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There is no shortage of big names on the block as we head toward the 2016 MLB trade deadline on Aug. 1.

As teams prepare for their playoff pushes, they want impact players who can make a difference for the rest of the regular season and beyond. Of course, those stars aren’t going to come cheap. The contending squads will have to give up noteworthy talent in return, which this year also includes high-profile players.

Organizations will continue to negotiate right up until the 4 p.m. ET deadline, but the rumors will likely continue as long as impact players remain available. Here is the latest surrounding some notable talents who could be on the move.

Aroldis Chapman, LHP, New York Yankees

When a player throws 105 mph, there is certain to be a lot of interest from around the league. That is the case with Aroldis Chapman, the New York Yankees closer who is apparently on the trade market this July.

ESPN The Magazine‘s Buster Olney reported the team has been aggressive in trying to move the flamethrower:

While teams also have interest in fellow left-handed reliever Andrew Miller, per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, it seems the Yankees would rather lose Chapman, who is set to be a free agent at the end of the season anyway. With the squad already a long shot to contend this year, it might as well get whatever it can for the talented player.

Olney noted a few teams interested in shoring up their bullpens, but the Washington Nationals might be one of the most aggressive. They have had one of the top teams in the majors over the last few years but don’t have a single playoff series win to show for it, so they believe this is their time to contend.

Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post explained Washington also has the pitching depth to complete a deal with Joe Ross, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez—all high-end starters who can help a team immediately. Lopez made his debut Tuesday and allowed six runs in 4.2 innings, but he also had nine strikeouts and just one walk.

Even after the Nationals sent Lopez back down to the minors after his spot start, per the team’s official Twitter account, it’s clear he could be a valuable commodity on the trade block.

It’s unknown whether the Nationals are willing to part with any of their young pitchers. However, with so many teams involved in the pursuit of Chapman, any deal likely won’t come cheap. With the 28-year-old’s closing experience and game-changing talent out of the bullpen, a blockbuster trade might be worth it.

Jurickson Profar, IF, Texas Rangers

While he was once a can’t-miss prospect who was untouchable on trades, Jurickson Profar could be on the move before the trade deadline.

T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reported the massive interest in the 23-year-old infielder:

Profar hadn’t played since 2013 before this season, and the Rangers have brought him along slowly while they try to figure out a spot for him in the lineup. He has spent time at first base, second base, shortstop and third base already this year and has gotten “a tutorial in outfield work” recently, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

When you have a player like Profar who’s a great athlete with this type of defensive versatility and the upside of an elite hitter, it’s no wonder opposing teams will do whatever they can to steal him in a trade.

The question is whether the Rangers would be willing to give up either Profar or fellow top prospect Joey Gallo in a deal. They are after starting pitching, and a team like the Tampa Bay Rays has multiple targets—Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore—available. If it is the one making the calls, Texas knows it could make a deal.

Although the Rangers organization might not want to part with a still-young prospect for nothing, general manager Jon Daniels explained he would let anyone go for the right price. When asked whether he has any players who are “untouchable,” he told the Ben and Skin show on KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan (via the Dallas Morning News):

I don’t think anybody does. I don’t think there’s a team out there that does, or a player that falls in that category. It’s just the name of the game. The right situation, right deal, any team would have to talk about anybody. That’s just the nature of the beast. Now, are there certain guys that would have to take a really unique circumstance? Of course. But you go 1-30 in every club, there’s going to be certain guys that are going to be harder to talk about than others.

This honest response shows that while he won’t give up Profar for a mid-range pitcher, things could be arranged in the right deal. If the Rangers can get Archer, Sonny Gray or other legitimate front-line starters, the young infielder will be on the next plane out.

Yasiel Puig, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Two years ago, Yasiel Puig was an All-Star and a possible future MVP candidate. Since then, there has been a lot more uncertainty.

The Cuban outfielder hit just .255 in 79 games last year and has been right on that pace in 2016, with even less power. A sub-.700 OPS is not going to get it done at the major league level.

This makes it little surprise the Los Angeles Dodgers are “open to trading” the 25-year-old player, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

Why would a team want a struggling outfielder? Puig is still young and has proved he can hit at the major league level when healthy. He had a .319 batting average and 19 home runs during his rookie season at just 22 years old, so he has the ability to succeed. An interested team would have to hope a change of scenery is what is necessary to reignite that spark.

