Tovar, McMahon deserve All-Star spots

ROCKIES JOURNAL

Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar throws out Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan at first to end the seventh inning on June 6 in St. Louis. JEFF ROBERSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Patrick Saunders

psaunders@denverpost.com

For a major league player, landing a spot in the All-Star Game is about talent, statistics, popularity, reputation, name recognition and the team you play on. And not necessarily in that order.

For the Rockies, who are on pace to lose more than 100 games for the second consecutive season, only the first two aforementioned criteria (talent and statistics) will come into play this season. Truth be told, the Rockies will likely have just one required representative at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on July 15.

ESPN senior baseball writer David Schoenfield predicts that third baseman Ryan McMahon will be Colorado’s lone representative. Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, the Rockies’ best and most consistent player, does not warrant a mention.

In other words, despite being the National League’s most consistent shortstop (three errors in 300 chances) and ranking third in total bases (138), Tovar is a victim of circumstance. He plays for the Rockies and is a baby-faced 22-year-old, so he lacks popular pizzazz. But if you have seen him play, you know he’s worthy of All-Star Game consideration.

Voting for the Midsummer Classic is underway, and we already know that no Rockies player will be voted in as a starter. But these five players deserved to at least get a long look:

• McMahon >> He’s already a Gold Glove finalist and has a chance to win his first trophy this season. He’s a streaky hitter — as evidenced by his recent 0-for-16 slump — but he snapped out of his funk with his 11th homer of the season on Tuesday in Minnesota, followed by his team-leading 12th on Wednesday.

Entering the weekend, McMahon was near the top of the leaderboard among NL third basemen, ranking first in on-base percentage (.350), OPS (.812) and total bases (116). He was second in home runs (12) and average (.267) and ranked third in RBIs (36).

Phillies slugger Alec Bohm will be the likely starter, but the odds are that McMahon will be a first-time All-Star.

• Tovar >> The Colorado shortstop’s time is coming, but Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts will be the starter. The charismatic, dynamic Betts is hitting .308 with 10 homers, a .904 OPS, and a 3.7 WAR. Plus, he plays in Los Angeles.

However, Tovar has been terrific. Among NL shortstops, he ranks first in doubles (21) and total bases (138), is tied for first in home runs (11) and ranks third in average (.293). On the diamond, he plays with boldness, intelligence and flair. He might not make the All-Star Game this year, but he deserves to.

• Brenton Doyle >> The center fielder won a Gold Glove as a rookie last season, the first NL rookie ever to accomplish that. You’ve undoubtedly noticed that few players run on Doyle, for good reason. He averages 97.4 mph on throws from the outfield, the fastest in the majors.

Last season, Doyle slashed .203/.250/.343 but still hit 10 home runs and stole 22 bases. Entering the weekend, he was slashing .265/.337/.393 with five homers and 18 stolen bases. He’s trimmed his strikeout rate from 35% to 26.5% and upped his walk rate from 5.1% to 9.5%.

An All-Star Game invitation doesn’t come with a “most-improved” position, but Doyle’s numbers merit consideration on their own. His .265 average ranks fourth among NL center fielders, and his .730 OPS is third. His 18 stolen bases rank first.

But Doyle will have trouble making it as a reserve, especially considering the season the Padres’ Jurickson Profar is having and the star power of San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr., Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, the Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm and the Cubs’ Cody Bellinger.

• Elias Diaz >> The catcher was Colorado’s lone representative in the All-Star Game last year and burst like a supernova. He was named the MVP after hitting a two-run home run off Orioles closer Felix Bautista in the eighth inning to power the National League to a 3-2 victory, ending the American League’s nine-game winning streak.

Diaz, currently on the injured list with a strained left calf, is having a solid season, hitting .303 with a .791 OPS, five homers and 28 RBIs. But with the Rockies likely getting just one representative, Diaz won’t be going back to the All-Star Game. The Brewers’ William Contreras and the Dodgers’ Will Smith look like they’ll be the two catchers.

• Cal Quantrill >> The veteran right-hander has been one of the NL’s best pitchers. And if Rockies players have traditionally gotten ripped for putting up big numbers at Coors Field, Quantrill should get bonus points for thriving at altitude. Quantrill made his ninth quality start on Tuesday in Minnesota, tied for the third-most in the NL. His 3.30 ERA is only the 18th best in the National League, but it’s the lowest by a Rockies starter through their first 14 starts of a season since Tyler Chatwood posted a 3.15 ERA to begin the 2016 season.

In five starts at Coors, Quantrill is 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA. That says a lot about his toughness and competitiveness. But with so many pitchers dominating hitters this season, Quantrill’s chances are slim unless several pitchers bow out of the Midsummer Classic.