The MLB All-Star Game starters, for better or worse, are determined by the fan vote, which came to a close on Wednesday, July 2. We already knew that Aaron Judge in the American League outfield and Shohei Ohtani in the National League DH spot were locked in after phase 1 of the voting process, but there were plenty of gripes about some of the other finalists in both leagues.
Put simply, sometimes the fan vote doesn't necessarily take into account the best players at every position. Now, of course, there is always context with that. Someone like Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. getting into the MLB All-Star Game as a starter might not match up in terms of WAR, but that's because he didn't make his season debut until May. Even with that, he's clearly been one of the best players in baseball since his return.
In several other cases, though, it's just baffling to see fan bias in major markets outweigh the clearly better player comparatively. It almost feels unfair to see some stars, particularly young ones, get robbed of the chance of being MLB All-Star Game starters because of that when they've done more than enough to earn that honor.
So we're here to rectify that to the best of our ability. If the MLB All-Star Game starters were determined only by WAR, all would be right in the world and we'd have some justification behind the players who made the cut.
American League All-Star Game starters if determined by WAR
Position | Starter by WAR | fWAR (via FanGraphs) |
|---|---|---|
Catcher | Cal Raleigh (Mariners) | 5.6 |
1B | Jonathan Aranda (Rays) | 2.2 |
2B | Gleyber Torres (Tigers) | 2.3 |
3B | Jose Ramirez (Guardian) | 3.2 |
SS | Jeremy Pena (Astros) | 4.1 |
OF | Aaron Judge (Yankees) | 6.5 |
OF | Byron Buxton (Twins) | 3.3 |
OF | Riley Greene (Tigers) | 3.0 |
DH | Ryan O'Hearn (Orioles) | 2.1 |
There are really three unjust spots when it comes to the American League that you have to look at. While guys like Judge, Cal Raleigh, Jose Ramirez and even the likes of Riley Greene and Gleyber Torres are right where they should be, there are a few spots where, not only did the leaders in WAR at the position not get the starting nod, they weren't even finalists.
One of the hardest to swallow is Jeremy Pena missing out at shortstop behind Jacob Wilson and Bobby Witt Jr. Wilson has been a phenomenal story with the Athletics this season, but Pena has legitimately performed like one of the best all-around players in baseball this season, and he wasn't even voted as a finalist. That's egregious on the part of fans. Jonathan Aranda not getting the nod at first base is also a tough one. Even though Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is right on pace with his divisional foe from the Rays, Paul Goldschmidt isn't in the same ballpark.
Perhaps the wildest one, though, is Byron Buxton. He's been a bonafide superstar in Minnesota this season, but didn't even crack the Top 7 in American League outfield voting. No offense to someone like Mike Trout, but the numbers and production simply don't match what Buxton has done this season, and this shouldn't be a popularity contest.
National League All-Star Game starters if determined by WAR
Position | Starter by WAR | fWAR (via FanGraphs) |
|---|---|---|
Catcher | Will Smith (Dodgers) | 3.0 |
1B | Matt Olson (Braves) | 2.7 |
2B | Brendan Donovan (Cardinals) | 2.2 |
3B | Manny Machado (Padres) | 2.5 |
SS | Trea Turner (Phillies) | 3.6 |
OF | Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs) | 4.0 |
OF | Kyle Tucker (Cubs) | 4.0 |
OF | James Wood (Nationals) | 3.5 |
DH | Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) | 4.2 |
Again, let me reiterate, there should be justice for Washington Nationals breakout superstar James Wood. While Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker made it through as finalists, the fact that players like Teoscar Hernandez, Juan Soto and most concerningly Andy Pages made it as finalists over Wood — who somehow also only finished ninth in the voting — is blasphemous. He's been one of the five best outfielders in all of baseball, much less the National League.
Beyond that, where is the love for Brendan Donovan in St. Louis? The guy has been on a tear all year and helping push the Cardinals into playoff contention. I love Ketel Marte as much as the next guy, but he and Tommy Edman getting finalist nods over him is asinine. That same argument applies at both first base and shortstop, where Matt Olson and Trea Turner got hosed in the voting. Francisco Lindor is more than defensible as a finalist, but a struggling Mookie Betts is not. Similarly at first base, Freddie Freeman doesn't deserve that spot over the likes of Olson or even Pete Alonso.
It was mostly right beyond that in the NL, but man, it's going to grind my gears forever that Wood was snubbed as hard as he was. He deserves to be rewarded for the work that he's put in.