2019 MLB All-Star Roster: Key Stats for Players in AL & NL Lineups

The 2019 MLB All-Star Game is bound to produce a belated fireworks show with the likes of Christian Yelich and Mike Trout in the lineup.

Trout was the top overall vote-getter, while Yelich led votes for the National League. People want to see stars like them play, and the Midsummer Classic is a one-of-a-kind platform to showcase their best attributes.

Since arriving to Milwaukee ahead of the 2018 season, Yelich has evolved into a home-run-hitting code that nobody can quite crack. Trout has been a literal Los Angeles Angel in the outfield—heralded as a generational talent and five-tool talent—since entering the league in 2012. 

On the mound, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is on pace to post a career-best ERA, and Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander is coming off of a season in which he led MLB in WHIP only to lead the league in the category again at the halfway mark.

Below is a glance at key statistics for Yelich, Trout, Ryu and Verlander ahead of the All-Star Game Tuesday night at Cleveland's Progressive Field.

To view the full All-Star rosters, visit the league's official website.

American League

Mike Trout

As much as fans love to watch Trout, the Los Angeles Angels love having him as their outfielder even more.

The 27-year-old leads the league in offensive wins above replacement at 5.3. In MLB's all-time history, Trout is tied for 99th with Miguel Cabrera at a 69.9 WAR. However, Cabrera has amassed that number in 17 seasons, while this year is only Trout's ninth. 

In June, according to USA Today's Ted Berg, Trout passed up 13 Hall of Famers on this list.

Trout has tallied a 10-plus WAR three times in his career, including last season (10.2).

Perhaps not-so-coincidentally, the American League has gone 6-1 in All-Star Games since Trout was named to his first one in 2012.

Elsewhere offensively this season, Trout leads the AL with 26 home runs, 63 RBI and 1.087 OPS. The two-time league MVP has a .299 batting average.

Justin Verlander 

The standard is high for Verlander, a former Cy Young Award winner (2011) and league MVP (2011), but the 36-year-old has shown consistent excellence.

In 2018, Verlander led MLB with a 0.902 WHIP; so far in 2019, he leads MLB again with an even lower 0.813 WHIP.

While Verlander also leads the majors in home runs allowed at 26, his dominance in other categories halts any reason to panic. Verlander holds a 10-4 record as well as a 2.98 ERA and ranks sixth in wins above replacement for pitchers at 3.7.

The one weakness in Verlander's game of late has been the volume of home runs allowed, which the Houston Chronicle's Brent Zwerneman put into perspective.

"Astros manager A.J. Hinch described Verlander as a 'fly ball pitcher' who likes to work up in the strike zone," Zwerneman wrote. "What Hinch did not say is baseballs seem a bit livelier this season—and the overall homer numbers back that up—and that's not a good thing for a fly ball pitcher, especially in Minute Maid."

Verlander allowed just 12 home runs through the first two months of the season but gave up 10 dingers in six June starts. Even with the increased number, he went 4-2 last month. 

In other words, Verlander's strengths outweigh his weakness. Furthermore, if he can reel in the long ball in the second half of the season, maybe he can approach the form that earned him 2017 World Series MVP.

National League

Christian Yelich

The reigning NL MVP leads the league with 31 home runs. 

According to MLB Stats, Yelich is the first National League player to crush at least 31 home runs before the All-Star break since Albert Pujols did so in 2009.

While the long ball is the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder's calling card now, the 27-year-old had never hit more than 21 dingers in a season before last season's 36 total home runs. Through the first three seasons of his MLB career with the Miami Marlins, Yelich totaled 20 home runs.

If his total number of home runs isn't enough, Yelich ranks in the 99th percentile in exit velocity at an average of 93.9 miles per hour. 

Prior to Tuesday night's main event, Yelich will participate in Monday's Home Run Derby. While preparing with a practice round at Pittsburgh's PNC Park on Friday, according to Fox Sports Wisconsin's Sophia Minnaert, Yelich broke a boat window outside of right field.

"Cops were called, Yelich was not arrested," Minnaert added.

"This will be my first professional [Home Run Derby], so I'm excited to ruin my swing," Yelich joked to reporters, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricort. "That's the only reason I'm doing it."

While Yelich was kidding around, opposing pitchers will take whatever help they can get in slowing him down in the second half of the season.

Hyun-Jin Ryu

Ryu leads MLB with a 1.73 ERA and will start for the National League, Dodgers and NL manager Dave Roberts confirmed June 30.

While ERA is the headliner, Ryu's stat line heading into the All-Star break is impressive across the board. The 32-year-old is in a four-way tie for most wins in the NL with 10, which is already three more than he won in all of 2018. 

Ryu holds a 10-2 record through 17 starts, paired with 99 strikeouts against just 10 walks and an NL-leading 0.908 WHIP. 

Even wilder is the fact that Ryu entered his June 28 start at the Colorado Rockies with a 1.27 ERA. He then gave up seven earned runs through four innings to bring his ERA up. Regardless, he's still the only qualified pitcher with an ERA below 2.00.

According to The Athletic's Pedro Moura, Ryu has a 0.85 ERA and a 63-to-six strikeout-to-walk ratio across nine starts at Dodger Stadium this campaign.