Will the Cleveland Guardians actually have five All-Stars in 2023? The odds are slim, but the fact is that there are five players on this ball club with legitimate cases. Some are obvious, while others are rather surprising. Despite Cleveland's up-and-down 2023 campaign, they still have a number of players anchoring the team.

The Guardians currently hold a record of under .500. That said, Cleveland sits just a game and a half behind the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central. With superstars such as Jose Ramirez leading the charge, the Guardians will be an interesting team to follow moving forward this season. Speaking of Ramirez, let's take a look at the five Guardians players who must be All-Stars in 2023.

Jose Ramirez, 3B

Jose Ramirez hasn't been quite as dominant in 2023. However, he's still one of the best all-around third baseman in the game today.

Through 61 games (as of this story's publication), Ramirez is slashing .278/.348/.494 with an .842 OPS and 10 home runs. Additionally, he's stolen five bases. Pitchers have displayed caution when facing Ramirez, as he leads the league in intentional walks with 11 already, per Baseball Reference. Perhaps that is a product of Cleveland's questionable lineup, but there's no question that pitchers prefer not to face Ramirez if they don't have to.

He's also a reliable infielder at third base. His mix of offense, speed, and defense makes him an extremely valuable ball player and more than deserving of an All-Star selection in 2023.

Shane Bieber, SP

There is a real belief that the Guardians are going to trade Shane Bieber ahead of the deadline. He is expected to be out of the team's price range, or at least what they are willing to pay, for an extension. Unless something changes in that regard, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bieber moved either in July or during the offseason.

Trade talks aside, Bieber is doing an impressive job of remaining focused and pitching well. The Guardians' ace has been a workhorse in 2023, leading the league in games started, batters faced, and innings pitched. Bieber's 3.29 ERA is respectable as well.

Bieber isn't striking out as many hitters as usual during the '23 campaign, totaling 64 K's so far this season. One has to imagine that is part of the reason why he's been able to work deep into games on a consistent basis.

Shane Bieber probably won't start the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle, but he should be on the roster.

Emmanuel Clase, CP

It wasn't long ago that Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak were battling for the Guardians' closer role. In fact, there was a time when it seemed like Karinchak had the upper-hand.

But Clase has fully ran away with the role, emerging as a star closer. Meanwhile, Karinchak was recently demoted to the minor leagues in a shocking move by Cleveland.

Clase was dominant in 2022. His 2023 season hasn't been quite as brilliant, but he's still pitching well. Clase currently has a league-leading 20 saves to go along with a superb 2.81 ERA. He's also struck out 29 hitters compared to just seven walks.

If the American League is winning in the 9th inning, we will likely see a repeat of last season when Clase closed out the game. Whether he gets that opportunity or not, there's no doubt that Clase will be a 2023 All-Star.

Josh Naylor 1B/DH

The Guardians should have at least three All-Stars. These next to players won't have as strong of a chance to get in. However, both players have performed well in 2023 and deserve a nod for the All-Star team.

The Guardians' offense has been lackluster for the most part this year. However, Josh Naylor has been a saving grace of sorts alongside Jose Ramirez.

Naylor is currently slashing .282/.330/.460 with a .791 OPS and a 120 OPS+. He's also tallied eight home runs and 12 doubles for the Guardians. Again, his numbers don't necessarily standout.

There aren't many American League first baseman and designated hitters who've performed better than Naylor in 2023. He ranks within the top five AL first baseman and designated hitters in batting average and OPS.

Purely from a competition standpoint, Naylor deserves a spot on the American League All-Star team bench.

Eli Morgan, RP

Eli Morgan and his filthy change-up deserve a spot in the MLB All-Star Game. The odds of Morgan making the team are slim since he isn't a high-profile name. But he should not be overlooked.

Morgan currently owns a sparkling 1.71 ERA out of the Guardians' bullpen. He's also struck out 30 hitters, one more than Clase, and walked only seven.

For perspective in regards to Morgan's ERA, he's surrendered just five total earned runs across 26.1 innings pitched. He also does a tremendous job of limiting walks. He will give up some hits, but he's done a quality job of limiting runs.

It will be interesting to see if Morgan carves out a role in the AL All-Star team bullpen.