How many Braves are on track to make the All-Star Game?

The Braves have the best record in baseball, and with that comes a shot at hardware across the board come season’s end.

Chris Sale is once again in the thick of the NL Cy Young race. Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II have all played like MVPs, even if catching Shohei Ohtani — who is terrorizing opponents both as a hitter and a pitcher — feels like a near-impossible task. Walt Weiss deserves to be a frontrunner for NL Manager of the Year, and Alex Anthopoulos is as deserving as anyone for Executive of the Year honors.

Hardware is coming to Atlanta in some form, but they also have a chance to break the franchise record for most All-Stars in a single season, a mark that was set back in 2023 with eight.

Starting Pitchers

Absolute Locks

Chris Sale — Sale has more pedigree than just about any active pitcher, but he doesn’t need to lean on reputation this season. He’s posted a 2.02 ERA over his first 11 starts and will be representing the Braves in the All-Star Game for the third consecutive year.

Trending In The Right Direction

Bryce Elder — Elder had his first rough outing last week, allowing six runs over 3.1 innings in Boston, bumping his ERA from 1.97 to 2.50. If selections were made today he’d likely sneak in, but with the competition for National League spots as stiff as it is, he’ll need a strong finish over the next month to secure a spot.

Position Players

Absolute Locks

Matt Olson — Olson has been the best first baseman in baseball through the first two-plus months, hitting 16 home runs with a league-leading 18 doubles and an .882 OPS. Pair that with his elite defense and he’s on his way to his fourth All-Star Game.

Drake Baldwin — Baldwin has been sidelined for a few weeks, but that shouldn’t cost him a spot. He’s the best catcher in the National League by a wide margin, hitting over .300 with 13 home runs and a .931 OPS. He’s in.

Michael Harris II — It’s surprising Harris hasn’t made an All-Star Game yet, but it’ll be very difficult to snub him this year. He’s hitting over .300 with 13 home runs while playing his typically elite defense in center field.

Ronald Acuña Jr. — A week ago he wouldn’t have been a lock, but Acuña has caught fire — five home runs in his last four games with his OPS now sitting at .821. And beyond the numbers, the All-Star Game is a popularity contest in many ways. Acuña is getting in on the fan vote regardless.

Trending In The Right Direction

Ozzie Albies — A month ago he would have been a near-certainty. A rough May changed that. There were signs of life toward the end of the month, and if that carries over, he should get in — but he’s not a lock right now.

Relievers

Trending In The Right Direction

The competition for reliever spots is brutal, so nobody is a lock — but Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, and Dylan Lee are all making strong cases.

Iglesias is probably the best reliever in the league never to have made an All-Star Game. That should finally change this season — he’s posting a 1.02 ERA and 1.22 FIP over 17 appearances. Suarez would be making his third consecutive All-Star appearance, and he’s somehow been even better than Iglesias, recording a 0.71 ERA over 25 outings. Lee is equally deserving with a 1.30 ERA, 0.614 WHIP, and 1.42 FIP over 28 games. It would be a travesty if any of the three gets left out — but all three getting in would be extraordinarily rare.

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At minimum, the Braves are getting five All-Stars. Add in two relievers and that’s seven — one shy of the franchise record. If Elder and Albies both perform over the next month, breaking that record becomes a very real possibility. Given how this team has played through the first half, it would be a fitting storyline.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire