Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen had a very strong first half of the MLB season. His numbers are good enough that he has beaten out Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider for the nod as the NL starter for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game, reports ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Gallen certainly earns the nod, as his numbers through 19 starts have him in the thick of the NL Cy Young race. He is 11-3 with a 3.04 ERA, a WHIP of 1.05, and 125 strikeouts. He has only thrown 23 walks, giving him a very strong K/BB ratio of 5.4. Not to mention he owns a very serviceable WAR of 2.7.

Braves ace Strider was the other favorite to start for the NL, and he will definitely see some game action in the All-Star Game. Strider has a 3.44 ERA through 18 starts and an 11-2 record; he has 166 strikeouts to 34 walks for a K/BB ratio of 4.9, a WHIP of 1.09, and a WAR of 2.1. He would have also been a strong choice to start, but ultimately Gallen will toe the rubber first.

The MLB All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, while the Home Run Derby will be on Monday night. Both will be star-studded affairs that will certainly have MLB fans across the nation and globe tuning in.

While Zac Gallen and Spencer Strider will be proud to represent their squads in the All-Star Game, both are undoubtedly looking ahead to the second half of the season. The Diamondbacks and Braves are both in playoff contention and have World Series sights in their eyes, so although the All-Star festivities will be fun, Gallen and Strider have bigger goals on their mind this season.