MLB allowing fans to dictate the starting position players in the All-Star Game has its pros and its cons. An obvious pro would be getting fans involved; MLB wants ratings, and those ratings are more likely to come with players who fans want to see starting the game. An obvious con that goes with that, though, is fans picking players who, well, aren't exactly deserving.
For the most part, fans hit the nail on the head as this year's starters were unveiled on Wednesday night. In others, though, they left a lot to be desired. These five snubs stick out from the rest.
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5) Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
I'm a New York Mets fan, and Francisco Lindor is the lifeblood of that baseball team. As much as I love him, though, and as much as he deserves this moment after several years of him being snubbed, he objectively does not deserve to have the starting nod over Cincinnati Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz.
Lindor has had an All-Star-caliber first half both offensively and defensively, and he deserves to be in the game. For much of the first half, he even had a case to start. Right now, though, De La Cruz's numbers are a bit better.
De La Cruz ranks second among qualified NL shortstops with a 129 wRC+, trailing only C.J. Abrams. That mark is 11 points better than Lindor's. De La Cruz leads all qualified NL shortstops in home runs (18), OPS (.857) and stolen bases (22) while ranking second in RBI (57). Pretty much the only major category Lindor bests De La Cruz in is fWAR. While obviously important, do Lindor's defensive advantages really outweigh everything De La Cruz does better at the dish and on the base paths? I'd lean no.
4) Jonathan Aranda, Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have the disadvantage of being one of the least popular teams in MLB. Not only was Brandon Lowe snubbed, but Jonathan Aranda, his partner on the right side of the infield, didn't even have a chance to win the starting nod as he didn't even advance to the final phase of fan voting.
Aranda is far from the big name Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt are, but the numbers would suggest he should be the starter. Frankly, it isn't even close: Aranda is slashing .325/.406/.493 with 10 home runs and 43 RBI in 81 games for the Rays, and he leads qualified AL first basemen in just about every major statistical category.
Aranda either leads or is tied for first in average (.325), OPS (.899), wRC+ (157) and fWAR (2.2). Guerrero is a superstar, and he's really come on as the season has progressed, but his numbers just don't compare to Aranda's in the slightest. The team he's on ultimately hurt him in the balloting, but he'll make it as a reserve, at the very least.
3) Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros
Bobby Witt Jr. will be a perennial AL MVP candidate for the next decade, if not longer. Jacob Wilson is having one of the best rookie seasons an AL shortstop has ever had. While both of these players are having All Star-caliber seasons, though, Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena should be starting over both of them.
Wilson ultimately won the race, and sure, I get that he's Wilson is hitting .339. But Pena, at .322, isn't far behind. Pena is slashing .322/.378/.489 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI. He's even tacked on 15 stolen bases while playing far better defense than Wilson.
Pena leads all qualified AL shortstops with a 146 wRC+ and 4.1 fWAR. The injury he just picked up would've almost certainly knocked him out of the game regardless, but a large majority of these votes were tallied long before he went down. Pena isn't Aaron Judge or Cal Raleigh, but he might be third in the AL MVP balloting right now. Having him not even be a finalist for the starting nod in the All-Star Game is insane.
2) Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
After a career's worth of injuries, Minnesota Twins star Byron Buxton is finally healthy and having the season MLB fans have been waiting for. The result? He wasn't even named a finalist to start in the All-Star Game. Javier Baez's resurgence is a great story, but we can't be serious voting him in as an All-Star over Buxton.
Buxton ranks third among all qualified AL outfielders, only behind the other two starters, with a 147 wRC+. Baez has a 121 wRC+. Buxton ranks second with 3.3 fWAR. Baez has been worth 1.8 fWAR. Buxton has hit 10 more home runs, driven in 10 more runs, stolen 14 more bases and has been a far better defender.
Again, Baez starting the All-Star Game is a great story and a fun outcome given all he's been through, but honestly, the same could be said about Buxton. It's a shame he'll only be a reserve.
1) James Wood, Washington Nationals
By far the most egregious snub of all is Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood, who, if he hasn't been the best outfielder in the National League, he's probably been the second-best. His team is terrible, and he's incredibly young, but he should be starting in the All-Star Game.
Despite limited protection in his lineup, Wood is slashing .283/.386/.552 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI. He's even stolen 11 bases while also playing above-average defense in left field. Not only is he putting up elite numbers, but he's incredibly fun to watch. Who doesn't want to see Wood hit a 450-foot bomb to the opposite field on the big stage?
Wood leads all qualified NL outfielders with 22 home runs, ranks first with a .938 OPS, is tied for first with a 156 wRC+, is second in RBI, is tied for third with 3.5 fWAR and is even third in stolen bases to boot. Both Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong deserve starting nods, but you lose me voting for a guy in Ronald Acuña Jr. who, while elite, has played in just 35 games. If there wasn't an elite option who had to miss out, it'd be more understandable to have Acuña start. Snubbing Wood for a player who has been healthy for a month is really hard to justify.