Making Their Case: Sending the O's to Arlington
Several Orioles are in need of one final push to get them to the All-Star Game, and it starts with your vote.
With key contributors throughout the entire roster, the Orioles are off to their best start since 1997. As of Wednesday, June 26, they have slugged 129 home runs as a team this year, the most in MLB, and their .620 winning percentage is the fourth-best mark in the majors.
But they would not be where they are without several All-Star worthy performances in the first half of the year. Last season, the Orioles sent four players to the Midsummer Classic ¨C F¨¦lix Bautista, Yennier Cano, Austin Hays, and Adley Rutschman ¨C and this year they are looking to add even more. To ensure some of Birdland¡¯s favorite players make the trip to Arlington this July, fans need to vote up to five times a day before 12 p.m. on Thursday, June 27. Fans can vote by visiting Orioles.com/AllStar or by logging into the MLB Ballpark app.
C Adley Rutschman (1st place)
Rutschman is seeking his second career All-Star nod after returning home to the Pacific Northwest in 2023. Since making his debut, Rutschman has established himself as one of the best catchers in baseball. This season, he leads qualified AL catchers in hits ( 93), runs (42), average (.300), OBP (.351), RBI ( 53), OPS (.825), and SLG (.474), and ranks tied for first in home runs (14). His 27 multi-hit games this year are tied for second in the AL and are the most by any catcher in the majors.
On May 15, he delivered a walk-off, two-run home run against the Blue Jays, extending the Orioles¡¯ sweepless streak to 105 consecutive regular-season series, which tied the 1903-05 New York Giants for the third-longest such streak in MLB history.
1B Ryan Mountcastle (1st place)
Ryan Mountcastle has found a home at first base, where he¡¯s thrived defensively this season. His stellar defense has largely gone unnoticed, despite being tied for seventh among MLB first basemen with three Defensive Runs Saved, per Sports Info Solutions. On top of his underrated play at first base, he provides a thump in the heart of the Orioles¡¯ lineup. He leads qualified AL first basemen in extra-base hits (33) and doubles (21) and ranks among the leaders in runs (T-1st, 43) average (2nd, .281), SLG (2nd, .476), hits (3rd, 81), home runs (3rd, 11), OPS (3rd, .801), and RBI (T-4th, 39).
2B Jorge Mateo (3rd place)
In MLB¡¯s most recent All-Star Game voting update, Jorge Mateo ranked third among American League second basemen. While he continues to rise up the leaderboard, he needs one last push from Birdland to move on to Phase 2. Mateo has found himself playing a key part in the team¡¯s early season success. His .442 SLG ranks second among AL second basemen (min. 150 PA). In addition, Mateo¡¯s blazing speed ranks fifth in the majors at 30.0 feet/second, per Statcast, making him one of the most electrifying players on the base paths.
SS Gunnar Henderson (1st place)
Gunnar Henderson has backed up his 2023 Rookie of the Year campaign by solidifying himself in the thick of the AL MVP race thus far. He leads all of MLB in bWAR (5.8) and fWAR (5.6). After moving to shortstop full time, Henderson continues to leave baseball fans marveling at the extraordinary defense he displays, as his five Defensive Runs Saved are tied for the team lead and fourth among AL shortstops. He sets the tone for this potent Orioles lineup and ranks second in the majors with 25 homers, an MLB-best eight of which have come in leadoff fashion. He¡¯s mashed left-handed pitching, slashing .278/.421/.556 (25-for-90); among qualified left-handed batters, his .971 OPS against lefty hurlers rank fourth and his 12 extra-base hits are the third most in MLB. After his sensational debut season, it has felt like it would only be a matter of time before Henderson was an All-Star. 2024 appears to be his year.
3B Jordan Westburg (2nd place)
Jordan Westburg has earned every bit of the opportunity to represent the American League in the Midsummer Classic this July. Making an early impact in this Orioles lineup, he delivered his first career walk-off, a two-run homer in the fourth game of the season. He won AL Player of the Week honors for April 15-21 and currently ranks among AL third basemen in RBI (2nd, 46), total bases (2nd, 144), home runs (3rd, 13), extra-base hits (3rd, 34), average (3rd, .283), SLG (3rd, .516), doubles (T-3rd, 16), OPS (4th, .853), runs (5th, 40), and OBP (5th, .337). Westburg¡¯s 15 multi-RBI games are tied for the seventh most in the majors and he also ranks first in the AL and third in MLB in Win Probability Added (3.0), according to Baseball Reference.
OF Cedric Mullins (8th place)
The value that speed and defense can have on a game is often overlooked, and they are two skills in which Cedric Mullins excels. He continues to showcase his sensational defense that Orioles fans have grown accustomed to in recent years, earning recognition for the Electric Play of the Week twice this season. He¡¯s paired that with exceptional base running, stealing his 100th career base and leading the team with 16 on the year. Mullins delivered his first career walk-off home run on April 17 vs. Minnesota, flashing some of the power that we saw in 2021 when he earned his first career All-Star honor and put together the first 30/30 season in Orioles history.
OF Colton Cowser (6th place)
Colton Cowser quickly turned heads with a dominating Spring Training performance that he carried into the season, earning AL Player of the Week honors from April 8-14. He followed that up with AL Rookie of the Month recognition for March/April after leading MLB rookies in slugging (.622), OPS (1.004), extra-base hits (13), total bases (48), and RBI (18). He¡¯s continued to impress during his rookie campaign, ranking among qualified AL rookies in HR (1st, 10), extra-base hits (T-1st, 23), total bases (2nd, 93), RBI (2nd, 32), doubles (T-2nd, 12), walks (3rd, 24), and runs (3rd, 29).
OF Anthony Santander (5th place)
Anthony Santander has been a staple of the Orioles lineup for many years, and the club¡¯s longest-tenured player is in search of his first career All-Star selection. As the weather has been heating up, so has Santander. The switch-hitting slugger has belted an MLB-best 12 home runs this month alone, tied for the most in June in Orioles history and tied for the fourth-most in a single month in club history. His 20 homers on the year are tied for third in the AL and fourth in MLB.
DH Ryan O¡¯Hearn (4th place)
In MLB¡¯s most recent All-Star Game voting update, Ryan O¡¯Hearn ranked fourth among American League designated hitters. He trailed the second-highest vote getter by fewer than 40,000 votes to advance to Phase 2. O¡¯Hearn continues to prove that last year¡¯s breakout season was no fluke. He¡¯s shown his growth as a hitter this year with an emphasis on cutting down his strikeout rate, which ranks in the 98th percentile (10.4), per Statcast. He¡¯s also one of an MLB-best seven Orioles with at least nine home runs. In the last two seasons, he¡¯s gone from coming off the bench for the Royals to becoming one of the most feared hitters in a stacked Orioles lineup. Despite the success he¡¯s found in Baltimore, O¡¯Hearn continues to fly under the radar, but hopefully not for long.