Examining Giants' six All-Star candidates with fan vote underway

SAN FRANCISCO -- There were a lot of crushing aspects to the hamstring injury that will cost LaMonte Wade Jr. at least a month. 

Wade is the team's best and most consistent hitter, and his absence has been felt over the last couple of weeks. It was a tough mental blow for a player who has dealt with multiple leg issues since his breakout 2021 season, and this latest one likely will keep him out of the Rickwood Field game, which he was excited about. It also will keep Wade from being an option in July when All-Stars match up at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. 

It's always difficult to make it at first base, especially when your power numbers don't stand out. But Wade had such a commanding lead in on-base percentage that it seemed he had a strong shot, even at a position that in the NL includes Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman, Pete Alonso, Matt Olson and Christian Walker. 

The Giants have lost six of eight since Wade went down, but they'll try to turn things around this weekend at Globe Life Field in Arlington, home of this year's All-Star game. Voting kicked off Wednesday, so here's an early look at which players might have to cancel their previous vacation plans for the middle of July … 

Logan Webb

The staff ace had a 2.90 ERA in 2022 and finished second in Cy Young voting last year, but he somehow never has taken part in All-Star festivities, a shame given how much he seems to enjoy big events and how connected he now is with stars around the league. Webb had a good case last year, but he was lined up to pitch the final game of the first half, making him ineligible.

Carlos Rodón represented the staff in 2022 and Alex Cobb did it last year. It feels like Webb's time, and he has a 2.95 ERA and 2.78 FIP through 13 starts. Last season's MLB innings leader is fourth in the NL at the moment, and in seven of his 13 starts, Webb has gone at least seven innings, the kind of durability that is mostly missing from today's game.

He currently ranks seventh among NL starting pitchers in fWAR. 

Jordan Hicks

The lowest ERA on staff belongs to Hicks, not Webb. He ranks seventh in the NL at 2.82 and has given up fewer than three runs in 10 of 13 starts. As he transitions from relieving, Hicks has been more durable than expected, too. He has thrown at least five innings in every start but two. 

This feels like one of those cases that will come down to the last minute. There are 10 NL pitchers with an ERA under 3.00, and Hicks ranks further down the list than most in advanced metrics. He is 24th in innings and 28th in strikeouts, but if he keeps that shiny ERA through early July, he'll have a shot.  

Patrick Bailey

Buster Posey made his first All-Star team in his first full season and Bailey has a shot at doing the same. The National League had three catchers last season and Bailey is currently third among healthy NL catchers in fWAR. He has just four homers, but he's batting .287 and ranks fifth among NL catchers in OPS. 

Milwaukee's William Contreras and Los Angeles' Will Smith are clear choices, but Bailey doesn't have a lot of competition for that third spot since St. Louis' Willson Contreras is injured. If Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto -- a three-time All-Star -- gets voted in, Bailey's path would be blocked. It's also possible that someone like Colorado's Elias Diaz is chosen as his team's only representative, but on numbers alone, Bailey has a strong shot. 

Matt Chapman

If the selection was made on game-ending defensive plays that make your jaw drop, Chapman would be a lock. He leads MLB third basemen in Defensive Runs Saved, and while the overall offensive numbers don't jump off the page, that's the case for a lot of marquee third basemen in the NL. 

Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado are both closer to league-average hitters by wRC+, although they're the last two to be voted in as the NL starter at third, and one could win the vote again this season. Chapman currently is third among NL third basemen in fWAR, and with a good June, he would certainly have a shot at his second All-Star appearance. 

Thairo Estrada

He seemed more like an All-Star in the first half of last season, but he's actually third among NL second basemen in fWAR, third in home runs and tied for first in RBI. This still is a long shot, though, and Estrada -- who is 10th at his position in wRC+ -- would need to get red-hot to pass others. 

Arizona's Ketel Marte, Milwaukee's Brice Turang and St. Louis' Nolan Gorman have had better offensive seasons, and San Diego's Luis Arraez is a near-lock since he's batting .337 and coming off back-to-back batting titles and All-Star appearances.  

Heliot Ramos

Ramos hasn't even been back in the big leagues for a whole month, but there's something fascinating going on with a usually-loaded National League outfield. 

Bryce Harper is now a full-time first baseman, Mookie Betts plays shortstop, Juan Soto is in the American League for the first time, Ronald Acuña Jr. is injured and Corbin Carroll is going through one hell of a sophomore slump. Old friends Mike Tauchman and Connor Joe have been among the most valuable outfielders in the NL. Jurickson Profar leads the class in Wins Above Replacement.

So … why not Ramos? 

Among NL outfielders with at least 100 plate appearances, he's first in wRC+ and OPS. After reaching base six times on Wednesday, he's up to 1.4 fWAR, which ranks fifth. A good weekend could move him up to third. Seriously, it's an absolute wasteland at this position in the National League. 

Right now, Ramos simply hasn't played enough. But a month from now? If he keeps this up, he'll be right in the mix. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast