Scherzer, Harper, Rendon, and Turner are my Nats 2018 All-Stars

Each year I select a National League All-Star team based on objective formulas and post it here.

The basic criteria is wins above replacement (WAR), giving roughly equal weight to performance in 2017 and 2016, with a small weight given to career performance (mostly serving as a tie breaker). Because my criteria are objective and use the same methods year after year, these results are not subject to cherry picking or fan bias. Max Scherzer is the starting pitcher, Bryce Harper starts in right field, and Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner also make the team. If it weren’t for his injury, Stephen Strasburg would also have made it, and Sean Doolittle was just knocked off by the requirement that every team be represented. Here’s the team:

Starters

C – J.T. Realmuto – Marlins

1B – Joey Votto – Reds

2B – Ben Zobrist – Cubs

3B – Nolan Arenado – Rockies

SS – Brandon Crawford – Giants

LF – Christian Yelich – Brewers

CF – Lorenzo Cain – Brewers; Cain is currently on the DL, and if he can’t make it, he would be replaced by Tommy Pham of the Cardinals

RF – Bryce Harper – Nationals

DH – Freddoe Freeman – Braves

SP – Max Scherzer

Reserves

C – Buster Posey – Giants

C – Francisco Cervelli – Pirates; Cervelli is currently on the DL and if he can’t make it would be replaced by Willson Contreras of the Cubs

1B – Paul Goldschmidt – Diamondbacks

2B – Scooter Gennett – Reds

3B – Anthony Rendon – Nationals

3B – Eugenio Suarez – Reds

SS – Trea Turner – Nationals

LF – Marcell Ozuna – Cardinals

CF – Charlie Blackmon – Rockies (if Cain is unable to play; otherwise the backup center fielder is Pham)

RF – Nick Markakis – Braves

DH – Kris Bryant – Cubs; Bryant is currently on the DL and if he is unable to play he should be replaced by Max Muncy of the Dodgers

SP – Jacob DeGrom – Mets

SP – Zack Greinke – Diamondbacks

SP – Aaron Nola – Phillies

SP – Clayton Kershaw – Dodgers

SP – Stephen Strasburg – Nationals; but I’m going to drop him because I don’t believe he’ll be able to play, making Lester our seventh and final starting pitcher

SP – Patrick Corbin – Diamondbacks

SP – Jon Lester – Cubs

RP – Josh Hader – Brewers

RP – Kenley Jansen – Dodgers

RP – Adam Ottavino – Rockies

RP – Kirby Yates – Padres

RP – Felipe Vazquez – Pirates (and former Nat)

Yates and Vazquez are included because of the requirement that every franchise be represented. Without that requirement, I would have selected Jeremy Jeffress of the Brewers and Sean Doolittle of the Nationals.