Meanwhile, Puig is also an electric player who has speed, a rocket arm and has improved defensively as of late. Even after a couple of poor seasons, he still has the upside of a superstar. Considering he is under team control through the 2019 season, there is a lot to like in a potential deal.

From the Dodgers’ perspective, though, the outfielder will not come cheap. According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the team isn’t looking for any small moves this summer:

Despite dealing with tons of injuries, especially with the pitching staff, Los Angeles is still in position to make the playoffs if the season ended today. If injured ace Clayton Kershaw and others can return before long, this is a team that can contend for a World Series.

If the Dodgers can get an upgrade by trading away a struggling Puig, they should do it.

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With the All-Star break now behind us, MLB teams have increased their focus on potential trades that can improve them before the trade deadline. 

While one poor week of play can turn a contender into a pretender, there seems to be a lot more buyers than sellers on the market. This means a wide variety of teams are pursuing the same few names.

As a result, it’s a good time to be a seller, because you can just sit back and let the bidding war ensue.

The possibilities are almost endless with so many teams involved in the action, but here is a look at some potential trades that could go down in the coming weeks.

Jeremy Hellickson to the Marlins

The Miami Marlins (49-42) have charged up the standings lately and are now in serious contention for a playoff spot, but they might need some more arms to compete with the Washington Nationals and New York Mets in the National League East.

Jose Fernandez is a legitimate ace, but besides Adam Conley, no one else is trustworthy in the rotation.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports initially reported Miami’s heavy interest in adding a starter, listing most of the Tampa Bay Rays rotation (Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore) as possible options. However, any of those three will likely come at a heavy price, with ESPN’s Buster Olney reporting that Archer probably isn’t going anywhere.

With the Marlins lacking top prospects to offer in exchange, it will be tough to lure any of those pitchers to Miami.

On the other hand, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com noted another possible option:

Jeremy Hellickson has just a 4.03 ERA this season, but he would still represent a major upgrade over some of the current members of the Marlins rotation. He is also a reliable innings-eater, having pitched at least six innings in 11 of the last 12 games.

Although the former Ray hasn’t been able to recapture the magic he had in his first few years in the majors, he can be a reliable No. 3 starter who brings more consistency to the back of the Marlins rotation. Considering the likely reasonable cost, this would be a no-brainer move for the suddenly contending squad. 

Ervin Santana to the Orioles

It’s amazing the Baltimore Orioles can remain in first place with their starting pitching. Chris Tillman has been good all year, but the rest of the rotation has been embarrassing at times.

Ubaldo Jimenez has made 17 starts this year while posting a 7.38 ERA. Dylan Bundy recently joined the rotation, but he had an underwhelming debut with four runs allowed in 3.1 innings.

C.J. Nitkowski of Fox Sports 1 noted the team’s inability to trade might have forced this move:

Still, the Orioles shouldn’t give up on targeting a starter, especially considering the state of the staff. While they have interest in the same types of players as everyone else, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe listed Ervin Santana as a possible target:

He may be a more realistic option for the Orioles or Royals. Now with the precedent the Red Sox have set with the Drew Pomeranz deal, the prospect price will be high even on Santana, though the Twins are also trying to shed salary and would take less if the team takes on the remainder of Santana’s $28 million after this season.

While Santana is just 3-8 on the season with a 4.12 ERA, he has been much better as of late, posting a 2.18 ERA in his last five starts with a 2-1 record. One of those wins was a two-hit shutout of the Oakland Athletics.

Baltimore has already sent scouts to watch Santana, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, but so have other teams, including the Kansas City Royals.

The Orioles need to make a move now, including taking on salary if necessary, to make sure they can get Santana and provide a much-needed upgrade to the starting rotation.

Andrew Miller to the Nationals

The Nationals (56-37) have been one of the top teams this season, so it’s understandable for the front office to be patient when making a deal.

“We have some areas we can improve on, but overall, we feel good about the team that we have,” general manager Mike Rizzo explained, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

However, Ladson also reported on Washington’s effort to add some quality relievers:

The Nationals are trying to acquire bullpen help. As one baseball source put it, “Bullpen help is the top priority before the Deadline.” The Nats have interest in Yankees relievers Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, who are dominating left-handed relievers. The Yanks are likely looking to replenish their farm system, so it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they asked for prospects such as Lucas Giolito and Trea Turner.

