Predicting Dodgers' representatives in the 2023 All-Star Game

Remember when the 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers opted to sacrifice star power for financial flexibility next offseason? They're about to flood the National League All-Star roster with Dodger Blue anyway.

Sure, they turned several high profile jobs over to relatively inexperienced players and said goodbye to Justin Turner, Trea Turner and Cody Bellinger. But that won't prevent the Dodgers from ruling the roost on All-Star Weekend, including a likely first-time starter and a "bounce back candidate" from their offseason bargain shopping getting some well-deserved love.

After the first round of public balloting, three Dodgers are already in the top two at their positions, meaning there's a high likelihood that they'll advance to the runoff election and get a chance to start the game. Two more are within striking distance, ranking third and fourth after the first wave of updates.

When the dust settles, after the fans, players and coaches all have their say, it seems likely the Dodgers will receive five All-Star nods, with one player lurking on the borderline and another within range if the fans decide to go absolutely wild (Miguel Vargas, currently in fourth).

Dodgers 2023 All-Stars: Predicting who will make the All-Star Team

Will Smith, C

Will Smith has never been an All-Star? But the other Will Smith, the lefty reliever, has? It's true; the loser of Smith vs. Smith in the 2020 NLCS got the nod with the 2019 San Francisco Giants.

Perhaps more importantly, he has a chance to make the American League All-Star Game this season thanks to his work with the Texas Rangers (11 saves, 0.76 WHIP). That means we could get Round II of the Same Name Battle this summer in Seattle. Maybe Will Smith the actor can even come by and umpire? This is out of the Academy's purview, I'm sure Rob Manfred would be cool with it.

Smith the catcher has no business being excluded from this year's festivities, even if he loses a runoff election for a starting role to Sean Murphy, whom he currently trails. Smith has been among the game's preeminent offensive threats behind the plate since his 2019 debut, but somehow failed to qualify at a less-than-stacked position in both 2021 and 2022. No more! His 2.1 WAR and 144 OPS+ should be more than enough to get him across whatever imaginary threshold the baseball world has been using to evaluate him.