Red Sox with the best chance of making the 2022 All-Star game

Red Sox 2B Trevor Story

It’s hard to believe that we’re even having a discussion about Trevor Story in the All-Star game. After all, the second baseman was slashing .194/.276/.269 as recently as May 8. Yet a torrid few weeks has caused Story’s overall numbers to explode, and he now leads AL second baseman in runs and RBIs while playing elite defense and stealing seven bases in as many tries.

Yet as good as Story’s May was, he still has some significant warts in his game that put a dent in his All-Star candidacy. His average sits at a measly .225, which may prevent many casual baseball observers from voting for him regardless of his advanced metrics, and his 67 strikeouts are the second-most in the AL. These numbers don’t mean he’s a bad player, but when it comes to picking players for an All-Star team, every flaw matters.

Then there’s the matter of his competition. Perennial starter Jose Altuve is having another remarkable season, slashing .280/.354/.535 with 11 home runs, and looks to be on track for the starting spot despite missing 10 games with an injury. The backup spot, meanwhile, looks to be held down by the Guardians’ Andres Gimenez, who is enjoying a breakout campaign and leads the position with a 2.2 WAR.

Story might have the best overall package of skills of any AL second baseman, but the low batting average and gaudy strikeout numbers might overshadow his RBI and stolen base numbers. One more good month might push him into the conversation, but as of right now, he’s likely on the outside looking in.