This type of return would be a high price, but both Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman would represent a major boost to the team. Chapman has been solid as a closer while completing 18 of 19 save chances this year, while Miller has been dominant with a 1.34 ERA and 70 strikeouts to just seven walks.

Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post also noted the New York Yankees are doing their due diligence on their end:

Of course, there will be competition for any deal. George A. King III of the New York Post reported that Miller is the “No. 1 trade priority” for the Chicago Cubs, while the Cubs and Texas Rangers are also interested in Chapman.

Washington will not be able to get either player without giving up a lot. If the team completes any deal, it better make sure it will be the type of move to help the squad contend for a World Series title.

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No matter which team you root for during the regular season, there is plenty to watch at the 2016 MLB All-Star Game.

While the starting lineups are dominated by two teams—the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox will have eight starters between the two sides—each organization has a representative at the Midsummer Classic. Additionally, there are plenty of well-known players to follow on both teams, from young superstars to well-known veterans.

The squads will battle for home-field advantage in the World Series, but in reality, this is still just a chance to see the best in baseball on the big stage.

2016 MLB All-Star Game

When: Tuesday, July 12

Where: Petco Park; San Diego, California

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: Fox (Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

The past week saw some shuffling on the rosters because of injury concerns, but the starting lineups are officially set for the American League and National League teams, including the starting pitchers.

ESPN Stats & Info provided a look at the lineups:

While Johnny Cueto had a strong first half, he likely wasn’t the first choice for NL manager Terry Collins.

Sure, he leads the league with 13 wins to go with an impressive 2.47 ERA. However, it helps that Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg and Noah Syndergaard couldn’t compete in the exhibition for a variety of reasons.

In the end, the choice likely came down to Cueto and Jake Arrieta, and the latter has struggled as of late with 15 earned runs allowed in his last three starts. The San Francisco Giants starter became the easy decision.

There was also an easy choice in the AL, but that is due to the strong showing by Chris Sale in the first half of the season. He is coming off his worst start of the year (eight earned runs in five innings) but still has a 3.38 ERA in 2016. Most importantly, his 14 wins lead the majors at the All-Star break.

AL manager Ned Yost explained his thoughts on the division rival, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago:

Sale has been underrated in recent years despite the fact that he is going to his fifth consecutive All-Star Game, but he is impossible to ignore this time around.

With Steven Wright and as many as seven relievers potentially making appearances, this is a deep staff.

No matter what the pitchers do for the American League, the squad remains in good shape thanks to an impressive lineup from top to bottom: Jose Altuve, Mike Trout, Manny Machado and David Ortiz represent the perfect combination of batting average, speed and power at the top of the order.

Red Sox outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts also have a chance to make an impact at the end of the order.

Meanwhile, the National League has some quality hitters as well, beginning with the Cubs duo of Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo.

According to Baseball-Reference.com, they have the two best WAR marks among NL position players this year:

Bryant has been especially impressive, with his 25 home runs leading the NL, making him a top contender for the MVP award with a few months to go.

The Giants—who have the majors’ best record—don’t have a lot of representatives in the game, but don’t count out catcher Buster Posey, who could come up with some big hits after barely securing the starting spot over Yadier Molina.

With these players in action for the first few innings and a long list of replacements ready to make an impact late in the game, this should be an enjoyable battle between two evenly matched opponents.

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The MLB All-Star rosters have been announced for each league, but there are still unanswered questions heading into the Midsummer Classic.

There will be a few changes to the rosters in the coming days, including injury replacements and fill-ins for pitchers who won’t be able to go on short rest. There is also the final vote that will add one more hitter to each squad.

However, it will be just as interesting to follow the managerial decisions within the lineup about who will play and when. Here is a look at the full rosters along with some questions that will be answered before Tuesday night.

Top Storylines

Who’s the American League Starting Pitcher?

Danny Salazar has had a great season to this point. He leads the American League in ERA by a wide margin at 2.36, only once allowing more than three runs in a game. His .195 opponent batting average trails only Toronto’s Marco Estrada, and Salazar’s play is a major reason the Cleveland Indians are in first place in the AL Central.

Boston’s Steven Wright has been one of the best stories of the baseball season as an out-of-nowhere knuckleball pitcher who has been one of the top starters in the majors.

However, the favorite to start the All-Star Game remains Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander has a 0.98 WHIP and a solid 2.93 ERA, but the truly eye-popping number is his 14-2 record. Although wins have been devalued in baseball as of late, there is still something to be said for having this many victories in the first half of the year.

