line. The situation is fluid and brewers and phillies may still have an outside chance. Barring turnabout, deal should be done this week. Story comin on @Fancred

Tweet from @JonHeyman: The Machado situation is still fluid, and d-backs are also said to have outside chance, along with brewers and phillies. But LA leads.

• Heyman previously reported that Machado will represent the Orioles during Tuesday's All-Star Game. However, that could very well be his final game in an Orioles uniform. In fact, MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli reports that "it would be a major upset" if Machado starts the second half with the O's. While the club may not want news to break around the Midsummer Classic, that doesn't mean it won't.

• Discussions reportedly have advanced to the point where Baltimore has the structure of a deal in place and is reviewing medicals of the players involved, as ESPN's Buster Olney reports.

Tweet from @Buster_ESPN: Sources: The Orioles have structure of a deal in place, and are going through the medicals/paperwork portion of the transaction. Dodgers have been very invested in their pursuit of Machado, as have the Phillies and other teams, but this in not finished yet.

• Might one of those players be Dodgers outfield prospect Yusniel Diaz? "Baltimore is prioritizing pitching but has also shown interest in Diaz," a source tells MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.

Heyman reports Diaz is, indeed, included in the Dodgers' proposal to the O's.

Tweet from @JonHeyman: Sources: top OF prospect yusniel diaz is indeed in the Dodgers��� Machado offer currently on table

The 21-year-old Diaz, who is ranked No. 4 in the Dodgers' system and No. 84 overall per MLB Pipeline, is hitting .314/.428/.477 at Double-A this season. He showcased his skill set in Sunday's SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game by crushing two homers, becoming just the second player to do so in the event's 20-year history.

Video: WLD@USA: Diaz clobbers 2-run jack, game-tying HR

• A Machado blockbuster is expected to be done by the end of this week, according to multiple reports, meaning there's still time for the other primary suitors to make a push, including the Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies, who appeared to be the favorites Monday night, MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi reported.

The Phillies seemingly gained ground once they indicated a willingness to include young right-hander Adonis Medina, who is their No. 2 prospect and No. 73 overall per MLB Pipeline. The Orioles are known to be seeking pitching as part of a return for Machado.

Video: Top Prospects: Adonis Medina, RHP, Phillies

The Dodgers may be leading the race for Machado at the moment, but the Phillies remain "aggressively motivated" in trade discussions, a source tells Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and "confidence remains high" within the Philadelphia organization that the team can land him.

Tweet from @ScottLauber: Nothing done yet, of course, but hearing #Phillies remain ���aggressively motivated��� in Machado talks, according to a source. Internally, confidence remains high that they can land him.

• Earlier Monday, Heyman reported that a Machado deal was "very close" and that the Yankees, who reportedly had made a "strong offer" last week, were out of the picture.

WASHINGTON -- How deep are the lineups for tonight's Midsummer Classic? Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper are batting sixth for their respective leagues.

Managers AJ Hinch and Dave Roberts unveiled their starting lineups for the 89th All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on Monday, though truthfully, they could have picked names out of a hat and been in pretty good shape.

:: Complete All-Star Game coverage ::

The same could have held true for each squad's starting pitcher.

Hinch chose Chris Sale of the Red Sox as his starting pitcher over the Yankees' Luis Severino and the Rays' Blake Snell, who are slated to follow Sale for the AL.

"There are a number of guys that I considered, but honestly, the proof is in the numbers, and he's the most consistent starter in the American League," Hinch said. "He's truly a special pitcher in this league and truly someone who deserves this honor."

Video: Chris Sale discusses being named the AL starter

Roberts countered with Max Scherzer of the hometown Nationals, who got the nod ahead of the Mets' Jacob deGrom. Hinch and Roberts confirmed that deGrom and Severino will pitch second for each league tonight.

"It's his city," Roberts said. "It's his ballpark. He's the right guy to take the baseball."

Video: Scherzer thrilled to be starting 2018 ASG at home

WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper walked up the first-base line, carrying his bat in both his hands and then tossing it into the air as his furious rally to win the T-Mobile Home Run Derby was complete on Monday night.

Harper swatted nine home runs in the last 50 seconds of the finals, including one at the horn, to tie Kyle Schwarber of the Cubs at 18, before launching the final home run in bonus time to send Nationals Park into a frenzy.

It was a historic Derby: The eight participants combined for 221 dingers -- the most in T-Mobile Home Run Derby history. Schwarber finished with 55 overall while Harper finished with 45.

:: Complete Home Run Derby coverage ::

Harper gave the 43,698 fans that packed into the ballpark the show they had so eagerly anticipated. They roared when he was introduced before the start of the Derby. Then again as he stepped to the plate and pointed to the D.C. flag bandanna around his head. As he started crushing the ball into the stands, Nationals Park became electric.

Video: Harper, father on winning Derby in front of home fans

"That's the kid you see out there tonight," Harper said as he got emotional at the podium after the event. "I was fortunate to share that and show that to the fans. That wasn't only for me and my family and everybody like that, but this is for the cook, the guy who that works the front and the people that work upstairs.

Video: HRD Rd3: Harper hits 9 HRs in final minute to tie it

"I mean, this is [for] the whole city of D.C. I was very fortunate to be able to bring this back to them and do it here."

• Bryce shows off amazing Home Run Derby style

With his father, Ron, pitching to him, Harper became just the third player to win the Home Run Derby in his home ballpark. He joined Todd Frazier for the Reds in 2015 and Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs in 1990, and Harper did so in front of a crowd he repeatedly called "incredible."

Video: HRD Rd3: Harper on winning HRD in front of home fans

It has been a while since Nationals fans have rallied behind Harper this passionately, and he received such mutual admiration and emotion from both sides. As the 89th All-Star Game arrives in D.C. with Harper at the center of it all, the conversation surrounding him usually begins at a first half not quite up to his usual standards followed by talks about his impending free agency this winter.

Tweet from @Nationals: How can you not be romantic about baseball? pic.twitter.com/oyWZJlyIY6

• Round-by-round recap of HR Derby

It also coincided with a more serious demeanor from Harper around the clubhouse and on the field, but it was evident how much fun Harper was having on Monday night as he created one of the most memorable moments in Nationals Park history.

Video: HRD Rd1: Harper downs Freeman in Round 1 with 13th HR

"It's unbelievable," Harper said. "I think just having the crowd out there and really feeding off them. We have some of the best fans in all of baseball, and to be able to do that with my family out there, that's an incredible moment, not only for me but for the organization and the Nationals fans. I'm very blessed and humbled."

• Harper forgot he won a Home Run Derby as an 11-year-old

Harper dispatched Freddie Freeman of the rival Braves and Max Muncy of the Dodgers in the first two rounds, each by the score of 13-12, before squaring off against Schwarber in the final round. Schwarber launched 18 home runs in the final round and Harper faced an uphill battle when he got off to a slow start, with just four homers at his first timeout with 2:38 left on the clock. Then, after a second timeout, Harper found a groove with his father.

