Dillon Atkinson: Who will represent O's in All-Star Game?

Following a 3-2 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday night, the Orioles have sole possession of first place in the AL East, leading Boston by one game. The team should have multiple players representing the club in San Diego for the All-Star Game, but who will it be? Here are eight O's players who I think have a chance at taking the trip next month. I have ranked them from who I believe is most likely to go to who is least likely.

First on my list is Manny Machado. He's currently leading American League third basemen in vote-getting, and is having an MVP-caliber first half of the 2016 season. He's currently slashing .307/.375/.606 with 17 homers while playing amazing defense, both at the hot corner and shortstop. Being the leading vote-getter at third base, I don't see how he's not starting in the All-Star Game at the hot corner next month.

Second on my list may surprise some - Orioles closer Zach Britton. The hard-throwing left-hander is 20-for-20 in save opportunities this season. Among American League relievers, Britton has the sixth-best ERA, and he accompanies that with his 10.29 K/9, 1.61 BB/9 and an 89.7-percent left on base rate. I think the league, managers and opposing players have taken notice of Britton, so they should select him to pitch in the All-Star Game.

Third is Chris Davis. Davis has the third-best fWAR among AL first basemen, behind second-highest Miguel Cabrera, and you guessed it at the top, Eric... oh, I mean Steve Pearce. Yes, Pearce is leading AL first basemen in fWAR, as he is looking like his 2014 self with the Rays right now, slashing .336/.412/.570 on the season. However, since the All-Star Game has a lot to do with popularity, Pearce may not make it at all. Eric Hosmer is the leading vote-getter for first basemen, and I would say it is almost impossible to not give Cabrera a spot. So, for the final first baseman, I think it'll be down to Davis, Pearce and maybe even Twins' Joe Mauer.

Next on my list is the player that most will probably say should be my second most likely player to get in. Mark Trumbo has smacked a league-leading 20 home runs this season, and is currently fourth in vote-getting for outfielders in the AL, behind Mike Trout, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Lorenzo Cain. What Trumbo doesn't have going for him is that there is a very large crop of talented outfielders in the AL who also deserve an All-Star Game spot. Assuming Trout, Bradley and Cain will win the fan vote, the coaches and players will have to select the reserves. I assume there will be probably four reserve outfielders, and you could make a solid case for any of Trumbo, Mookie Betts, Nelson Cruz, Ian Desmond, Kole Calhoun, Adam Eaton, Jose Bautista, George Springer and multiple others to be one of those four reserve outfielders. Trumbo may get in just for his league-leading homers. But if he doesn't get picked, it won't be because he's not deserving, but because of a large number of other well-deserving outfielders.

Up next is O's catcher Matt Wieters. He is currently getting the second-most votes among catchers, only behind Royals' Salvador Perez. The Royals' backstop will surely be the starter behind the dish, and two catchers will need to be selected behind him. Wieters is tied for fourth-best fWAR among AL catchers this season at 0.7 with Tigers' Jarrod Saltalamacchia. First is Perez with 1.9, second is Mariners' Chris Iannetta at 1.2 and third is Athletics' Stephen Vogt at 0.9. It wouldn't surprise me if popularity vote lands Yankees' Brian McCann a spot. Therefore, I do believe the third catcher spot will go to either Wieters or Iannetta.

Next up is right-hander Chris Tillman. At 9-1 with a 2.87 ERA, he is definitely deserving. But it's hard for me to see coaches and players selecting Tillman over Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Danny Salazar, Steven Wright, Rich Hill and Marco Estrada. But hey, with about a month to go, it's very possible.

Seventh on the list is reliever Brad Brach. He has been lights out for the Birds this season and a huge part of their success early on. Truth of the matter is, it's very hard for non-closing relievers to receive a ticket to the All-Star Game, and I don't think the rest of the league has taken much notice on Brach.

Last here is Adam Jones. It just doesn't seem right talking about the All-Star Game without mentioning Jones. However, Jones has had a very slow start to this season. His only chance of making it relies on others backing out and him just winning a popularity vote from his peers.

Of these eight, how many do I see getting in? Put me down for three: Machado, Britton and Davis. Who do you think is heading to San Diego this summer?

Dillon Atkinson blogs about the Orioles for Orioles Uncensored. Follow him on Twitter: @DAtkinsonOU. His thoughts on the O's appear here as part of MASNsports.com's continuing commitment to welcome guest bloggers to our little corner of cyberspace. All opinions expressed are those of the guest bloggers, who are not employed by MASNsports.com but are just as passionate about their baseball as our roster of writers.