Sale pitches deep into games and is as consistent as they come, not just this season, but for the last five years as a starter.

Despite the heavy competition, Sale should be named the starter.

Will Dexter Fowler Be Back in Time?

Considering five different Chicago Cubs position players were voted in as starters, no one would be too upset if one of them couldn’t play in the All-Star Game. However, Dexter Fowler remains a question mark after dealing with a hamstring injury for the past few weeks.

The outfielder was eligible to come off the disabled list Monday but is just beginning his rehab assignment Friday, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.

While the Cubs have certainly missed their leadoff hitter, returning for the All-Star Game has been just as important as returning to his team, as manager Joe Maddon discussed.

“He wants to play in the All-Star Game,” Maddon said of Fowler, per ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers. “Don’t anyone fault him for that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I’m all for it. Let’s see how this plays the rest of the weekend, but the overriding concern is that he plays for us the rest of the year.”

It wouldn’t be hard to replace Fowler if he is unable to play. Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez and Pittburgh’s Starling Marte might be more deserving of the honor anyway after posting strong numbers in the first half. However, this is the veteran outfielder’s first chance to play in this exhibition in eight years in the majors.

Although Chicago fans would rather see him rest for an extra few days and come back healthier, it’s understandable for Fowler to do whatever it takes to be in San Diego.

How Will National League DH Be Used?

The starters are voted on by fans at each position, but New York Mets manager Terry Collins will get the opportunity to add one more starter at designated hitter.

This is an excellent chance to make up for an oversight by the fans at any position. This could include Washington’s Daniel Murphy, Colorado’s Nolan Arenado, Los Angeles’ Corey Seager or anyone else who arguably should have started if not for some ballot-stuffing by Cubs fans.

On the other hand, A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com provides another idea for the DH spot:

In addition to the convenience of shuffling the lineup, Wil Myers would provide the San Diego fans with a hometown player to cheer for right out of the gate.

Myers is also in the midst of the best season of his young career, so he is also deserving of the spot. While other players might have better numbers, there likely won’t be too many complaints if the 25-year-old hitter is added to the starting lineup.

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While the outcome of the MLB All-Star Game matters, the Celebrity Softball Game is nothing but fun for the players and fans.

Actors, models, musicians and more will try to show just how athletic they really are, competing alongside Hall of Famers and former All-Stars. Of course, Jennie Finch will probably embarrass all of them anyway.

The score isn’t important, but every competitor will want to go home with a few plays he or she can be proud of, either at the plate or in the field. Regardless of who does well, we should at least see some memorable moments from both teams.

All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game

When: Sunday

Where: Petco Park, San Diego

Time: Following the MLB Futures Game, which begins at 7 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN (Monday following the Home Run Derby, which begins at 8 p.m. ET) 

While the non-athletes always want to show what they can do, the real stars are usually the former baseball players. When you can hit the ball out of a major league park with regularity, it isn’t too much trouble to knock a softball out with the fence brought in.

Tim Raines, Ozzie Smith, Andre Dawson and Fred Lynn are some of the hitters to watch during the softball game, although the most fun might be Vladimir Guerrero. The nine-time All-Star made a career out of hitting every ball that was anywhere near the plate. In a game like this, expect him to swing away on every pitch with the possibility of hitting the ball far.

Still, the most popular player in attendance will likely be Trevor Hoffman. The closer spent 16 years with the San Diego Padres, tallying 552 of his 601 career saves, and he is certain to get quite a few cheers from the hometown fans.

As Becki Schildhouse of NBC San Diego also notes, Sunday will be a busy day for the seven-time All-Star:

Meanwhile, a handful of athletes in other sports will try to show their versatility, including soccer star Landon Donovan and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.

For Brees, the key might be to avoid getting overconfident. He struggled in his last celebrity softball game, explaining afterward it was the result of a lack of practice.

“I hit every ball hard, I just hit every ball on top of it,” the quarterback said, per Joel A. Erickson of the Advocate. “Obviously, I probably should’ve gotten in the cage a little bit before I got out here, but I feel like I should just be able to pick the bat up and hit it whenever I want, wherever I want on the field.”

The rest of the field is filled with musicians such as Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and Tim Foreman of Switchfoot, as well as actors such as Jamie Foxx and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, also known as Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell.

One sleeper whom fans might want to watch out for is J.K. Simmons, whose strength was on display recently:

He and Terry Crews might battle for the biggest muscles in the game, which could translate to some long balls at the plate.

