Only four Chicago Cubs players are worthy of an All-Star Game selection

Chicago Cubs: Everyone wants to see this guy shine in the All-Star game

When your name is “El Mago,” and you’re the most exciting player in the game, why on earth would you not start in the All-Star game?  While Paul DeJong and Trevor Story are both worthy of All-Star selections themselves, nobody moves the needle like Javier Báez. The game is ultimately for the fans, and who better to give them what they want than Báez?

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Báez has not disappointed so far in 2019 after a breakout season in 2018 that saw him come up just a bit short to the nuclear Christian Yelich for NL MVP a season ago.

And, for parts of this season, it looked like Báez was looking to do the same second (or third) fiddle dance, this time trailing not just Yelich, but also Cody Bellinger, who has matched Yelich step for step so far in 2019 (and maybe then some).

On pace for 40 home runs and over 100 runs and 100 RBI, Báez has taken to his “new” old home at shortstop like a perfectly broken-in glove.

Still baffling pundits with his ability to mash without walking or swinging at great pitches, Báez has made it so normal to make sensational plays in the field, on tags, and hitting balls, that he’s probably suffering from a lack of appreciation from Cubs’ fans who now expect him to make every single highlight play.

At 2.8 fWAR, Báez is right with the aforementioned DeJong and Story, and has five more days to wow voters if he wants to start in the Midsummer Classic on July 9. If all goes to plan, he should be joined by a teammate in the starting lineup.