Video: HRD Rd2: Harper belts 13 homers to advance to finals

"He flipped a switch," Nats left-hander Sean Doolittle said. "His swing, you could tell he was getting tired. He went somewhere else. That was unbelievable."

That ability to go "somewhere else" is what separates Harper and why despite his struggles in the first half he is still widely considered one of the top players in MLB. He belted 45 homers overall, including the second, third and fourth longest homers on the night. Fifteen of those home runs went at least 440 feet and 12 left his bat with an exit velocity of at least 110 mph, the most in the Derby.

Video: HRD Rd3: Harper crushes a pair of 470-ft. home runs

And with each Harper moonshot home run, the crowd grew louder in anticipation of the coming moment. His fellow All-Stars from the Nationals -- Doolittle, Max Scherzer and manager Dave Martinez -- all rallied behind him as well and Harper even got a pep talk from former Nats catcher Wilson Ramos, now of the Rays.

Tweet from @kschwarb12: What a show by @Bharper3407! @Nationals Park was rockin! Ran out of gas at the end but hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did! Thank you for the opportunity and see you in Chicago!

It was the perfect moment for the Nationals and Harper, a union that began when Harper was drafted at 17 years old, as he once again shined on a bright stage at his home ballpark.

Video: HRD Rd3: Harper rallies to win HRD with 19 home runs

"You could tell this was on his radar," Doolittle said. "He came here to win. He wasn't just having fun with the hometown crowd. I don't know, maybe the roll he got on tonight, that confidence you get from winning something like this in the way that he won it in front of the hometown fans. … I mean, yeah it's a silly competition, but at the end of the day, that could be something that really jump-starts a guy."

As the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches, we'll keep you up to date with the latest news, buzz, rumors and more.

Is there a new front-runner for Machado?
July 17: Blink and you might miss out on a Manny Machado rumor. The latest as of Tuesday morning has the Dodgers as the "leading contender," according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman in a story for Fancred Sports.

Talks reportedly have advanced to the point where Baltimore has the structure of a trade in place and is going through medicals of players involved, as ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted.

Tweet from @Buster_ESPN: Sources: The Orioles have structure of a deal in place, and are going through the medicals/paperwork portion of the transaction. Dodgers have been very invested in their pursuit of Machado, as have the Phillies and other teams, but this in not finished yet.

While the Dodgers now appear to be in the lead, other suitors remain in the mix, including the Brewers and Phillies, who seemed to move to the front of the pack Monday night when they indicated they were willing to include right-handed pitching prospect Adonis Medina in a deal, per a report from MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.

Though Machado is set to represent the O's in Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli was told it would be a "major upset" if he is still with the club when the regular season resumes after the All-Star break, and USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports via Twitter that a Machado deal is expected to come Wednesday, "barring a last-minute snag." More >

Video: O'Dowd, Nelson discuss the Manny Machado sweepstakes

Phillies interested in Happ, not currently pursuing Hamels
July 17: While they remain among the front-runners for Manny Machado and are also discussing Zach Britton with the Orioles, the Phillies have "definite interest" in veteran Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ as well, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. 

Though Happ, 35, has struggled of late (6.84 ERA over his past five starts), he was nevertheless selected to the American League All-Star team following a strong start to the season (3.48 ERA through June 13). The southpaw, who is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million contract with Toronto, was selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2004 MLB Draft.

The Phillies have also been connected to the Rangers' Cole Hamels, another lefty who began his career with Philadelphia, but Salisbury notes "there has been no evidence to date that the Phils are pursuing Hamels." The 34-year-old has a $20 million team option with a $6 million buyout for 2019.

Choo drawing little trade interest; Hamels, Beltre also lacking suitors
July 17: While the Rangers are expected to be Trade Deadline sellers, they may have trouble finding attractive deals for many of their key trade chips. Even Shin-Soo Choo, who entered the All-Star break on a 51-game on-base streak, is drawing little interest, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

Choo is owed $42 million over 2019-20 as well as the remainder of the $20 million on his deal for this season, and he also offers little defensive value, which may be why teams aren't lining up to deal for the 36-year-old.

Per Grant, the market is also tepid for starter Cole Hamels and third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Hamels has struggled some this season, allowing 21 homers in 109 1/3 innings (1.7 HR/9), and he won't come cheap. The left-hander is owed the remainder of the $23.5 million on his contract for 2018 ($2.5 million of which is being paid by the Phillies), and he has a $20 million team option with a $6 million buyout for '19.

Meanwhile, Beltre has been spending more time as the designated hitter due to injuries, and his OPS is just .739. There's also the question of whether he will consider waiving his full no-trade clause, which comes from him having 10-and-5 rights (10-plus years in the Majors, at least five with current team). The impending free agent reportedly would like to play with the Rangers in 2019 and may approve a trade only if it's the perfect situation.

O's also listening on Gausman, Bundy, Schoop?
July 17: In case you haven't noticed -- yeah, right -- most of the trade focus surrounding the Orioles has been on Manny Machado. But Baltimore has plenty of other assets that could be moved ahead of the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Lefty reliever Zach Britton and outfielder Adam Jones -- both free agents at the end of the 2018 season -- are chief among those names, but the club isn't limiting itself as it faces a rebuilding process. In fact, the O's reportedly are listening to offers on right-handed starters Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, along with second baseman Jonathan Schoop, MLB Network insider Joel Sherman notes in a New York Post story.

"I think their goal is to trade their walk-year guys, Machado, Britton, [Brad] Brach and Adam Jones, but they are not hanging up the phone if you ask on Gausman, Bundy or Schoop," a baseball executive told Sherman.

Given the O's desire to address their pitching, it would be surprising to see them deal either Gausman, who is 27 and under club control through 2020, or Bundy, a 25-year-old who won't reach free agency until after the 2021 season. Schoop, on the other hand, is due to hit the open market following the 2019 campaign, although his disappointing season so far (.229/.263/.389) means the club would be selling low on a 26-year-old who was an All-Star a year ago.

Britton's market picking up; Cubs among interested clubs
July 16: While the Cubs ended the first half with the National League's best record (55-38) and the fourth-best bullpen ERA (3.10) in the Majors, they are among the eight teams talking to the Orioles about closer Zach Britton, an industry source told Bruce Levine of Chicago radio station 670 The Score.

The Cubs also have Padres closer Brad Hand on their wish list, per Levine, though Hand will cost far more than Britton, who is set to become a free agent at the end of this season. Hand, meanwhile, is signed through 2020 with a $10 million team option for 2021.

There has been rejuvenated interest of late in Britton, who has made 15 appearances for the Orioles this season after returning from offseason surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles. Though he got off to a rough start, Britton has not given up a run over his past seven outings (seven innings) while showing a dramatic increase in velocity.

