It is hard to imagine that we are approaching the halfway point of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. After reaching this milestone, we push towards the All-Star break.
Online voting has begun, and there are many deserving candidates to choose from. The Friar Faithful is proud of the San Diego Padres players on the MLB All-Star Game ballot. It is time for some drama, as the selection process for the National League squad has begun.
Let’s take a look at the Padres who are All-Star Game candidates for the 2025 Mid-Summer Classic.
Manny Machado, 3B
The All-Star Game is a showcase of the sport’s best players. Manny Machado fits this description perfectly. The Friars superstar is playing more like an MVP candidate, as Machado is batting .316 with a .884 OPS, 11 HRs, and 45 RBIs. Late in games when the Padres need a base hit, he has come through in each at-bat. Machado is in the conversation as being baseball’s top clutch hitter in 2025. He ranks second (2.6) among all third basemen in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) behind Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez.
The first ballot results were announced, with Machado leading Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy by 539,372 votes. Another competitor for the starting position is Arizona Diamondbacks Eugenio Suarez. He has slugged 21 HRs to lead their lineup. It will be hard to knock Machado off the top spot, as he excels both offensively and defensively.
Gavin Sheets, DH-OF
Gavin Sheets was a long shot to make the Padres’ Opening Day roster. He showed power from the left side of the plate in Cactus League play, and Sheets has been a consistent run-producer all season. He is coming into his own after he struggled with the Chicago White Sox.
Yes, his glove is less than desirable, but Sheets is hitting like an All-Star. He is turning big swing-and-misses into home runs with the Friars. Sheets is batting .267 with 12 HRs, 40 RBIs, and a .807 OPS in 225 at-bats. His quality of contact is among the best for left-handed hitters, as Sheets has a .480 slugging percentage. His production could entice voters and those who fill out the remainder of the roster that he is a worthy All-Star candidate.
Robert Suarez, Closer
Forecasting which closers will be selected for the National League team is difficult. Such factors as the number of starting pitchers chosen and the usage of each closer have to be taken into account. It might be wise to decline the invitation and rest your arm for the stretch run to earn a postseason berth.
Padres closer Robert Suarez is a candidate, as he has been one of the top closers in the NL this season. Suarez started strong but faltered of late. He has a 3.23 ERA with a league-leading 21 saves in 31 appearances. His lone saving grace has been strikeout-to-walk ratio (33-8).
Padres manager Mike Shildt has confidence in him by using the “he has done this before” approach after a few rough outings. Suarez has time to make a push for a spot on the NL All-Star team. When he is on, his four-seam fastball is overpowering at 98 MPH, as opponents are hitting .178 against him this season.
A lot can change over the next month. Any Friar can pick the pace and make a case for themselves to play in the 2025 All-Star Game.
Good Luck to all the candidates.
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