This article is part of our Sorare MLB series.
As we head into the end of June, and from there the beginning of July, talk of All-Star voting and the All-Star Game has begun in earnest. The voting results from fans provide an interesting way to look at, well, which fan bases are the most fervent. However, it also gives us a sense of who the codified "stars" of MLB are. Some guys, though, are flying below that radar. They could be upgrades for your Sorare MLB lineups. Others who are getting plenty of votes for the All-Star Game are perhaps coasting more on reputation. They might be a downgrade for Sorare purposes. Then, of course, there are also the holds, who don't fit as conveniently into the framework of this opening paragraph, but they are including here as well!
The number in parentheses represents each player's last limited card sale price as of 6/18.
Upgrades
Isaac Paredes, HOU ($2.77): The Astros knew they needed somebody to step up to replace Kyle Tucker's output, and then Yordan Alvarez got hurt and left another hole in the offense. Paredes, minted as an Astro prior to this season, has delivered. He has a .355 OBP and has hit 15 home runs through 70 games. Two years ago he quietly hit 31 homers (it was quiet because he played for Tampa). Houston's brass is surely happy to see Paredes with an .869 OPS in his new home. Sorare players are happy that he's had at least 18.0 Sorare points in three of his last four games.
Jeff McNeil, NYM ($2.26): You might dismiss the notion a Mets player could be overlooked. Well, were you aware that he has a .972 OPS over the last three weeks? As a second baseman, mind you? In that time he's hit five home runs as well. Though McNeil is long removed from hitting 23 homers in 2017, he hasn't been devoid of power in the past. His game with 44.0 Sorare points at Coors Field may come with an asterisk, but not his recent 23.0 Sorare point game at home against the Nationals.
Ryan Pepiot, TAM ($4.24): Earlier I joked (with a kernel of truth) that Paredes' 31-homer season fell under the radar owing to the fact he played for the Rays at the time. Now, I'm saying a Rays pitcher is flying under the radar as well. Hey, I'm not knocking Tampa! The club finds talent without national attention over and over again. Technically, the Dodgers found Pepiot, but then the Rays acquired him in the Tyler Glasnow trade. He held his own in the rotation last year, but has taken a step forward this season. Not just in his last start, which yielded 45.0 Sorare points. Pepiot has a 2.34 ERA over his last 10 outings, and 10 of his 15 starts have qualified as quality.
Holds
Jacob Wilson, ATH ($4.31): Wilson has now been verified by the wisdom of the crowds. In the most-recent All-Star voting returns, Wilson had the most votes of any AL shortstop. He plays for a team that doesn't even really have a home right now! That speaks to Wilson's hot start to the season, but also the fact he hasn't fallen by the wayside since then. In fact, he has a .969 OPS over the last three weeks. The Sorare success didn't stay in April. It's stuck around into June.
Robbie Ray, SFG ($4.02): Ray is one of those "get to getting while the getting is good" pitchers. He posted a 6.62 ERA in the COVID-19 season and then won the Cy Young the next year. The last two campaigns were contracted significantly by injury, but this season he's been healthy and he's been dealing. Sure, he's still generous with walks, but he's struck out 10.0 batters per nine innings and barely given up any home runs. That's yielded a 2.68 ERA through 15 starts and five starts with over 30.0 Sorare points. Will this season, like 2021, be one where Ray keeps it together for a full campaign? At this point, why not take a chance and find out?
Downgrades
Addison Barger, TOR ($4.26): Maybe I'm just annoyed that Barger was third in the All-Star Game returns for AL third baseman. However, I don't see that kind of upside for him. Yes, he's slugged .515 and has eight homers, but Barger has walked 14 times and struck out 42 times through 51 games. He played 69 games for the Blue Jays last year and had a .601 OPS. In his MLB career the southpaw has a .505 OPS versus lefties, and given that this is his age-25 season, I don't see Barger, now or ever, being a real All-Star kind of player.
Tommy Edman, LAD ($3.53): It's not terribly surprising that Edman was second in the voting returns for NL second base, given that he plays for the Dodgers. Plus, he was a postseason hero in 2024, but part of why he was part of the story in the Dodgers' playoff run is because it was so unexpected. 10 homers and 10 doubles in 56 games are solid for his position, but he also has a .287 OBP. He's walked nine times all season! In June, he has as many games with at most 1.0 Sorare point as he has games with double-digit Sorare points.
Dylan Cease, SDP ($3.28): Last season, Cease delivered what the Padres were hoping for when he joined them from the White Sox. This season…not so much. I will grant you that he has a 2.93 FIP compared to a 4.69 ERA. However, he has a 6.26 ERA on the road. Also, only five of his 15 outings have yielded quality starts. While that isn't the strongest measure of success, it does mean something, especially when considering his upside. He has four starts with over 30.0 Sorare points, but also four with 15.0 Sorare points or fewer.