The Orioles would prefer to trade Britton and Manny Machado in separate deals, according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal for FOX Sports. Rosenthal reports Baltimore feels the return for the pair would be greater if they weren't packaged together -- for example, the Astros have been interested in Britton, but are not in the market for a shortstop/third baseman.

Tweet from @MLBONFOX: "The Orioles would prefer to separate Zach Britton from Manny Machado, believing the overall return would be greater if they were traded individually"- @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/fcv9rn1omw

The Phillies have also been linked to Britton, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports the Red Sox "are being tied" to the southpaw as well.

Video: Heyman talks latest Machado, Britton, Happ rumors

Padres getting calls on Ross, Yates, Hand
July 16: Brad Hand isn't the only Padres pitcher to be highly coveted by contending clubs. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports San Diego has been "getting a lot of hits" on starter Tyson Ross and several relievers, including Hand and Kirby Yates. Sherman notes the Yankees are among the teams that have checked in with the Padres.

Ross, who can become a free agent at the end of this season, has posted a 4.32 ERA in 2018, though he had a much more impressive 3.32 mark through the end of June before allowing 15 runs over his first two starts of July.

Hand, 28, is among the best relievers in baseball, as he has posted a 2.66 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and an 11.8 K/9 rate since the outset of 2016. In exchange for the two-time All-Star, who is signed through 2020 with a $10 million team option for 2021, the Padres are believed to be asking for a package similar to those the Yankees got for Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller in two separate deals during 2016.

The Cubs also reportedly have Hand on their wish list, according to Bruce Levine of Chicago radio station 670 The Score.

Yates, meanwhile, has quietly recorded a 1.47 ERA with a 0.90 WHIP and an 11.5 K/9 rate this season. The 31-year-old is controllable through 2020.

Rosenthal: 'Almost no doubt' Dodgers will add reliever
July 16: The Dodgers are expected to be a major player in the relief pitching market before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, as MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal noted in a Twitter Q&A session for FOX Sports.

The Dodgers are seeking a bullpen arm who can pitch the eighth inning and also spell closer Kenley Jansen from time to time, according to Rosenthal, who said "there's almost no doubt" the club will trade for a reliever.

Tweet from @MLBONFOX: .@kryptonic05 #AskKen pic.twitter.com/y7foYiKfyU

Los Angeles leaned heavily on Brandon Morrow during the 2017 postseason as a setup man for Jansen, but Morrow signed with the Cubs in the offseason.

Though Josh Fields, Tony Cingrani and Pedro Baez have had solid campaigns, all three are on the disabled list with arm injuries, and none is on the level of someone such as Zach Britton, Raisel Iglesias, Jeurys Familia or Kyle Barraclough.

Will Archer be traded?
July 16: The Rays face an interesting decision with Chris Archer, whose name has been floated among trade rumors for years. On one hand, they have a young core that has them above .500 and looks promising going forward, especially if Archer is a part of it. On the other, Tampa Bay could take advantage of a weak market for starters and put Archer in play.

"Given the state of the starting pitching market, the incentive for [the Rays] to move him might never be higher," MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal suggested in a Twitter question-and-answer session on @MLBONFOX.

Tweet from @MLBONFOX: .@jboy819 #AskKen pic.twitter.com/Gm4QrCgP7Y

That said, Archer just came off the DL a week ago for a left abdominal strain that cost him more than a month of action and his performance so far this season has been somewhat inconsistent (4.29 ERA, 1.38 WHIP). In other words, making Archer available now might be undercutting his full value.

As a 29-year-old making $6.25 million this year and under contract for $7.5 million next year with club options for 2020 ($9M) and 2021 ($11M), Archer would be appealing to just about any club looking for rotation help -- not just 2018 contenders. His team-friendly contract also allows the cost-conscious Rays to be patient with their prized right-hander.

Amid trade rumors, deGrom addresses his future
July 16: As Jacob deGrom continues to be at the center of trade speculation, the All-Star right-hander made it clear he's open to staying with the Mets long term.

deGrom's agent Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA Sports initially suggested Monday that the Mets might consider trading their ace sooner than later if they don't plan to offer him a contract extension, according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal.

Tweet from @Ken_Rosenthal: More from Van Wagenen: ���If the Mets don���t share same interest, we believe their best course of action is to seriously consider trade opportunities now.The inertia of current situation could complicate Jacob���s relationship with the club and creates an atmosphere of indecision.���

The 30-year-old deGrom, who leads MLB with a 1.68 ERA and is under club control through 2020, responded to questions at All-Star media day in Washington, D.C., by stating: "We've said multiple times that we're open to talking [about an] extension. It's kind of up to [the Mets] what they want to do." More >

Video: deGrom on his future with the Mets, trade rumors

Astros might stand pat at Trade Deadline
July 16: The Astros have reportedly discussed dealing for a catcher and a reliever, but there's a chance they won't make any major moves before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal in a Twitter Q&A session for FOX Sports.

Tweet from @MLBONFOX: .@nnickk22 #AskKen pic.twitter.com/4gWhpCLIMM

With backstop Brian McCann (right knee surgery) expected to return by September and Max Stassi providing solid production (.792 OPS), Rosenthal notes the Astros are more likely to get a reliever than a catcher.

Per Rosenthal, Houston is seeking someone who can be a "true difference-maker" in the bullpen, such as Zach Britton, Brad Hand or Raisel Iglesias.

But with the ability to shift either Lance McCullers Jr. or Charlie Morton to the 'pen during the postseason, as they did last year when they won the World Series, the Astros may not feel a sense of urgency to add a big-name reliever.

Braves not expected to pursue big-name rentals
July 16: The Braves have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2018 season, unexpectedly putting the team in the "buyer" category as executive vice president and general manager Alex Anthopoulos prepares for his first Trade Deadline at the helm. But judging by Anthopoulos' comments in a two-part Q&A with Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves aren't planning to mortgage their bright future for a short-term boost.

"We would prefer not to go after rentals unless the acquisition cost just makes so much sense for us," Anthopoulos said. "There's a lot of pain that has gone into putting together this young talent. We're not ready to throw that all away just because of one season."

• MLB Pipeline: Braves Top 30 prospects

Earlier this month, the Braves were mentioned among the contenders for Orioles shortstop Manny Machado, but they appear to have fallen out of the race as the Dodgers, Phillies and Brewers are reportedly leading. Atlanta has also been connected to Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas. Both players can become free agents after this season.

One area Anthopoulos could look to address is the bullpen, especially with closer Arodys Vizcaino going back on the DL on Saturday with right shoulder inflammation. The Braves entered the All-Star break with the 19th-best bullpen ERA in the Majors (4.24), and many of their key relievers are inexperienced. However, Atlanta could have limited options if free-agents-to-be such as the Orioles' Zach Britton and the Mets' Jeurys Familia are off the table. More >

Angels unlikely to deal Skaggs or Heaney
July 16: With a 49-48 record at the end of the first half, the Angels remain on the fringe of postseason contention, but they are nine games out of an AL Wild Card spot. That has sparked speculation that the club might consider selling by the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, with southpaw starters Tyler Skaggs and Andrew Heaney mentioned as potential pieces.

