You like Jazz? Apparently, everyone does. Miami star leads in Round 1 of All-Star voting
It’s not just South Florida: Baseball fans across the country have apparently fallen in love with Jazz Chisholm Jr.
At least, this is what initial voting returns for the 2022 MLB All-Star Game tell us. As Chisholm, in his second full season in the Majors, is leading National League second basemen at the first check-in for the All-Star Game’s fan voting Tuesday.
If he finishes atop voting at his position, Chisholm would be the first Miami Marlin voted in to start an MLB All-Star Game since former outfielder Marcell Ozuna in 2017.
“It means a lot to me that people are recognizing what I’m doing out there, and that I’m having fun and enjoying the game. I just can’t stop saying how happy I am to be in the position that I’m in right now.”
Chisholm, however, is locked in a close three-way race with Atlanta Braves star Ozzie Albies and New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil. Chisholm leads with 634,762 votes, followed by Albies with 589,804 and McNeil with 580,257.
Phase 1 of All-Star voting closes June 30, and the top two at every position will advance to Phase 2, except for each league’s top overall vote-getter, who will lock up his spot in the game and bypass Phase 2. Fans can vote five times per day at MLB.com.
Chisholm, 24, has built a worthy case this year and not just because of his flashy, fan-friendly style of play. The middle infielder boasts one of the best combinations of speed and power in MLB with 13 home runs and 11 steals, entering Tuesday.
He’s also batting .241 with a career-best .310 on-base percentage and .518 slugging percentage.
“More consistent of what we’ve asked, just as far as his prep work and concentration and focus,” manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s giving less at-bats away, better kind of day-to-day focus. He’s always going to have that flair and pizzazz that he plays with, but, from our standpoint, I worry about the bread-and-butter stuff.”
Albies, Chisholm’s stiffest competition and a two-time All-Star, underwent foot surgery last week. McNeil played in the 2019 MLB All-Star Game and has the benefit of playing for a World Series contender in the United States’ largest media market.
Still, Chisholm’s star power is undeniable at this point and he has the ninth best slugging percentage in the NL, the 10th most RBIs, the sixth most stolen bases and the second most triples, while trying to keep the Marlins in contention for the 2022 MLB postseason. He’s also one of only eight Bahamians to ever reach the Major Leagues.
He’s hoping he’ll get to be the first to reach an All-Star Game.
“I haven’t known a Hall of Famer who wasn’t an All-Star, so, in my head, that’s the first process,” Chisholm said. “You’ve got to be an All-Star before you become a Hall of Famer. It’s just checking off the boxes right now.”
With Chisholm in the midst of a breakout season, Miami has a chance to have multiple All-Stars this season for the first time since 2017. Although All-Star pitchers are not determined through fan voting, star starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara has positioned himself as something close to a lock for the All-Star Game with the second best ERA in the NL.
Aguilar, Sanchez return from IL
The Marlins activated first baseman Jesus Aguilar and outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the injured list Monday after both were sidelined for reasons related to COVID-19.
To make room for the Aguilar and Sanchez, Miami optioned first baseman Lewin Diaz and outfielder Jerar Encarnacion back to Triple A Jacksonville.
It ends a brief, fun first taste of the Majors for Encarnacion. The 24-year-old rookie hit a grand slam in his MLB debut Sunday and went 2 for 8 in two games. He and Diaz are both part of the Marlins’ long-term plans and could be back in the Majors later in the season.
Miami Marlins begin rehab stints
Starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, and third basemen Brian Anderson and Joey Wendle will all begin rehab stints later this week.
Cabrera, who has been on the IL since June 12 with right elbow tendinitis, will pitch for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Wednesday and Anderson will join him there sometime this week.
Anderson and Wendle have both been on the IL since last month, as Anderson has dealt with back spasms and Wendle with a strained right hamstring, and both worked out Tuesday. The location of Wendle’s rehab stint has not yet been determined.
The Jumbo Shrimp will have an exciting pitching combo take the mound Wednesday, though: Starting pitcher Max Meyer, the Marlins’ top pitching prospect in MLB.com’s rankings, will also pitch in Jacksonville.
Elsewhere, injured pitcher Jordan Holloway is slated to pitch Wednesday for Class A Jupiter and starting pitcher Sixto Sanchez, who has not appeared in an official game yet this year, is set to throw a 20-pitch side session in Jupiter. Injured pitcher Cody Poteet also threw a bullpen session Tuesday, starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo has begun his throwing program and relief pitcher Cole Sulser is continuing treatment before he begins to throw.
In the minors, catcher Payton Henry, who has appeared in 15 games for Miami this season, had thumb surgery and is out indefinitely.
This story was originally published June 21, 2022 at 12:47 PM.
