5 Dodgers who could become first-time All-Stars in 2023

1. Julio Urías

If you were blown away by the fact that Smith hasn't been named an All-Star yet in his career, then you might fall out of your chair over the fact that Julio Urías also has never been rewarded such recognition. Despite finishing as a top-three Cy Young candidate in 2022 and getting Cy Young votes the year prior, he's still waiting for the fans to vote in his favor.

Urías was once a top prospect in the sport, and after a slow start to his career he has finally started to reach his ceiling as a wipeout southpaw. It's no small feat to lead the National League in ERA at 25 years old. There's an argument to be made that Urías still hasn't reached his peak.

Perhaps that's what it will take for him to not get snubbed from the ASG in 2023. Assuming all goes well, 2023 will be the third year in a row in which Urías is pitching like a bonafide ace and it will be impossible to deny him an honor he also should have received at least once.

In 2021 Urías had a slow start to the season that held him back, so that is understandable. A red-hot second half brought his overall numbers down, but he did have a respectable 3.74 ERA at the break.

It was a completely different story in 2022, though. Urías was sporting a 2.89 ERA, 1.024 WHIP and had 94 strikeouts in 96.2 innings pitched at the break. His second half was once again better, but those are undoubtedly All-Star numbers. He should have enough traction to represent LA in Seattle should he perform like that again in the first half of 2023.

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