That no longer appears to be the case, however, as MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal reports via Twitter.

Tweet from @Ken_Rosenthal: #Angels have no interest in trading Heaney or Skaggs, per source - team needs them to compete in ���19. As I said Saturday, LAA drawing interest in controllable relievers - Parker, Alvarez, Bedrosian, Anderson. Open on any of them, but will want good returns to give up control.

With superstar Mike Trout smack in the middle of his prime and under contract through 2020, the Angels want to win in this window while they can. Both Skaggs (through '20) and Heaney (through '21) are under club control beyond this season, meaning they can be a part of that direction.

It had previously been reported by MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi that the Yankees have recently been scouting Angels games with eyes on Skaggs and Heaney, in particular.

Nationals could 'revisit' Realmuto trade discussions
July 15: The Nationals were believed to have moved on from Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto due to Miami's lofty asking price, but league sources say that Washington could "revisit" its pursuit of the backstop, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman in an article for Fancred Sports.

Some think the Nats might consider including top prospect Victor Robles (No. 5 overall, per MLB Pipeline) in a package for Realmuto, who will start at catcher for the National League in Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by Mastercard.

Per Heyman, the Marlins have long sought Robles and/or infielder Carter Kieboom (Washington's No. 2 prospect, No. 62 overall) from the Nationals, who discussed Realmuto with Miami in the offseason and reached out again several weeks ago but have been unwilling to include the aforementioned prospects to this point.

The Nationals have also been connected to Rays catcher Wilson Ramos, who played in Washington from 2010-16, but Ramos suffered a left hamstring injury Saturday and will miss the All-Star Game.

• Listen: Mark Feinsand joins the Morning Lineup Podcast to discuss latest rumors

Are Pirates still on track to sell at Trade Deadline?
July 16: The Pirates were seemingly en route to be Trade Deadline sellers just over a week ago, but the club has ripped off an 8-1 stretch -- including a five-game sweep over the Brewers -- to potentially change its plans.

As Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes, general manager Neal Huntington said before this past week that a 4-4 record in the next eight games wouldn't be enough to convince him to keep the team together beyond the Trade Deadline. But Pittsburgh's red-hot run has put pressure on Huntington to hold off on a major teardown.

True, the Bucs are still only 48-49, putting them in fourth place in the National League Central, and their financial resources remain limited, so it's unlikely they'll significantly add to the roster between now and July 31.

But if Pittsburgh continues to play well coming out of the All-Star break, the onus will be on Huntington to keep veterans such as Jordy Mercer, Corey Dickerson, Ivan Nova, David Freese and Josh Harrison past July 31. The Pirates are also without one of their most valuable trade chips, as catcher Francisco Cervelli returned to the 7-day disabled list Saturday with recurring concussion symptoms.

Cardinals could sell if struggles continue after All-Star break
July 15: The Cardinals picked up a win in their final game before the All-Star break after dismissing manager Mike Matheny on Saturday, but if their recent struggles continue to begin the second half, the expectation is that St. Louis will "seriously consider selling," according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

And if that happens, the Cardinals could shake up the starting pitcher market in a big way by making right-hander Carlos Martinez available.

As Sherman notes, St. Louis' strength is young arms, so the club could use Martinez to address other problems on the roster. Per Sherman, outside executives believe the Cardinals can get peak value for Martinez in a market lacking an ace. The 26-year-old is in the second year of a five-year, $51 million contract with team options for 2022 ($17 million) and 2023 ($18 million).

The Cardinals will enter the All-Star break with a 48-46 record, 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Cubs in the National League Central (five games behind the second-placed Brewers) and four games out in the NL Wild Card race. They'll open the second half with eight games on the road, including five at Wrigley Field.

Red Sox, Braves interested in Moose
July 15: The trade market for impending free agent Mike Moustakas is developing, with the Red Sox and Braves among the teams interested in acquiring him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick via Twitter.

Tweet from @jcrasnick: The #RedSox and #Braves are both interested in Mike Moustakas as a trade deadline acquisition, sources say. The #Yankees have already been mentioned as a potential landing spot. There's enough of a market for Moose that it's more likely than not the Royals deal him this month.

However, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand notes in a tweet that the Royals may need to wait to trade Moustakas until after Orioles shortstop Manny Machado is dealt.

Tweet from @Feinsand: According to a source, the Royals are trying to find a match for a Mike Moustakas deal, but it appears KC will have to wait until Manny Machado gets dealt first. Manny could be the domino that starts a number of things in motion.

Kansas City could see the list of Moustakas suitors grow once Machado is moved, as some of the clubs that are pursuing the All-Star shortstop may turn their attention to the Royals third baseman if they miss out on Machado.

It's unclear what Boston's interest in Moustakas means for Rafael Devers, who is on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. Devers, 21, has recorded an underwhelming .715 OPS this season compared to Moustakas' .772 mark.

The Braves have received better-than-expected production from Johan Camargo at the hot corner, though the 24-year-old has posted a .385 OPS with 10 strikeouts in his past nine games.

The Yankees have also been linked to Moustakas, though they were reportedly interested in him to play first base rather than third. Greg Bird has solidified first base for New York lately by producing five homers, 15 RBIs and a .922 OPS over his past 14 games.

Video: Slugger Moustakas delivering at the plate, in field

Could Reds move Gennett?
July 15: Scooter Gennett has made it known that he wants to remain with the Reds -- and based on his conversations with the front office, shared in an MLB.com exclusive, he expects to remain with the club past the Deadline -- but the two sides haven't spoken much about a contract extension, according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal for FOX Sports.

Gennett -- a first-time All-Star this season -- has emerged as a surprising force in Cincinnati's lineup after being claimed off waivers from the Brewers in March 2017, batting .309/.356/.529 with 43 homers and 159 RBIs in 232 games in a Reds uniform.

Gennett is in the midst of a career year, and the Reds could look to sell high on the 28-year-old, who is under team control for one more season. Entering Sunday, the left-handed slugger led the National League at his position in batting average and OPS while ranking second in RBIs and fourth in runs and homers.

Cincinnati has infielder Nick Senzel -- the No. 4 prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline -- waiting in the wings, giving the team some incentive to move Gennett, especially if it meant upgrading a pitching staff that currently ranks 13th in the NL with a 4.67 ERA. However, Senzel would be unable to provide immediate help, considering he underwent season-ending surgery in late June to repair a torn tendon in his right index finger.

