Trio of Diamondbacks making darkhorse All-Star cases

The Arizona Diamondbacks will need some help getting their players in the starting lineup of the MLB All-Star Game.

The latest votes release on Tuesday showed that Corbin Carroll and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are in position to advance to the next round of fan votes, and that’s it from the NL West leaders.

How Phase 1, which ends Thursday at 9 a.m., works is fans can vote up to five times per day. The top vote-getters in each league will be All-Star Game starters. The top two vote-getters at each position and six outfielders will advance to Phase 2 when fans can vote once per day on the finalists.

However, since Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr. is running away with the top spot in the NL, there will only be five other outfield spots available for Phase 2.

Carroll is No. 3 and Gurriel No. 4 among outfielders, but their leads may face challenges.

Carroll’s case is clear: He is the NL leader in OPS (.982) and slugging (.596), third in total bases (149) and stolen bases (19) and first in FanGraphs WAR (3.5).

But the Braves and Padres fans are coming on strong.

2. Mookie Betts, Dodgers: 1,411,557
3. Corbin Carroll: 673,880
4. Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: 672,779
5. Juan Soto, Padres: 600,962
6. Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres: 495,231
7. Michael Harris II, Braves: 493,282
8. Nick Castellanos, Phillies: 452,508
9. Marcell Ozuna, Braves: 426,991

The D-backs have three other players who deserve a deeper look at All-Star cases but have fallen behind in voting for their respective positions: 2B Ketel Marte, SS Geraldo Perdomo and 1B Christian Walker.

3 Diamondbacks making darkhorse All-Star cases

Ketel Marte

Marte ranks No. 6 among second basemen in votes.

He entered Tuesday second among qualified second basemen in weighted runs created plus (wRC+) at 127 — 27% better than replacement level — and OPS at .842.

Only Miami Marlins 2B Luis Arraez was ahead in both offensive metrics.

Marte has had a bounce-back campaign, and he said recently that health has been key. He’s played in 68 of Arizona’s first 74 games.

“Ketel is always an All-Star for me … He’s so underappreciated outside this clubhouse,” manager Torey Lovullo said last week. “I think 2019 was a breakout year for him, and I know there have been some health issues, some pulled muscles that just never allowed him to get going, but when he’s healthy you can see what he’s capable of doing.”

1. Luis Arraez, Marlins: 1,056,439
2. Ozzie Albies, Braves: 884,328
3. Nolan Gorman, Cardinals: 382,285
4. Miguel Vargas, Dodgers: 328,608
5. Thairo Estrada, Giants: 220,337
6. Ketel Marte: 218,916

Geraldo Perdomo

Marte’s double-play partner, Perdomo, is down to No. 8 for shortstops.

Perdomo has to battle big-name MLB stars on the ballot like Francisco Lindor, Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner, but his numbers and impact are right there with those at the top.

His 1.499 OPS with runners in scoring position entering Tuesday was the best in the major leagues.

Perdomo ranked No. 2 among shortstops with at least 100 plate appearances in wRC+ at 141, second in WAR at 2.6 and first in on-base percentage at .406.

An argument against him is the D-backs platoon him and Nick Ahmed, as Perdomo only has 31 plate appearances against lefties this year.

That said, his breakout has given Lovullo quite the option at the bottom of the order or, most recently, as lead-off hitter.

“His competitive nature stands out,” D-backs hitting coach Joe Mather said last week. “That’s definitely nothing that you can quite put a number on. He goes up to the plate extremely focused, extremely determined, as much as anyone on our squad, and sometimes that can take over.”

1. Orlando Arcia, Braves: 1,060,559
2. Francisco Lindor, Mets: 508,168
3. Xander Bogaerts, Padres: 422,702
4. Matt McLain, Reds: 394,865
5. Trea Turner, Phillies: 340,321
6. Chris Taylor, Dodgers: 326,167
7. Dansby Swanson, Cubs: 323,390
8. Geraldo Perdomo: 265,521

Christian Walker

First baseman Christian Walker did not show up on the top 10 of vote-getters at his position, but his season is worth an honorable mention.

His eight outs above average lead all first basemen, as he is making a case for a second straight Gold Glove.

Offensively, he is third among NL first basemen with 15 home runs and sixth with a 125 wRC+.

Only Freddie Freeman and Paul Goldschmidt have a higher WAR (2.5) at the position in the NL.

Walker entered Tuesday with four straight multi-hit games.

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Phase 2 of voting begins on Monday.

Reminder: Pitchers and reserves are determined by a “Player Ballot.”

The All-Star Game is on July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, and fans can vote online.

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