Fan voting for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game opened on Wednesday. The process will take place in two phases.
The first phase will end at 11 a.m. Central time on June 26. Until then, fans can vote up to five times per 24-hour period at MLB.com/vote, choosing eight position players and one designated hitter.
MLB will unveil the top two vote-getters at every position, along with the top six outfielders in each league, live on MLB Network at 5 p.m. on June 26. The player in each league who receives the most overall votes during this initial phase will automatically be slotted into the starting lineup for the All-Star Game. The rest of the top vote-getters will advance to Phase 2 of the balloting process. However, if an outfielder finishes as the league’s overall vote leader, then only the next four outfielders in the rankings will move on, rather than five, to determine who grabs the remaining two starting spots.
Phase 2 kicks off at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 30, and runs through 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2. Fans can cast votes just once every 24 hours during this final round through MLB’s digital platforms. Importantly, vote counts reset for this round; numbers from Phase 1 do not carry over.
The starting lineups, including three outfielders per league, will be announced on Tuesday, July 2 at 6 p.m., during an ESPN broadcast. Each All-Star team will round out its roster with 23 additional players, a mix of selections made through the Player Ballot and picks by the Commissioner’s Office. The full rosters for both the American League and National League will be revealed on Sunday, July 6 at 4 p.m., during a special announcement on ESPN.
The game will be held July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta. In the meantime, here are the players from NL Central teams who would likely play in the game if the decisions were made today.
Brendan Donovan May Be Lone Cardinals Player
For the St. Louis Cardinals, Brendan Donovan may end up being the lone representative. He currently leads all second baseman in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) with a 2.2 while slashing .315/.382/.448, and he is building a case to win his second Gold Glove.
Cardinal fans would certainly blast the snubbing of Sonny Gray, who is 7-1 in 13 starts. But competition is fierce among NL pitchers, and Gray’s low ranking in ERA (3.35), strikeouts (81) and WAR (1.5) could work against him.
Some will want to argue on behalf of Ivan Herrera making it as a designated hitter, touting the young slugger’s slash line of .321/.403/.557 with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 31 games. However, his main competition in the DH spot will be Shohei Ohtani (.294/.388/.641, 23 HR, 39 RBIs), Kyle Schwarber (.255/.381/.550, 19 HR, 45 RBIs) and Seiya Suzuki (.265/.330/.538, 14 HR, 53 RBIs). Herrera is unfortunately the odd-man out in that debate.
NL MVP Candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong Leads Cubs Contingent
Along with Suzuki, the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs will likely have a few players on the All-Star roster, including a potential starter in the outfield. Pete Crow-Armstrong, a popular choice as the early favorite to win the NL MVP award, leads all NL players with a WAR of 3.6. He has slashed .278/.314/.556 while placing top four among NL hitters in home runs (16), RBIs (53) and stolen bases (21). Crow-Armstrong is also tops among NL outfielders in defensive runs saved (DRS) with nine.
Kyle Tucker could also earn an outfield spot. Seventh among NL position players with a WAR of 2.6, he is slashing .286/.396/.526 with 12 homers, 40 RBIs and 16 stolen bases, and he also has drawn 42 walks against 32 strikeouts. Nico Hoerner is a possible selection at second base with a .289/.335/.362 slash line, and he is also among the league leaders in DRS with 11, but he could be squeezed out by the rule that all teams must be represented by at least one player.
Reds' Elly De La Cruz Faces Stiff Competition
For the Cincinnati Reds, Elly De La Cruz faces stiff competition at shortstop, primarily from Francisco Lindor, Trea Turner and Mookie Betts, but he likely makes the team with a slash line of .257/.338/.452, including 12 home runs, 43 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. Pitcher Hunter Greene, despite his 4-3 record, will be in the conversation with his 2.72 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.
Center fielder TJ Friedl (.301/.384/.432) has the second-highest on-base percentage among NL outfielders, and left fielder Gavin Lux (.287/.380/.392) has also had a nice start to the season, but they both will probably find it tough to crack the logjam in the NL outfield. Catcher Jose Trevino (.303/.333/.492), third baseman Noelvi Marte (.294/.342/.515) and outfielder Austin Hays (.303/.346/.555) likewise boast nice numbers but have not played enough games to warrant consideration.
Brewers Likely to Send Brice Turang
The choice to represent the Milwaukee Brewers could be second baseman Brice Turang, who is slashing .275/.355/.362 with 15 stolen bases, while also placing second at his position in DRS with seven, and it may be his inclusion that keeps Hoerner off the team. Another possibility is right fielder Sal Frelick (.292/.354/.403).
Starting pitcher Freddy Peralta may also earn a spot. The workhorse for the Brewers' staff, Peralta ranks among the NL's top 10 pitchers in ERA (2.92).
Paul Skenes Earns Spot for Pirates
For the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitcher Paul Skenes – who has the second-best WAR among NL pitchers at 2.5, behind only Logan Webb of San Francisco – will make his second team in two seasons. Skenes has the lowest WHIP (0.88) among qualifying NL pitchers, along with a 2.05 ERA and 85 strikeouts.
Center fielder Oneil Cruz (.230/.353/.465) could warrant a spot despite his low batting average. Cruz has 12 home runs and 43 RBIs, and he leads all major leaguers with 22 stolen bases, while also leading all center fielders with 36 walks. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa continues to surprise with a .303/.351/.382 slash line, but it probably will not be enough to make the team.