Video: Scooter Gennett continues to amaze in 2018

Olney: NL teams at 'forefront' of Familia trade talks
July 15: With all the talk surrounding Mets starters Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler, closer Jeurys Familia has flown under the radar. But Familia remains one of the best relievers available, and ESPN's Buster Olney reports via Twitter that a number of National League teams "appear to be at the forefront" of trade discussions for the impending free agent.

Olney mentions the Phillies and Giants as two of the clubs that are interested, though he notes Philadelphia may wait until its talks with the Orioles regarding Manny Machado and Zach Britton are resolved before honing in on Familia. The Braves, Cubs and Dodgers are also among the NL contenders that could use help in the bullpen. As for clubs in the AL, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports the Red Soxhave inquired about Familia. 

Tweet from @Buster_ESPN: NL teams appear to be at the forefront of the talks about the Mets' Jeurys Familia, who is among the best available relievers. Phillies interested (although they may wait until Britton/Machado talks resolved), Giants, etc.

Familia is peaking at the right time, tossing seven straight scoreless appearances with one hit allowed to open July after posting a 6.94 ERA with a 2.31 WHIP from May 23 through the end of June.

Twins open to trading Odorizzi, Gibson
July 15: The Twins' rotation could look strikingly different after the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, as the club is reportedly willing to trade a number of its veteran starters.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Minnesota is said to be open to dealing Kyle Gibson and Jake Odorizzi, who are both controllable through 2019.

Gibson, 30, is having a career year, as his 3.42 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 8.9 K/9 rate would all be personal bests. Odorizzi, 28, owns an unimpressive 4.54 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP, but he's striking out more than a batter per inning (9.4 K/9) and has been a solid mid-rotation option over the past five seasons (3.91 ERA, 1.25 WHIP).

Lance Lynn is another obvious trade candidate, as he can become a free agent at the end of this season. After struggling in his first eight starts (7.47 ERA), Lynn has posted a 3.67 ERA over his past 10 outings.

And though Ervin Santana has yet to pitch in the Majors in 2018 after undergoing finger surgery in February, he's currently on a rehab assignment and was an All-Star last year. With a $14 million team option and a $1 million buyout for '19, Santana could be a reasonable trade target for a rotation-needy club if he proves to be healthy before July 31.

Will Mariners trade for rotation help?
July 15: Though the Mariners haven't made the postseason since 2001, rank 15th in the Majors in rotation ERA (4.09) and currently have both James Paxton and Felix Hernandez on the disabled list, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times writes that the Mariners' rotation isn't "a lock to be upgraded at the Trade Deadline."

Per Divish, Erasmo Ramirez's impending return from a strained teres major muscle in his right shoulder makes it unlikely Seattle will trade for a "replacement-level starting pitcher," as Ramirez can fill that role.

General manager Jerry Dipoto may look to swing a deal if it considerably improves the rotation, but as Divish points out, Seattle might not have the prospects to acquire a front-of-the-rotation starter such as the Rays' Chris Archer.

The Mariners have been linked to the Rangers' Cole Hamels, but according to Divish, sources say Seattle's interest in the left-hander was "greatly overplayed."

Divish also notes that some people in the Mariners ownership group and upper-level management aren't in favor of trading for rental players, which could potentially rule out free-agent-to-be J.A. Happ, another pitcher who has been connected to Seattle.

D-backs seeking starting pitcher
July 15: The D-backs are in the market for a starting pitcher, according to reporter Robert Murray, recently of FanRag sports. Arizona's starting rotation, which entered Sunday ranked ninth in the National League with a 4.09 ERA, currently consists of Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray, Patrick Corbin and Zack Godley. The No. 5 slot is open for now, with Clay Buchholz (strained left oblique) and Shelby Miller (right elbow inflammation) on the disabled list.

Greinke and Corbin have provided the D-backs with an excellent one-two punch -- entering Sunday with a combined 3.14 ERA in 39 starts -- but both Godley (4.61 ERA) and Ray (5.03 ERA) have struggled in 2018 after strong '17 campaigns.

There are several viable starters likely to be available leading up to the Deadline, including the Rangers' Cole Hamels and the Blue Jays' J.A. Happ, or Arizona could choose to make a bigger splash by acquiring an ace like the Mets' Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard.

On Tuesday, the brightest stars from across the Major Leagues will be gathered in one place at Nationals Park for the 89th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard (7:30 p.m ET, FOX).

The American League and National League All-Star teams are a Who's Who of the best players in baseball. So before they all take the field for the Midsummer Classic, MLB.com is breaking down both rosters with one cool fact for every 2018 All-Star.

Players marked with a * are inactive for the game

:: Complete All-Star Game coverage ::

STARTERS

American League

C: Wilson Ramos, Rays *
Fan-elected starter; replaced by Salvador Perez
Ramos has been behind the plate for three no-hitters, all with the Nationals -- Jordan Zimmermann's in 2014 and Max Scherzer's two in '15. That puts Ramos one shy of the MLB record of four no-hitters caught, shared by Carlos Ruiz and Jason Varitek.

C: Salvador Perez, Royals
Perez will make his fifth straight All-Star Game start behind the plate for the AL. The only Royals player with more consecutive All-Star starts than Salvy is Hall of Famer George Brett, with nine.

1B: Jose Abreu, White Sox
Abreu ranks seventh in the Majors in games played (707) since his career began in 2014. Only 10 players in MLB history hit more home runs over their first four MLB seasons than Abreu, who knocked 124 from 2014-17.

Video: KC@CWS: Abreu's 451-foot HR leaves bat at 110.6 mph

2B: Jose Altuve, Astros
If he reaches the 200-hit mark this year, Altuve would become just the sixth player since 1901 to do that in five consecutive seasons, and the fourth in the past 80 years -- joining Ichiro Suzuki, Wade Boggs and Michael Young. If Altuve holds on to the AL lead in hits, he would join Ichiro as the only players to lead either the AL or NL in that category five times in a row.

3B: Jose Ramirez, Indians
Ramirez is tied for the Major League lead with 29 home runs at the All-Star break -- the third-most for a third baseman at the break behind Matt Williams in 1994 (33) and Mike Schmidt in '79 (31). Ramirez and Francisco Lindor, who has 25 homers, are the first pair of teammates aged 25 or younger with 25-plus homers in the first half of a season in MLB history.

Video: NYY@CLE: Ramirez belts his 29th homer of the season

SS: Manny Machado, Orioles
Machado led MLB with three walk-off home runs in 2017, becoming the third player to smack a walk-off grand slam to cap off a three-homer game when he accomplished that feat against the Angels on Aug. 18. Machado is one of two players, along with the Mets' Wilmer Flores, to have four walk-off homers since the beginning of '15.

OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
Betts is already one of just 17 players to have four or more three-homer games in his career. With his fourth (and second of the year) on May 2 against the Royals, Betts broke a tie with Ted Williams for the most in Red Sox history. He's also the first player in MLB history to have four three-homer performances before turning 26.