While all the hitters will need to come up with big showings in order to top last year’s 25-21 final, the game should be fun regardless of the outcome.

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There are snubs every year, but for the most part, the best players in baseball will take part in the 2016 MLB All-Star Game.

The fans made their calls on the starters, while player voting and the managers helped fill out the bench and pitching staffs. The final vote between five hitters in each league will fill the last spot on each team.

Between all the different ways of getting a bid, only a few quality options will stay home during the break. Jose Quintana and Gregory Polanco might still complain, but otherwise the Midsummer Classic should be a fun showcase of top talent.

Here is what you need to know about the upcoming exhibition.

2016 MLB All-Star Game

When: Tuesday, July 12

Where: Petco Park, San Diego

Start Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: Fox (Coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. ET)

The big story regarding the starters is the presence of a whole bunch of Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. Although the Cubs are slumping a bit as of late, they are still getting plenty of respect from an impressive start to the year. As for the Red Sox, it’s hard to complain about any of the four starters since they are in the midst of excellent seasons.

Young stars Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts are all looking to step into the spotlight, but David Ortiz deserves plenty of credit of his own. The 40-year-old designated hitter has the best batting average of his career (.337) and is on pace for some of his best power numbers in a decade with 20 home runs and 69 RBI.

There are bigger question marks about some of the Cubs starters, including Addison Russell and Dexter Fowler, but this is what happens when the fans get a chance to vote and are excited about their teams.

Second baseman Ben Zobrist described the fan impact, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com:

I think what that says is we have an incredible fan base that’s in our corner. As players, we become the benefactors. … We’re glad we’re Chicago Cubs now, and I think that’s why a lot of players want to be here.

The start we’ve had to the season has been a big reason why fans have noticed that. The assembly of players we have in here is an All-Star-caliber assembly. It’s not surprising there’s a lot of guys who had a shot to go.

In any case, it’s clear general manager Theo Epstein knows what he is doing based on his time with the Red Sox and Cubs, per Mike and Mike:

Among the players who weren’t selected as starters, quite a few should make an impact off the bench. This includes Daniel Murphy, who built on an incredible postseason run last year to now lead the National League in batting average (.345). He has fallen a bit from when he flirted with a .400 batting average earlier in the year, but he still holds the lead over Washington Nationals teammate and fellow All-Star Wilson Ramos (.335).

As long as Murphy gets his at-bats, he should get over barely missing out on earning a start. ESPN Stats & Info shared the minute difference in the voting totals:

On the other hand, former manager Terry Collins could just decide to put him in the starting lineup at designated hitter.

One of the biggest things left to decide is the starting pitchers for each league. Clayton Kershaw would have been the obvious choice in the NL, but he is on the disabled list. The choice comes down to Jake Arrieta or Madison Bumgarner; both have been dominant at times but also inconsistent.

In the American League, the race is between Danny Salazar and Chris Sale. While Salazar has the better ERA (2.36), it’s hard to compete with Sale’s 14 wins in 17 starts.

No matter how the lineups shake out, there will be enough talent on both sides to keep fans entertained.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.

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While the MLB All-Star Game is the one that counts for the World Series home advantage, the Home Run Derby is usually the most entertaining event of the week. This is especially true after the added twist in the rules last season.

Todd Frazier took the title in the first year with the new format, featuring a head-to-head bracket as well as a clock to provide some added excitement.

MLB Communications provided a breakdown of the rules last year:

The question at this point is which players will represent each league in the highly anticipated contest? The league has already announced the players who will be in attendance at Petco Park in San Diego for the All-Star Game, but the eight representatives for the July 11 derby remains to be seen.

If the best options do end up joining, however, this could be a memorable event.

Here is a look at predictions for who will be competing Monday night.

There will likely be a lot of talk of the players who won’t be in attendance during the derby, including some of the bigger names in baseball.

According to Bill Baer of NBC Sports, both Bryce Harper and Mike Trout have stated that they would decline invitations, removing the two biggest young stars in the majors. 

The same could be said about one of the top veteran stars in the league, with David Ortiz announcing he won’t participate in the contest, per Rob Bradford of WEEI. Considering at 40 years old he is having one of the best years of his career, this is a disappointment.

While other big hitters also stated they aren’t willing to join this contest, one player actually won’t be able to despite wanting to compete. Madison Bumgarner is one of the best hitting pitchers in baseball, but the players’ union won’t let that happen, according to Justin Wise of MLB.com.

