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

Chicago Cubs: Don’t look now Yadi, but someone’s taken your spot

Barring a huge injustice, Willson Contreras should be your All-Star starter for the National League. While he trails JT Realmuto and Yasmani Grandal in fWAR, Contreras has been the best hitter out of the three and is much improved behind the dish as well.

His pitch framing may be a bit behind the other two, but as a converted infielder, his mechanics and foundational work behind the plate have always been a work in progress. What isn’t a work in progress with Contreras is his heart, his excitement for the game and his stick.

Enjoying a bounce back year after a mediocre 2018 that probably saw Contreras get a bit worn down, the Cubs’ catcher has put up 15 home runs and 42 RBI while clocking in an OPS of .934 that leads the Cubs. His wRC+ of 143 is also tops for catchers in the NL and second only to Gary Sanchez of the Yankees in the majors.

Contreras has looked like the guy who went on a tear and carried the Cubs for part of 2017 before he got hurt, and Joe Maddon has been able to get him more days off with the emergence of Victor Caratini as a viable backup option and de facto personal catcher for Yu Darvish.

With any luck, and some more votes from Cubs’ fans starting on Wednesday, the Cubs will push a few starters into this year’s All-Star game and maybe a couple of them will participate in the Home Run Derby as well.

While we’ll get to see the results of the position player voting going on this week, there’s also always the chance that the Cubs could have Kyle Hendricks or Cole Hamels named as pitching All-Stars, though it’s highly unlikely Hendricks would pitch given his recent injury, even if he were to come back before July 9.