Video: Must C Crushed: Betts concludes 13-pitch AB with slam

OF: Aaron Judge, Yankees
En route to setting the MLB rookie record with 52 home runs last season, Judge hit the hardest homer ever tracked by Statcast™ on June 10 against the Orioles, a 121.1-mph missile at Yankee Stadium. In fact, Judge owns five of the 10 hardest homers since 2015 -- with teammate Giancarlo Stanton occupying the other five.

OF: Mike Trout, Angels
Trout's 61.0 career Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.com, puts him in rare territory. Trout is on the verge of passing Mickey Mantle (61.4) and Ty Cobb (63.4) for the highest WAR in baseball history by a position player through his age-26 season.

Video: Trout bats .300, clubs 2 doubles last week

DH: J.D. Martinez, Red Sox
Martinez's 29 home runs at the break give him a share of the MLB lead. The key for J.D. is his opposite-field power. Martinez's 13 opposite-field home runs this year are the most in the Majors, and his 53 since the beginning of 2015 are 18 more than second-place Joey Votto.

National League

C: Willson Contreras, Cubs
Contreras crushed a 491-foot home run at Wrigley Field in Game 4 of the 2017 NL Championship Series against the Dodgers, the longest home run in postseason play since Statcast™ began tracking in '15. It's also tied for the eighth-longest home run overall in MLB since '15, regular season or playoffs.

Video: 3 Cubs named to 2018 NL All-Star team

1B: Freddie Freeman, Braves
Freeman enters the All-Star break with a .315/.405/.533 slash line, his third straight season in the .300/.400/.500 club. Freeman and Trout are the only qualified hitters in baseball with a batting average of at least .300, on-base percentage of at least .400 and slugging percentage of at least .500 in each of the past three seasons.

2B: Javier Baez, Cubs
No stranger to daring plays, Baez stole home for the fourth time in his career (regular-season only) on July 4 against the Tigers. That ties him with Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg for the most by any Cubs player on record since 1974. But Baez also stole home in Game 1 of the 2016 NLCS, becoming the first Cub to swipe home plate in postseason play since Jimmy Slagle in Game 4 of the 1907 World Series.

3B: Nolan Arenado, Rockies
Arenado finished the 2017 season with 130 RBIs, marking the third consecutive season in which he drove in at least 130 runs. In doing so, Arenado became only the 11th player to reach that RBI plateau in three straight years -- and the first since Ryan Howard did so in four straight seasons from 2006-09.

SS: Brandon Crawford, Giants
The ever-steady Crawford collected his third consecutive Gold Glove Award at shortstop last fall. If he wins again this year, he'd become the first MLB shortstop to win at least four straight Gold Gloves since Omar Vizquel (nine straight from 1993-2001) and the first NL shortstop since Ozzie Smith (13 straight from 1980-92).

Video: Crawford, Posey earn spots in 2018 All-Star Game

OF: Nick Markakis, Braves
Markakis, 34, became the embodiment of the adage "better late than never" this month, when he was named to his first All-Star Game after playing in 1,928 regular-season games. Markakis' selection ended the longest wait by games played of any Major Leaguer in history prior to his first invitation to the Midsummer Classic.

OF: Matt Kemp, Dodgers
A clear front-runner for the NL's Comeback Player of the Year Award, Kemp is set to make his first All-Star Game start since 2011 -- the year he finished runner-up in the NL MVP Award vote. The last player to go at least seven years between starts in the Midsummer Classic was Aramis Ramirez, who went nine years between starts from 2005-14.

OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals
Washington's hometown superstar became the youngest player to be selected to an All-Star Game when he earned the nod at age 19 in 2012. Three seasons later, Harper became the youngest player to ever unanimously win an MVP award.

Video: WSH@NYM: Harper drives a 2-run homer to right field

PITCHERS

American League

RHP: Trevor Bauer, Indians
Bauer has reached the 100-pitch mark in all 20 of his starts this season. No other pitcher has done that more than 17 times (Scherzer). Those pitches are going to good use. Bauer has eight games with 10 or more strikeouts; only Scherzer and Chris Sale have more.

RHP: Jose Berrios, Twins
Berrios has made an MLB-high six starts this season in which he's completed at least seven innings while allowing no more than three hits. He's also one of just three pitchers with multiple complete games (including one shutout), along with James Paxton and Carlos Carrasco.

Video: KC@MIN: Berrios K's 8, goes 7 innings of 1-run ball

LHP: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees *
Since the start of 2015, Chapman has thrown 1,541 pitches of 100 mph or faster. That's nearly 1,200 more than any other pitcher and represents roughly one-third of the MLB total during that time. He's one of only two pitchers, along with Jordan Hicks, to break the 105-mph mark.

RHP: Gerrit Cole, Astros
Cole has made six starts this season in which he has struck out at least 10 batters. He had six such outings total with the Pirates from 2013-17. Cole's 177 strikeouts are by far his highest career first-half total -- his previous high was 116 in his All-Star '15 season.

Video: DET@HOU: Cole strikes out 8, records 10th win of year

RHP: Edwin Diaz, Mariners
Diaz has piled up an incredible 36 saves, two more than he had all of last season. It's the second-highest save total for a player before the All-Star break, passing John Smoltz (34 in 2003) and behind only Francisco Rodriguez (38 in 2008).

LHP: J.A. Happ, Blue Jays
The Toronto southpaw throws one of the primary fastball types (four-seamer, two-seamer or sinker) nearly three-quarters of the time. His 74.4 percent fastball-usage rate is the third highest this season among 133 pitchers who have thrown at least 1,000 total pitches.

Video: Gibbons on Happ's 1st career All-Star selection

RHP: Joe Jimenez, Tigers
Jimenez was named the Tigers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in both 2015 and '16 before blossoming with the big league club this season. He won a silver medal in the '17 World Baseball Classic as a member of Team Puerto Rico.

RHP: Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox
Kimbrel's career save percentage of 91.2 percent is the second-best all-time among qualifying relievers, behind only Eric Gagne's 91.7 percent mark. Kimbrel reached the 300-save milestone on May 5 this season, becoming the fastest pitcher to the milestone by career games (494) and save opportunities (330), as well as the youngest by age (29 years, 342 days).

RHP: Corey Kluber, Indians *
When Kluber won the AL Cy Young Award last year, he became the first pitcher to win multiple AL Cy Young Awards in Indians franchise history, and the 19th in Major League history. (Kluber also won the award in 2014.) Before Kluber, the last pitcher to win multiple AL Cy Young Awards was Johan Santana for the Twins in 2004 and '06.

RHP: Charlie Morton, Astros
Morton was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of last year's World Series after pitching the final four innings to close out the Dodgers. It was the longest relief outing to win the deciding game of the Fall Classic since the Yankees' Bud Daley went 6 2/3 to finish off the 1961 World Series.