The good news is there are still quality players available to represent their teams in this long-ball competition. This includes Frazier as the returning champion, who told Scott Merkin of MLB.com that he “would love to do it.”

Although Frazier’s all-around numbers aren’t good enough for him to be an All-Star, his 23 home runs show he still has plenty of power. He explained how not being in the All-Star Game wouldn’t be an issue, per Merkin:

You don’t have to be in the All-Star Game. I would be there for one day and that was it. Yeah, that would be cool.

I’ll have plenty of time to get ready and get my swing back. I had a lot to do in the Cincinnati one. I was the ambassador. I was roaming around everywhere. This would be fun to go there and not have to do much. Maybe sign a couple of autographs and get ready to go.

He should be able to battle some other players who have put up impressive power numbers this year, including Kris Bryant (25 home runs) and Mark Trumbo (24 home runs).

While Petco Park is not an easy place to hit home runs, these three players have proved themselves all season long and should be top contenders if they do indeed participate.

One questionable selection could be Giancarlo Stanton, who has only reached 17 home runs on the season after knocking two out of the park Tuesday night. Still, the latest performance showed how powerful he really is, especially with his first home run:

Joe Frisaro of MLB.com also noted the outfielder is willing to participate if asked:

Among the rest of the possible entries, Wil Myers would be the favorite among the hometown fans if he is in the contest. The Padres star has had an impressive year, tallying 19 home runs and 58 RBI through Tuesday night.

The former top prospect is finally living up to his potential and could raise his profile on the national stage with a big performance at this event. 

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While MLB won’t announce the starters until Tuesday night, the latest voting results provide a good indication of which players will represent their leagues in the 2016 MLB All-Star Game.

MLB Communications released the latest tally as of June 27, three days before the voting closed on June 30. The winners at each position will then be announced Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Although the official lineups, including pitchers and the National League designated hitter, will be up to the managers for each team and may not be known for some time, we can project what each team will look like for the game on July 12.

Here is a look at what to expect for the Midsummer Classic.

National League

The Chicago Cubs had dominated throughout the voting process, and unless something dramatic happened in the final couple of days, they should end up with five starters offensively.

Dexter Fowler hasn’t played while dealing with a hamstring injury, but he will apparently do what he can to make it back in time for the All-Star Game, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com:

If he is in the lineup, it only makes sense for him to lead off, which he has done for the majority of his career.

Fellow Cubs Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo should make up the meat of the order after outstanding starts to the year, as they possess the type of power that can change a game with one swing of the bat. When you add in Yoenis Cespedes, this is almost as good of a middle of the order as you can produce in the National League.

While middle infielders Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist haven’t been quite as stellar as their teammates, the voters have made their preferences known, giving both players spots in the starting lineup.

Perhaps the biggest question mark is at catcher, where Yadier Molina is battling Buster Posey in a close race. While Molina has had an excellent career, Posey is the clear better option this season. Although emotion plays a big part in these types of races, the difference in numbers could be the deciding factor.

It remains to be seen who will be the team’s designated hitter, with two quality options in Nolan Arenado and Daniel Murphy. However, Murphy might have the edge as the league leader in batting average (.348). The second baseman has also been especially dominant against his former team this year, per ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin:

New York Mets manager Terry Collins will have the last call. He can either be vengeful or realize just how good his former player has been this season. We will bet on the latter.

Clayton Kershaw would be the obvious starter at pitcher if he was healthy, but since he’s on the disabled list, the likely choices are Jake Arrieta and Madison Bumgarner. While both are quality options, Bumgarner has been more reliable, especially recently.

Arrieta has failed to reach six innings in five of his last eight starts, while Bumgarner hasn’t pitched less than six since April. He won’t need to pitch more than two innings in the All-Star Game, but his ability to keep opponents off the board is worth the start.

American League

The top of this lineup is as good as you will find. While the NL will have some questionable starters, the American League will come at pitchers without many holes from top to bottom.

Jose Altuve and Mike Trout at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, combine high batting averages, elite speed and solid power. With Manny Machado and David Ortiz behind them, there is a high likelihood at least one or two runs go up on the board right away.

Meanwhile, the combination of top players from the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals will ensure a lot of problems for the NL pitchers.

You could probably expect a few Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers players to come off the bench as well, once the full rosters are announced.

