Clayton Kershaw to start All-Star Game, but Sandy Alcantara has beef

Clayton Kershaw will be the starting pitcher for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game.

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker has spoken, as Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw will be the one toeing the rubber first in the Midsummer Classic for the Senior Circuit.

With the 2022 MLB All-Star Game taking place at Dodger Stadium for the first time in decades, it made sense for the NL skipper to give the people what they want. Kershaw is one of only maybe a dozen no-doubt, hall-of-famers in the game today. When is he ever going to have the opportunity to start an All-Star Game in front of his home crowd again? Of course, he did take someone’s spot.

While Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan rightfully earned his spot to start for the American League, all things equal, it should have been Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara getting the start for the National League over Kershaw.

Then again, this is the first time Kershaw has ever been asked to start the All-Star Game.

Let’s discuss the overall ramifications of Kershaw getting the nod from Snitker over Alcantara.

MLB All-Star Game: Clayton Kershaw to get the start over Sandy Alcantara

With this game only being a glorified exhibition, we should not be all that up in arms over Kershaw getting the start over Alcantara. The Marlins’ right-hander has been the best pitcher in the National League over the first half going away. While on paper starting Alcantara made sense, the Midsummer Classic is all about nostalgia. Starting Kershaw at Dodger Stadium is just too perfect.

Snitker has already made another kind gesture in assembling his All-Star squad. He added Washington Nationals skipper Dave Martinez to his bench, despite them being the worst team in baseball. Martinez never got to manage in the MLB All-Star Game after winning the 2019 World Series because of COVID. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts should have righted that wrong in 2021.

Ultimately, it is what it is and we should still celebrate Kershaw in all his greatness while we still can. He is in his mid-30s and who knows how many more All-Star Games he has left in that arm of his? However, Alcantara does his best to win games for the Fish. He has never had a 10-win season before, but is 9-4 on the year with a 1.76 ERA. Alcantara is doing King Felix stuff for them.

Once Kershaw records his three outs, let’s see if Alcantara is the next guy up for the Senior Circuit.