LHP: Chris Sale, Red Sox
Sale has a Major League-leading 188 strikeouts at the All-Star break, and he led MLB in strikeouts last year, too, with 308. That marked the first 300-strikeout season by an AL pitcher since 1999, when Sale's Red Sox predecessor Pedro Martinez had 313.

RHP: Luis Severino, Yankees
Since the beginning of his breakout 2017 season, Severino has thrown 32 pitches 100 mph or harder. That's by far the most of any starting pitcher in that time span -- Noah Syndergaard is next with 17 pitches in triple digits. Severino accounts for more than a third of the total 100-plus mph pitches thrown by MLB starters since the start of '17.

Video: Four Yankees named to 2018 AL All-Star team

LHP: Blake Snell, Rays
Snell's breakout 2018 season has featured plenty of dominant moments, perhaps none more so than his June 3 start against his hometown team, the Mariners. The southpaw struck out the first seven batters he faced in that outing, tying Joe Cowley (1986) and Carlos Rodon ('16) for the AL record.

RHP: Blake Treinen, Athletics
Treinen leads all qualifying MLB relievers this season with a 0.94 ERA, and he's struck out 61 batters in his 48 innings. He's just the third pitcher since the All-Star Game began in 1933 to have an ERA under 1.00 and more than 60 strikeouts heading into the Midsummer Classic, along with Ernesto Frieri (2012) and Robb Nen ('98).

Video: OAK@SF: Treinen fans the side to preserve the win

RHP: Justin Verlander, Astros *
Since Verlander joined the Astros at the beginning of last September, he has a 2.04 ERA in his 26 starts (not including his dominant postseason, when he had a 2.21 ERA en route to Houston's World Series championship). That ERA is the best in the Majors over that time span, among the 160 pitchers who have made at least 10 starts. Verlander's 215 strikeouts are also fourth most of any pitcher since last Sept. 1.

National League

LHP: Patrick Corbin, D-backs
Corbin has gotten opposing hitters to miss on 33.4 percent of their swings against him this year, which ranks third among the 69 starters who've generated at least 750 total swings, behind only Sale and Scherzer. His slider has been especially good -- he has 212 swinging strikes on that pitch alone, 85 more than the next-closest pitcher, Severino (127).

RHP: Jacob deGrom, Mets
The Major Leagues' ERA leader (1.68) has held opponents to one earned run or fewer in 14 starts this year, the most of any big league pitcher. Those 14 such starts are also the most recorded by any pitcher before the All-Star break in the history of the Mets franchise.

Video: PHI@NYM: deGrom strikes out 7 over 8 shutout innings

LHP: Sean Doolittle, Nationals *
Doolittle has been incredibly stifling over the season's first half, permitting a microscopic 0.54 WHIP. That is the the second-lowest WHIP recorded by any pitcher with at least 30 innings before the All-Star break, behind the 0.50 WHIP logged by Boston's Kimbrel last year.

RHP: Mike Foltynewicz, Braves
Folty's average fastball velocity of 96.5 mph ranks right behind Severino, Syndergaard, Nathan Eovaldi and Shohei Ohtani for the highest among regular starting pitchers. But his secondary stuff has been even better: Opponents have hit just .124 against his breaking and offspeed pitches, which is the lowest batting average allowed among starters who have ended at least 150 at-bats with a secondary pitch.

Video: 4 Braves named to the 2018 All-Star team

RHP: Zack Greinke, D-backs
Greinke does it all. He's coming off his fourth consecutive Gold Glove Award in 2017, becoming the 10th pitcher in history to capture the defensive honor in four straight campaigns. And this season, Greinke has stolen three bases as a runner -- making him the first pitcher with three steals in a season since Tom Browning in 1998.

LHP: Josh Hader, Brewers
Milwaukee's dynamite reliever has struck out more than half of the batters he's faced in 2018: 50.3 percent. Only two pitchers in MLB history with at least 50 innings pitched in a season -- Hader's fellow All-Stars Chapman (52.5 percent in '14) and Kimbrel (50.2 percent in '12) -- have had a strikeout rate over 50 percent.

LHP: Brad Hand, Padres
Opponents have hit just .126 (28-for-222) against Hand's slider since the start of last season, the lowest batting average allowed by any hurler who has ended at least 150 at-bats on that pitch in that span. Over half of those at-bats, 123, have been strikeouts.

Video: Hand earns a spot in the 2018 All-Star Game

RHP: Kenley Jansen, Dodgers
Jansen owns a career WHIP of 0.88, which is the lowest of any pitcher who has thrown at least 500 innings in the Live Ball Era. His career 2.10 ERA is second only to Kimbrel in that nearly century-long span.

RHP: Jeremy Jeffress, Brewers
Jeffress finished his first half with a 1.34 ERA, tied with Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers in 1981 for the lowest first-half ERA by any Brewers pitcher with at least 40 innings pitched at the break.

LHP: Jon Lester, Cubs *
The Cubs' veteran ace has appeared in 25 total postseason games (including 21 starts) and recorded a stellar 2.55 ERA in those high-pressure contests. That ERA is tied for Orlando Hernandez for ninth best among pitchers who have made at least 10 career playoff starts.

RHP: Miles Mikolas, Cardinals *
Mikolas pitched three seasons for the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, recording a 2.18 ERA over 62 starts from 2015-17. He has been just as impressive in his return to the U.S. this year, putting together a 2.79 ERA that ranks sixth among qualified NL starters.

RHP: Aaron Nola, Phillies
Nola is blossoming into one of the Senior Circuit's premier aces. He goes into the break having allowed the lowest slugging percentage among qualified starters (.278), as well as an NL-low 0.4 home runs per nine innings. He's also second to deGrom in the NL in ERA (2.30).

Video: PHI@MIA: Nola picks up his 500th career strikeout

RHP: Max Scherzer: Nationals
Scherzer has a chance at a third consecutive NL Cy Young Award, which would make him just the third pitcher to claim the NL award three straight times after Hall of Famers Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson. Having also won the award in the AL with the Tigers, he's already one of just 10 pitchers in Major League history with three total Cy Young Awards.

RHP: Ross Stripling, Dodgers
Stripling has been a revelation for L.A. since moving to the rotation, helping the Dodgers stay in the hunt amid a slew of injuries to the club's rotation. The righty enters his first All-Star Game with a 7.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio that's the best among NL starters.

LHP: Felipe Vazquez, Pirates
Pittsburgh's closer has an average fastball velocity of 97.3 mph this season, ranking third among left-handers behind only Chapman and Jose Alvarado. And Chapman is the only lefty who's thrown more pitches 100-plus mph than Vazquez's 17.

Video: MIL@PIT: Vazquez earns 22nd and 23rd saves in 1 day

RESERVES

American League

C: Yan Gomes, Indians
Gomes has been one of MLB's most consistent arms behind the plate, finishing in the AL's top five in caught-stealing percentage on three occasions (2013, '14 and '17). He is also the first Brazilian-born player to be selected to an All-Star team.

