Major League Baseball has unveiled the All-Star Game rosters, and you’re probably wondering how one (or more) of the best players from your favorite team didn’t make it.
But don’t fret yet.
Remember, this is just the initial list. There will be replacements and changes before the All-Star Game takes place July 14 (8 p.m. ET on FOX) in Philadelphia.
Fans voted for the starters, while pitchers and reserves were picked through a mix of player ballots and commissioner’s office selections. Every team needed to be represented by at least one player.
Each team typically has 20 position players and 12 pitchers on the roster (32 total), though an exception was made this year as Bryce Harper was named a “legend pick,” giving the National League a 33rd player.
For now, here is every team’s biggest All-Star snub, ranked from 30 to 1.
The One-And-Done Teams
The teams in this section only have one All-Star rep in the game. It’s difficult for the Mets, Rockies or Angels to have expected more, given the way they’ve played in the first half. The Padres, Cubs and Astros have three of the best All-Stars in the game in closer Mason Miller, outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, respectively, but there wasn’t a great argument for another player from their team.
Two-And-Through
These are all teams with losing records who got two All-Star nominations. A third would seem excessive. Even coming up with another candidate for the Twins beyond OF Byron Buxton and SP Joe Ryan was difficult. Jeffers was at least on an All-Star pace before getting hurt and has started a rehab assignment.
The Giants (2B Luis Arraez and SP Logan Webb were picked as All-Stars) and Royals (SS Bobby Witt Jr. and SP Michael Wacha) were lucky to get even two candidates in, given their disastrous seasons.
First-Time Cases
Gavin Williams, who’s third in the AL in strikeouts, could have been considered the Guardians’ snub here, but Rocchio ranks third in fWAR among AL shortstops.
The defending AL champion Blue Jays have four All-Stars despite having a losing record, so asking for a fifth would have been rich. Okamoto, however, is the reigning AL Rookie of the Month and ranks third among AL third basemen in home runs.
Ginn ranks seventh among qualified AL pitchers with a 3.04 ERA, a particularly impressive feat for someone who plays his home games at Sutter Health Park. Griffin is also top 10 in ERA on the NL side after spending the last three years in Japan.
Missing Innings
Every player in this section has a case as is, but it would be a lot stronger if they hadn’t missed time in the first half. Peña has the highest batting average among all AL shortstops with at least 200 plate appearances (closer Josh Hader is also making a case for himself in just a month of action).
It might seem odd not seeing Tarik Skubal’s name here as the Tigers’ candidate, but Mize has the fourth-lowest ERA among AL pitchers who’ve thrown at least 60 innings. Lower the minimum to 50 innings, and Miller has the lowest ERA in the AL.
De La Cruz was on an All-Star pace before suffering a hamstring injury, yet even after missing nearly a month, he is still tied for second in fWAR among NL shortstops.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is one of the most exciting players in MLB. (Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Five-And-Dive
The Phillies, Dodgers and Braves will be well-represented in Philadelphia, with each team getting five players named to the NL All-Star team. But they could have had more.
Wrobleski, who’s having a breakout year as the Dodgers’ sixth starter, is tied for the NL lead in wins and ranks eighth in ERA. Harris ranks fifth in batting average and eighth in OPS among qualified NL outfielders. Wheeler had a late start to the year but is 8-1 with a 2.36 ERA.
Former All-Stars
There are at least seven National League second basemen who would have a strong case to start the game if they played in the American League, so Chisholm’s spot here is with his competition in mind. Despite having one of his worst offensive seasons, he still has 12 homers, 26 steals and ranks first in fWAR among all AL second basemen.
Alonso is having a strong first season in Baltimore with 19 homers. He ranks in the top three in the AL in RBIs, but he plays a tough position to get in. DeGrom and his teammate Josh Jung, who has the highest batting average and most hits among qualified AL third basemen, both have an All-Star case. DeGrom ranks fifth in strikeouts and WHIP among AL starters.
Overstuffed At Second
There were far too many worthy candidates among the NL second basemen for all of them to make it, especially after Ozzie Albies was named the starter.
Arraez, who’s having one of the best all-around seasons of his career, was named the reserve at the position. That meant Wetherholt, who leads all NL second basemen in WAR, Marte, who has 17 home runs, and Edwards, who leads all NL second basemen in on-base percentage, all missed the cut.
JJ Wetherholt has been a revelation for the Cardinals this season. (Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As you’ll see later on this list, these weren’t the only surprising omissions at the position…
The Deserving Veteran Arm
Where would Tampa Bay be without its starting pitching? Both Martinez and Shane McClanahan have an argument about joining All-Star teammate Drew Rasmussen in Philadelphia, but Martinez’s season is especially noteworthy. He’ll be 36 next month, has never made the All-Star team and ranks third among qualified AL starters in ERA. He should be one of the first calls as an AL pitching replacement.
The Tandem Snubs
All of these teams have multiple players who are probably wondering where their invite went.
The White Sox turnaround is one of the biggest stories of the MLB season, so it’s surprising to see them have just one All-Star (Miguel Vargas). Davis Martin ranks in the top 10 among qualified starters in ERA, while Montgomery is first in home runs, RBIs and slugging among qualified AL shortstops. You could add first baseman Munetaka Murakami to the list of snubs here, too, though he hasn’t played in more than a month, and first base is a tough spot to get in.
Just ask Contreras, who was the victim of voting. Guerrero getting in as a starter meant first basemen Ben Rice and Nick Kurtz were named All-Star reserves, leaving Contreras on the outside looking in despite him having the fifth-highest OPS in the American League. The Red Sox are bad, but their pitching is not. Among AL starters who’ve thrown at least 80 innings, Gray ranks fourth in ERA.
Willson Contreras has been a bright spot for the Red Sox this season. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Based on first-half performances, you could argue that Lowe, Reynolds and Graham Ashcraft were the Pirates’ most deserving All-Stars. The fact that only Paul Skenes made it is rather baffling, especially considering Lowe leads all NL second basemen in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage, while Reynolds ranks fourth among all qualified NL players in on-base percentage.
Turang would have been my pick to start at second base in the NL among the throng of deserving candidates, and I’m stunned he’s not in at all. Harrison ranks second in strikeout rate among all NL starters who’ve thrown at least 70 innings, behind only his teammate Misiorowski.
Most of the players from this final section should eventually find their way to Philadelphia.
