3 Cubs who deserve to be All-Stars and 1 who, surprisingly, doesn't (at least not yet)

The Chicago Cubs are back! OK, maybe not back, back, but it sure felt good to have a win like the one we saw at Wrigley Field on Thursday night. On the brink of a series sweep at the hands of the Athletics, the Cubs plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth, and a freak defensive miscue that embodied the team's recent spiral can now fade out of memory instead of becoming a talking point for weeks to come.

With about five weeks until the MLB All-Star Game festivities, teams have started their official balloting push, encouraging fans to send their favorite players to Philadelphia. I'm sure more than a few Cubs fans don't feel like anyone deserves the honor given how the last few weeks have gone for the club, but that's not the case.

Here are three Cubs who could share the spotlight at the Midsummer Classic - and 1 who has work to do yet if he's going to punch his ticket.

These 3 Cubs have done the work and deserve All-Star selections

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Pete Crow-Armstrong went from villain to hero on Thursday night, overcoming losing a ball in the lights that led to an inside-the-park home run by hitting a home run and driving in the game-winning run, raising his wRC+ on the year to 112 and his fWAR to 2.6 - tied with Andy Pages of the Los Angeles Dodgers for tops among MLB center fielders.

After getting off to a slow start, PCA has started firing on all cylinders. He's doubled his walk rate over 2025, and it looks like he's starting to find his power stroke. There's nobody more exciting than he can be, and if he can carry his recent stretch of strong play throughout the month of June, I'd be shocked if Cubs fans didn't send him to Philly.

Ben Brown

Just like we all expected, Ben Brown is the Cubs' most reliable starter heading into June.

OK, maybe that's not exactly how we drew it up, but his performance has been All-Star-worthy regardless. The big right-hander owns a 1.92 ERA that, once he crosses the minimum innings threshold, will rank third in the National League, behind only Christopher Sanchez and Jacob Misiorowski.

There's no Cubs pitcher more deserving of an All-Star selection - but an incredibly impressive group of arms in the Senior Circuit could make him the most unlikely of the trio to earn an All-Star nod this summer.

Ian Happ

Go ahead, hate me. I don't care. Another year has brought another contingent of Cubs fans who don't appreciate Ian Happ and want to lay the blame for the team's struggles at his feet.

But he's rounding into form, and I'd bet that, at year's end, his numbers will be right where they always are. Happ is on pace for his first 30+ homer season, and his 1.9 fWAR leads all National League left fielders. The switch-hitting outfielder knows how to weather the ups and downs of the season, and I hope Cubs fans reward him in what may be his final year with Chicago with a trip to Philadelphia.

This Cubs pitcher has been great - but needs a larger body of work

Daniel Palencia

Don't get me wrong. Daniel Palencia has been really, really good for the Cubs this year. But the team's recent skid didn't exactly give him a lot of opportunities to lock down ballgames - and that could be the difference between him making his first All-Star team and missing out.

The flame-throwing right-hander owns a sub-2.00 ERA on the year, but has made just 15 appearances totaling 13 1/3 innings. That's not a big enough body of work to get into the All-Star Game, especially when you consider the body of work of some of the other top relievers in the league.

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