1B: Mitch Moreland, Red Sox
Moreland earned his first All-Star selection at age 32 on the strength of his hitting, but he very nearly wasn't a full-time hitter at all. In 2008, the Rangers' front office asked Moreland to switch to pitching based in part on his mound success at Mississippi State, but Moreland asked for one more season to prove himself as a position player. The rest is history.

2B: Gleyber Torres, Yankees *
Torres wasn't known for his power in the Minors, but it became immediately apparent once he arrived in the Bronx. Torres homered in his four consecutive games from May 21-25, becoming the youngest player in AL history to do so. He has 15 home runs at the break; Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio are the only Yankees who hit more before their 22nd birthday.

2B: Jed Lowrie, Athletics
Lowrie set an A's franchise record with 49 doubles in 2017, also becoming one of seven players in team history to record multiple seasons with at least 40 two-baggers. The key: tons of line drives. No player in baseball hit more than Lowrie last year (161).

Video: OAK@CLE: Lowrie drills solo HR for 100th hit of 2018

3B: Alex Bregman, Astros
Bregman captured the AL Player of the Month Award this past June after hitting .306 and slugging .713 during the month. He also set an Astros franchise record for the month of June by driving in 30 runs.

SS: Francisco Lindor, Indians
Lindor's extraordinary power for a shortstop shone on both May 12 and June 1 of this year -- he homered twice and doubled twice in both of those games. Only three players before Lindor -- Rafael Palmeiro (1993), Jim Edmonds (2003) and Adrian Beltre ('07) -- had recorded two games in a season with both multiple home runs and at least four extra-base hits.

SS: Jean Segura, Mariners
Segura enters the All-Star break with 480 hits since the start of the 2016 season, a total topped only by fellow All-Stars Altuve, Charlie Blackmon and Betts in that span. His .313 batting average since '16 ranks sixth in the Majors.

Video: Dipoto discusses Segura's ASG nod on The Wheelhouse

OF: Michael Brantley, Indians
When Brantley sees a pitch he likes, he rarely misses. He made contact on 94.5 percent of his swings against pitches in the strike zone over the first half, tied for the best of over 200 players who swung at least 300 times at in-zone pitches.

OF: Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers
Choo might not want to take a break from regular-season action considering the hot streak he's on. The Rangers outfielder has reached base in 51 straight games, the longest streak by any player since Kevin Millar's 52-game stretch back in 2007.

Video: TEX@BAL: Choo walks, on-base streak extends to 51

OF: Mitch Haniger, Mariners
Haniger has been as rock solid in the field as he has at the plate. His nine outfield assists in the first half tied Tigers center fielder Leonys Martin for the AL lead, and his 192 putouts lead all MLB right fielders.

OF: George Springer, Astros
Springer started the Astros' 2017 World Series run with a leadoff home run on Opening Day, and he kicked off their '18 title defense with another -- becoming the first player in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run on back-to-back Opening Days.

Video: Six Astros named to 2018 AL All-Star team

OF: Nelson Cruz, Mariners
Cruz has belted 188 homers since the beginning of the 2014 season, 13 more than any other player in baseball in that span (Edwin Encarnacion is second with 175).

National League

C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals
In March, Molina suited up for his 14th consecutive Opening Day behind the plate for St. Louis, the longest active streak at any position with one team in the Majors. A few months later, on June 18, Yadi caught his 1,757th career game with the Cardinals -- passing Gabby Hartnett for the most games caught with a single franchise.

C: Buster Posey, Giants *
Posey's career .307 batting average is tied for sixth all-time (with Joe Mauer) among the group of over 200 players who logged at least 3,000 plate appearances and played catcher as their primary position. In 2012, Posey hit .336 to become the first backstop to win the NL batting title since Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi in 1942.

C: J.T. Realmuto, Marlins
Realmuto is the Majors' fastest catcher by Statcast™'s sprint speed metric, averaging 28.6 feet per second on max-effort runs. That's not just good for a catcher; it's solidly within the top 20 percent of all Major League players, and well above the MLB average of 27 feet per second.

Video: Realmuto to represent Marlins at 2018 All-Star Game

1B: Jesus Aguilar, Brewers
Aguilar fought to be one of the last men on the Brewers' roster when Spring Training came to a close. Now, Aguilar enters the All-Star break leading the NL in home runs (24), slugging percentage (.621) and OPS (.995).

1B: Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs
"America's First Baseman" has been on an absolute tear after an uncharacteristically slow start which saw his batting average below the Mendoza Line as late as May 22. Since the calendar flipped to June, no Major Leaguer with at least 100 plate appearances tops Goldschmidt's .369 average and 1.166 OPS.

1B: Joey Votto, Reds
Votto reached base 321 times last year, a Reds franchise record and the highest single-season total by any Major Leaguer since Barry Bonds in 2004. Votto's career .428 OBP ranks among the top 10 marks all-time among players with at least 5,000 plate appearances.

2B: Ozzie Albies, Braves
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Albies enters the break with 52 extra-base hits, which ties Trout's 2013 total for the most extra-base hits before the All-Star Game by any player in his age-21 season or younger.

2B: Scooter Gennett, Reds
Gennett leads all NL second baseman with 43 home runs since the start of the 2017 season, including four in one game on June 6 of last year. He's one of 18 players in Major League history with a four-homer game.

Video: Votto, Gennett, Suarez make 2018 All-Star Game

3B: Eugenio Suarez, Reds
Suarez has 71 RBIs this season, just one behind fellow All-Star Baez for the NL lead. He could become the first Reds player to lead the league in RBIs since Dave Parker back in 1985.

SS: Trevor Story, Rockies
On Opening Day 2016, Story became just the seventh player to hit two home runs in his Major League debut (and the first in a season opener). Story soon set a record with seven homers in his first six MLB games, and went on to tie a rookie record with 10 homers in the month of April.

Video: Story shows off all 5 of his tools on the field

OF: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
Last season, Blackmon became the first player to lead the Major Leagues in hits (213), runs (137), triples (14) and total bases (387). He also won the NL batting title with a .331 average, and he had a record 103 RBIs from the leadoff spot.

OF: Lorenzo Cain, Brewers
Cain is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. His +36 Outs Above Average (Statcast™'s range-based metric to grade outfield defense) is fifth best among outfielders since the start of 2016. Only Ender Inciarte, Billy Hamilton, Byron Buxton and Betts have higher marks. Cain's +10 OAA in 2018 alone is tied for fifth best in MLB at the All-Star break.

Video: MIL@PIT: Statcast™ tracks Cain's doubleheader defense

OF: Christian Yelich, Brewers
Yelich had the highest hard-hit rate in the NL in the first half -- 52.3 percent of his batted balls exceeded Statcast™'s 95-mph exit velocity threshold for hard contact. Since Yeli's breakout 2016, his 560 hard-hit balls are third most of any hitter, behind Machado and Betts.