In his MLB Insider, Denver Gazette beat writer Luke Zahlmann takes you around the Rockies and MLB:

All-Star voting is through its second cycle of updates and fan favorites are becoming clear.

Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Milwaukee fans have helped its players to leads in multiple positions. Some are deserving, while others are benefiting from pure fandom. There’s nothing wrong with that, either. The road to Texas’ Globe Life Field is nearly at its destination.

Here are my starting picks for the All-Star game, as well as where they stand in the second voting update:

Catcher: William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers (1st; 1,473,348)

The Sean Murphy trade worked out for Atlanta overall, but the club gave up a top catcher to acquire another one.

William Contreras was dealt to the Brewers in 2022 as part of a three-team deal and has blossomed since. He’s hit .293 entering Tuesday’s action and has already played in 76 games for Milwaukee as its offensive rock. He has been critical to the team’s 2024 start after it dealt away ace Corbin Burnes in what looked to be a pending rebuild. Their players haven’t followed suit, though.

First base: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (1st; 2,037,523)

Phillies’ fans are coming through for their players through voting, but Bryce Harper is the correct choice.

He is third in home runs (19) and has accounted for 3.8 wins above replacement, good for second behind Shohei Ohtani (4.2) in the National League. The last time he played close to a full season was 2021 when he hit 35 homers, and 42 doubles and won MVP. Off Tommy John surgery and a move to first, he may just do it again.

Second base: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (1st; 1,183,331)

Ketel Marte is criminally underrated in baseball.

He leads the NL in defensive runs saved (12) and is fifth in wins above replacement (3.1) behind only the league’s best players like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Bryce Harper. He is the engine of Arizona’s potent offense, even if Corbin Carroll’s speed draws more headlines and Christian Walker’s long balls take up highlight reels.

The switch-hitting, do-it-all player deserves to start in the All-Star game, and the voting has agreed.

Third base: Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies (7th; 290,176)

Colorado has been hard to watch in 2024, so people haven’t.

Ryan McMahon has been one of the league’s best players all year. He has done it all for the Rockies, from his walk-off grand slam in the home opener to the league’s first pitch-clock violation walk-off. If not for the rarity of both, the highlight likely never would’ve made daily sports recaps.

He’s second among NL third basemen in home runs (14) and has the third-most wins above replacement (2.2). Alec Bohm will get the spot through voting, but McMahon has been the better two-way third baseman. Such is life for a losing team’s top players.

Shortstop: Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds (3rd; 596,015)

Rickey Henderson 2.0 is a joy to watch play baseball.

Elly De La Cruz can spend a defensive inning throwing as hard as a reliever before he heads to the plate and shows off some of the league’s best raw power. He leads the league’s shortstops in stolen bases (37) to boot, and second-place swiper Ha-Seong Kim (15) isn’t close.

Mookie Betts is the pick and has likely been the league’s best player, regardless of position. A hit-by-pitch disaster and a broken bone in his left hand two weeks ago soiled those plans and it feels like he’ll be lucky to heal by the All-Star Game.

Left field: Teoscar Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers (3rd; 1,413,877)

Call it recency bias, but Teoscar Hernández has a similar case as Marte for the league’s most under-discussed star.

He had back-to-back Silver Slugger nods in 2021 and 2022. His days in Toronto were oft-ignored, despite his production. Even in Los Angeles, he hasn’t received the spotlight.

Hernández leads all outfielders in home runs (18) and would be near the top in wins above replacement if he wasn’t such a questionable fielder. The All-Star Game isn’t for fielding though, that’s what the Gold Glove represents. He provides fireworks, and that’s what the event is all about.

Center field: Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres (1st; 1,646,276)

Will Smith couldn’t have been more wrong about Jurickson Profar’s relevance.

He leads the league’s outfielders in wins above replacement (2.7) and has hit .317 in his first 81 games with the Padres in 2024.

Profar is hardly irrelevant and deserves to start the All-Star Game. It’s a bonus that he has nearly double the votes of Smith.

Right field: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (4th; 1,390,737)

Fernando Tatis Jr. is good for baseball and his flare is unmatched.

He’s also second among outfielders in wins above replacement (2.5) and tied for second in home runs (14). Get him to the All-Star game, and put a full-time camera on his footwear. He’ll surely wear something unique for his second All-Star nod.

Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (1st; 1,773,404)

It feels silly to explain Ohtani’s candidacy.

Tommy John surgery forced him to be a one-way player in 2024 and he’s taken the opportunity and run with it. He leads the NL in wins above replacement (4.2) and home runs (23), regardless of position.

Ohtani is likely the best player in the world, even without pitching. You don’t have to squint to see the quality of his résumé.

Starting pitcher: Ranger Suárez, Philadelphia Phillies (N/A)

Fans don’t get to vote the starting pitcher in but it likely doesn’t matter.

Philadelphia has shown up in droves to vote for its players and Ranger Suárez has quickly become one of the city’s favorites. He carries a 1.75 ERA through 15 starts and is one of four NL pitchers to throw a complete game in 2024.

Suárez won’t get the chance to go nine innings in Texas. He deserves the first one at least.

What I’m hearing:

— Luis Robert Jr.’s exit from the White Sox may have its new destination(s) set.

The Athletic reported the outfielder has been rumored as a trade candidate and the team has reportedly scouted the Padres, Dodgers and Mariners’ farm systems. It indicates the three teams may be the main bidders for the 26-year-old’s services.

He hit 38 home runs and stole 20 bases last year but has been contained to 25 games this season due to injuries. Robert is still one of the league’s most valuable trade pieces and offers contenders a window to compete before he enters free agency in 2026.

What I’m seeing:

— Steven Kwan was rehabbing when Colorado hosted the Guardians and the Rockies are lucky they missed him.

The outfielder’s average is up to a league-high .389 and he’s already set a new career-high with seven home runs. Kwan has hit .457 in 18 games since he returned from a hamstring injury that cost him most of May.

The former Oregon State standout is still learning after a debut in 2022. Imagine what a developed version could look like.

Minor League Minute

— Jack Mahoney added to Colorado’s farm-system pitching resurgence last week.

He threw the organization’s second complete game of 2024. It was the minors’ first complete-game shutout and the first for Single-A Fresno since Cy Sneed on June 21, 2018. High-A Spokane lefty Sean Sullivan is the only other pitcher to throw a complete game in the minor leagues this season.

Both were taken in the 2023 MLB Draft alongside the club’s top pitching prospect Chase Dollander. Results from the class have been sterling so far.

The List

National League’s top-10 All-Star vote-getters

1. 1B Bryce Harper (PHI) – 2,037,523

2. 3B Alec Bohm (PHI) – 1,960,231

3. DH Shohei Ohtani (LAD) – 1,773,404

4. SS Mookie Betts (LAD) – 1,680,658

5. OF Jurickson Profar (SDP) – 1,646,276

6. OF Christian Yelich (MIL) – 1,506,639

7. OF Teoscar Hernández (LAD) – 1,413,877

8. OF Fernando Tatís Jr. (SDP) – 1,390,737

9. 1B Freddie Freeman (LAD) – 1,327,918

10. 2B Ketel Marte (ARI) – 1,183,331