Dodgers News: MLB Insider Predicts LA Has 5 All-Stars, 1 Notable Omission

We're reaching the midway point of the season and that means it's about that time again.

The rosters for the 93rd MLB All Star Game are set to be announced on Thursday evening on ESPN, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are sure to have plenty of representation at the Midsummer Classic.

There's plenty of candidates on LA's roster -- headlined by first baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith and starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw -- and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal made his predictions on who he believes will be awarded a coveted All Star selection.

Per Rosenthal, he sees Freeman, Smith, Kershaw, designated hitter J.D. Martinez, and right fielder Mookie Betts all making the roster. Additionally, relief pitcher Evan Phillips just missed his cut, and he termed the versatile righty as a "notable omission."

Two of the better stories out of the potential Dodgers group is Martinez and Smith.

As a quick refresher on him, Martinez signed a modest one-year, $10 contract this offseason, hoping to just put his career back in gear after seeing his performance fall off toward the end of his tenure with the Boston Red Sox.

Martinez has done way more than just be quality depth, as he's returned to his All Star form in 2023 and looks like a lock to make the All Star Game

His .257/.302/.571 slash line to go along with 18 home runs and 51 RBI has made Martinez a feared addition to the Dodgers lineup and he's giving the team an incredible return on their investment into him.

For Smith, he's all but guaranteed to make his first All Star Game after arguably being snubbed multiple times before.

His .283 average with 12 HR's and 41 RBI makes him one of the best hitting catchers in the game, and his career-high walk percentage of 16.1 percent coupled with a career-low strikeout rate of 13.7 percent has earned him the reputation of being one of the toughest outs in the game.

Concerning Evan Phillips, his omission is simply part of a numbers game according to Rosenthal, as there's too many deserving pitchers and too few spots available.

He's been a bright spot in a poor Dodger bullpen this year, pitching to a microscopic 1.97 ERA with 11 saves on the season. He's had a versatile role out of the pen, pitching in a combination of later inning high leverage situations while also serving as the team's closer when needed.

It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out tonight, but Seattle is sure to be full of Dodgers when the All Star Game comes on July 11th.