MLB All-Star Game starters 2023: 3 biggest snubs from starting lineups

The 2023 MLB All-Star Game starters were announced on Wednesday and we’re looking at the three biggest snubs from the lineups.

Let’s be honest — snubs can be a bit subjective. And that is definitely the case when we’re looking at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game starters that were announced on Thursday night.

The way the voting process is currently constructed where there are different phases that ultimately narrows down the voting pool to two finalists, both players are obviously deserving of the starting spot in the All-Star Game. And you’re really splitting hairs if you’re trying to say that someone was snubbed unless it was painfully obvious. That, however, was not the case with the 2023 starters.

Having said that, if it was down to my vote, then there are three players I would’ve had in the 2023 MLB All-Star Game starters over the guys who were ultimately voted in. So we’re calling those the three biggest snubs, even if it’s not the truest sense of that word.

MLB All-Star Game starters 2023: Biggest snubs from lineups

3. Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles (Starter: Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers)

As the Texas Rangers have been one of the most pleasant surprises in baseball this season, so too has young catcher Jonah Heim.

The 28-year-old has been a stud for the NL West leaders, slashing .279/.331/.469 on the season (118 OPS+) with 11 home runs and 17 doubles to go with 55 RBI. More importantly, he’s been a key factor in one of MLB’s best stories of the season. In that regard, he’s deserving.

But also among baseball’s best stories this year has been the arrival of the young Baltimore Orioles and the young catcher that Heim beat out for the starting nod in the MLB All-Star Game, Adley Rutschman, has been at the heart of that.

While Heim does have a 0.5 WAR edge over Rutschman for the season, he’s still put up similar numbers with a .268/.378/.411 slash line while leading the league in walks, posting a better 123 OPS+, knocking 11 extra-base hits on the year, striking out far less, and being a switch-hitter. That last part might not totally matter, but it’s always cool to see, especially from the catcher spot.

With comparable numbers for legitimate contenders, I’d have to give my vote to Rutschman. He’s been the bigger star in the game of baseball by my estimation and, for a game that honors that in addition to performance, I have the Orioles star with the overall edge.