At pitcher, there appears to be a two-man race between Danny Salazar and Chris Sale. While Salazar has put up strong numbers all year long, Sale is the clear option after an impressive first half of the season.

The Chicago White Sox star has a 2.93 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, but the truly incredible number is his 14 wins in 17 starts.

Meanwhile, the team is going to make sure Sale actually gets a chance to play this time after he sat out a year ago. His manager, Robin Ventura, explained the value in the pitcher taking advantage of this opportunity, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago:

I don’t see that as an issue of him being able to pitch in the All-Star Game. I would like to see him do whatever he wants to do. He’s earned the right to do it. Whether they ask him to do it and he does it is another thing. It’s always an honor to play in the All-Star Game and to be the guy who is asked to start it is special. It doesn’t come around very often for a lot of guys and to do it is a feather in your cap.

Based on Sale’s ability to keep runners off base, the first couple of innings could be a challenge for the NL.

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Although fans sometimes make strange choices for MLB All-Star Game starters, the decisions to this point will create plenty of drama leading up to the final announcement.

Voting for the July 12 game closed at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, so hopefully you were able to fill out as many ballots with your favorite players as possible before the cutoff.

Some players, such as the Boston Red Sox’s David Ortiz and the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, had a virtually insurmountable lead, and it didn’t matter what happened in the final days of voting. However, other races will likely go down to the last moment, and officials will make sure they have every ballot counted before revealing the results.

The lineups will be announced at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday on ESPN, and until that point, we won’t know the official voting results. However, here is a look at the most recent release, courtesy of MLB Communications, along with the biggest storylines to follow in the coming days.

Top Storylines

Cubs’ Dominance

The Chicago Cubs have the best record in baseball, and fans are finally starting to believe this could be the team that wins a World Series. That excitement has carried over into the voting, with five different Cubs players leading their respective positions.

Only the catcher position doesn’t feature a Chicago representative in the lead, although Miguel Montero does rank fourth despite batting under .200 for the year.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, this type of lineup would be something unseen in the last 50 years:

Do all these players deserve a starting spot? Of course not.

There won’t be too much complaint about first baseman Anthony Rizzo or third baseman Kris Bryant, who have both put together excellent seasons to this point. Ben Zobrist has been solid as well at second base, but it’s hard to argue he has been better than the Washington Nationals’ Daniel Murphy, the player leading the league in batting average (.352) at the time of writing. Outfielder Dexter Fowler has also been good, though nothing special compared to the rest of the competition.

As for Addison Russell, there might be at least five better options to start at shortstop for the National League, beginning with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Corey Seager.

When you let the fans decide, however, these types of results are always possible. Considering how good the Cubs have been, other teams can’t complain all that much.

NL Catcher Battle

Just like the case with Russell, the candidate leading at the latest update is clearly not the best option.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina is a future Hall of Fame catcher, but this hasn’t been his best season. In fact, he doesn’t even rank among the top 10 in wins above replacement among NL catchers, according to Fangraphs.

Leading in this category is the San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey, who is neck and neck in the voting with Molina. Baseball Tonight explained why this shouldn’t even be a close race:

Fortunately for logic’s sake, Posey reportedly pulled ahead in the final few days of voting, according to Chris Haft of MLB.com. With a little more than one day remaining, he led by 107,000 votes.

Based on his solid first half of the season, Posey will likely be named to the fourth All-Star Game of his career even if he doesn’t win the vote. The same can’t be said about Molina, with his lack of power and his worst batting average (.261) since 2010.

Considering the St. Louis Cardinals backstop has been a part of the Midsummer Classic for the last seven years, true baseball fans might not mind too much if Molina does find his way in as a starter.

Filling Out AL Outfield

Trout has put together another incredible start to the season, filling up the stat sheet with a .323 batting average, 17 home runs and 53 RBI. Although the Los Angeles Angels are in last place, don’t be surprised if the outfielder once again finishes near the top of ballots in the MVP vote.

Before we get to that point, he will almost certainly represent the American League as the leading player among outfielders.

There is less certainty beyond that point with Boston Red Sox stars Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts trying to hold off the Kansas City Royals’ Lorenzo Cain, the Baltimore Orioles’ Mark Trumbo and the Toronto Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista.

