These players had strong cases to be named to their respective All-Star teams, but were left off.
Christian Walker did not make the All-Star team in 2024
MLB announced the reserve players headed to this year's All-Star game on Sunday. Starters had already been announced for the game, which is scheduled for July 16.
With the announcement came a time for celebration for the honored players, but also a time to judge the final list. As usual, the teams can only be so big, and so players who appear deserving will be left off. Such is the case every year with All-Star rosters in every sport. The reason being named to the team is such an honor is the finite number of roster spots available.
At first glance, here are three of the most notable snubs in each league.
One player I don't have here is New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. While there is a case to be made that he is deserving of being named as a reserve, especially after being snubbed for arguably the last three seasons, Elly De La Cruz and CJ Abrams both have objectively better statistics than Lindor this season. They were the correct choices, even if Lindor has been great in his own right.
Jose Miranda, 3B, American League
Jose Miranda has put together a strong season that has only been heating up. Looking at his stats as a whole, he should be right there with the rest of the third basemen in the American League. The downfall of his resume is a slow start to the year. Twins fans should be very excited, as each month has been better than the last for Miranda, but his lack of punch in April and the start of May is a blemish on his 2024 that's hard to look past at such a talent-dense position.
You could make a similar case for Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Smith, who has a slightly worse OPS than Miranda, but better defense (0.5 dWAR).
Hunter Gaddis, RP, American League
Cleveland Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis is throwing a 308 ERA+ this season. That means his ERA (1.31) has been 208% better than MLB average. He has only allowed six earned runs all season. Of pitchers that have appeared in at least 40 innings, only Emmanuel Clase has given up fewer earned runs. Clase is, rightfully, an All-Star. Gaddis should be, too.
Kenley Jansen, RP, American League
Boston Red Sox fans will hate this one. Kenley Jansen, who has logged 17 saves this season and has an ERA of just 2.08, missed the cut. Meanwhile, rival closer Clay Holmes, who pitches for the Yankees, got in.
Holmes has been overall quite good, but shaky of late. He has a worse ERA and just two more saves than Jansen. But Jansen has only had 18 save opportunities, Holmes has had 24.
Christian Walker and LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B, National League
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is a shock to see on the All-Star team this year after a general downturn in his statistics compared to prior seasons. It will be his fourth time being named to the All-Star team, the other three are hard to debate. This one, though, feels flimsy.
Take a look at how Christian Walker of the Arizona Diamondbacks and LaMonte Wade Jr. of the San Francisco Giants stack up:
I'm generally O.K. if the reserve selections overlook Wade on the principle of games played, but Walker is having a better season than Alonso on offense and defense while playing every game.
Freddie Freeman is one of the other first baseman reserves, and his place on the team is valid. It feels as if Alonso got the nod thanks to what his name has meant in prior seasons, not necessarily this one.
