With the first half of the MLB season nearing its conclusion, the 2023 All Star Game is right around the corner. Speculation of who will make the midsummer classic is beginning, and voting for starting players is almost finished.

The highest vote-getters in the first stage of voting automatically received bids to the event. The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani is the first man up for the American League, while Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. starts the roster for the National League.

With Acuñas spot set in stone, the question now becomes who will join him? With his rivals in the NL East having their own share of star power, which players are candidates to go with him?

Atlanta Braves:

While Acuña is the big name player for his Braves, that doesn’t mean Atlanta doesn’t have its share of superstars. At first place in the NL East, they boast a ton of talent that will earn great consideration for their roster. New catcher Sean Murphy has solidified that position greatly, providing strong defense along with a solid bat, hitting 12 homers, driving in 42 runs, and boasting an OPS over .900. Other offesnive candidates include Matt Olson leading the team with 24 homers and 57 RBIs, and Ozzie Albies, who sits second in RBIs with 54. A few of their big name starting pitchers have struggled this year, particularly Spencer Strider, so they might not see any hurlers make the roster this year. However, a good chunk of their bats may be headed to Seattle, with Murphy and Albies being the strongest candidates.

Miami Marlins:

The Marlins have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, sitting second in the NL East. A lot of that success has to do with former batting champion Luis Arraez, who leads the MLB in hits with 110. They’ve also gotten contributions from Jorge Soler, who leads the team with 21 home runs. Jesus Sanchez and Bryan De La Cruz have also begun to develop as young outfielders, further rounding their offense into form. The starting pitching has regressed a bit, as Sandy Alcantara hasn’t been his Cy Young-winning self, but the team has finally begun to make the jump to contending. Arraez is a slam dunk to make the trip, with one of their outfielders at an outside chance to making the trip.

New York Mets:

Unlike the first two names on this list, the Mets have been a disappointment. After making the postseason last year, the team sits fourth in the NL East with struggles abound. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander haven’t been their usual selves, and various parts of their roster go hot and cold sporadically. However, the Mets do have worthy candidates to make the All Star roster. David Robertson has been one of the best relievers in baseball this year, pitching to a 1.64 ERA and 11 saves in 33 innings in place of All Star reliever Edwin Díaz. Their main run producers have been Pete Alonso, who leads the team in home runs, and Francisco Lindor. While both don’t necessarily hit for high average, boast 52 and 51 RBIs respectively. With the Mets’ current situation, they might not get too many representatives, but expect Robertson and possibly one other man to make it.

Philadelphia Phillies:

The Phillies have started to get hot. After suffering a bit of a World Series hangover without Bryce Harper, their MVP slugger has come back and sparked a Phillies hot streak. Kyle Schwarber leads the team in homers with 20, but his average is lagging at .182. However, the likes of Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott have picked up the load with strong seasons. Most of their starters have struggled at times, so that may cut into their number of participants they get. However, Castellanos is the most likely name to make it, with Stott as a potential reserve choice.

Washington Nationals:

With Washington sitting at the bottom of the NL East with a 28-48 record, they’re the hardest team to pick from. However, the team has had a few bright spots in a rebuilding year. Lane Thomas has enjoyed a bounce back season, along with Joey Meneses continuing his strong run following his long anticipated call up. Most of their pitchers have struggled this season, so they might only get a reserve player on the National League All Star roster. As a result, either Thomas and Meneses is your most likely candidates to make the roster, but both would be good stories to see crack the roster.