While Betts isn’t focusing his entire attention on this race, he revealed his excitement in the possibility of starting the All-Star Game, per Rob Bradford of WEEI:

It’s definitely cool. You can’t say you never dreamed about. It’s definitely something I would love to be a part of. We’re kind of struggling right now so my mind is kind of somewhere else right now. But I’m going to do the best I can and in doing that the All-Star voting will take care of itself. Just take care of business, and that business will take care of itself.

Both he and Bradley have decent arguments to earn this status, although the competition is fierce. Even players farther down the list—such as the Texas Rangers’ Ian Desmond and the New York Yankees’ Carlos Beltran—are worthy of consideration thanks to their surprisingly good numbers.

As we have learned, though, the success on the field doesn’t matter quite as much as whether fans like you. In this respect, Betts better hope the fans in Boston help keep him in the starting spot.

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Few events in sports feature as much mystery as the MLB draft, and that won’t change in 2016.

The 2016 class has plenty of quality players from both college and high school, but none of them have separated themselves above the rest of the prospects. This could lead to plenty of surprises throughout the 40 rounds—and especially in the first round on Thursday.

Even when the picks are made, it will be years before we know which teams made the right decision and which ended up with busts.

While this increases the pressure for front offices, the drama should also create plenty of excitement for fans hoping their teams can build toward the future over the next week.

Full draft can be streamed online through MLB.com.

Full order courtesy of MLB.com.

Top Picks

Philadelphia Phillies: A.J. Puk, LHP, Florida Gators

The fact that there is no consensus best player in the draft makes things difficult for the Philadelphia Phillies, but it also keeps their options open. According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, the team is considering talent as well as signability with the top pick.

Amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz explained how he plans to approach the draft, per Zolecki:

If you look back to 2005 and look at the first overall pick and the performers in their class, a lot of the No. 1 picks are eight, nine, 10 as far as performance is based. A lot of guys that were taken between the fifth and 20th pick have outperformed the No. 1. We’re doing our job to take the best player with the best ability. But knowing that, it’s helped me widen the range of prospects as far as we’re concerned at No. 1.

Even with a full list of options, the Phillies appear likely to take Florida lefty A.J. Puk with the first pick.

Puk has all the physical tools you look for in a prospect. The 6’7″, 230-pound lefty has a strong fastball and good enough secondary stuff to be excited about his possibilities. However, he has failed to turn that into the type of production you want from the first overall pick.

The Florida starter had just a 2-3 record in 15 starts during the regular season and struggled with control all year long, with 31 walks in 70 innings. After allowing five runs (four earned) in 4.1 innings in the NCAA tournament regionals, his ERA has jumped to 3.51. 

Although the potential is there for success, he’s still a risk at No. 1.

Cincinnati Reds: Nick Senzel, 3B, Tennessee Volunteers

It’s never easy making the jump from college to professional baseball, but Nick Senzel could have an easier transition than most. The third baseman is one of the most advanced hitters in the draft and should quickly rise through any system.

Senzel has been productive throughout his career, but took a major leap this season by batting .352 with 25 doubles, eight home runs and 59 RBI. The boost in power numbers helped him tally an impressive 1.051 OPS.

Meanwhile, he showed great patience at the plate with 40 walks and only 21 strikeouts all season. This type of production is a reason Baseball America listed Senzel among the best in the class in strike-zone discipline and overall hitting.

Although picking the third baseman at No. 2 remains a bit of a reach, Wes Rucker of 247Sports reported the Cincinnati Reds are still considering the move:

With Senzel‘s relatively high floor and his ability to help the team early in his career, this pick makes a lot of sense.

Atlanta Braves: Jason Groome, LHP, Barnegat HS (N.J.)

There is quite a risk for whichever team takes Jason Groome, but the upside might be worth the high pick.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden listed the left-handed pitcher as the best overall player in the 2016 class. MLB.com feels the same way, putting him on top of its prospect rankings.

Chris Crawford of Baseball Prospectus explained in an interview with Dayn Perry of CBS that he also believes Groome should go No. 1 and would pick him if he were in charge of the Phillies:

Despite some late season struggles and a controversial suspension, he’s the best player on my board as a southpaw who has shown two plus-plus pitches in his fastball and curve, plus an above-average change. There’s more volatility here than I’d like—which is why the Phillies won’t take him—but I have always believed in taking the best player on the board, and that’s Groome.

There is risk in taking any high school player in the draft, but Groome has the type of upside you want, especially for a team like the Atlanta Braves that needs plenty of talent. This makes it hard to expect him to fall too much further in the draft.

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