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.
2. Adolis Garcia, OF, Texas Rangers (Starter: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees)
When Aaron Judge was on the field for the Yankees this season, he was as good as anyone in baseball at the dish. In just 49 games, he still amassed 19 home runs, 10 doubles, and 40 RBI on the season with a slash line of .291/.404/.674. Make no mistake, he's been every bit the stud that New York paid him to be this offseason off of his 62-homer campaign a year ago.
But the reality of the situation is that he's played only those 49 games this season, missing time at the end of April and being out since suffering an injury against the Dodgers on June 3. Because of that, it's hard not to feel that Adolis Garcia, one of the stars of a better Rangers team than what the Yankees have been in the 2023 season, is a bit more deserving of the starter nod from the get-go.
After making the MLB All-Star Game in 2021 as a rookie, Garcia was looking to get back with the help of another big year that has seen the dynamic outfielder hit 20 home runs and 16 doubles while driving in 66 RBI on the year. For good measure, he's also stolen six bases while being a plus defender and posting an .850 OPS on the year.
In all likelihood, Garcia is a great candidate to ultimately replace Judge, who remains on the IL for the Yankees and, even if he returns by the break, will surely be held out by the Yankees in order to protect his long-term health this season. Even still, given the lack of time on the field for Judge, the Rangers outfielder surely deserved to get the nod.
1. Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves (Starter: Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers)
Talk about narratives writing themselves. The two finalists for the first base starting spot in the National League were former Brave and current Dodger Freddie Freeman and his replacement in Atlanta, Matt Olson. Ultimately, it was Freeman who got the nod.
Make no mistake, Freeman is deserving in his own right with extremely impressive numbers this season. The Dodgers first baseman is hitting .317 with a .938 OPS and a 150 OPS+ on the season while hitting a league-leading 27 doubles along with 14 home runs and driving in 49 RBI. As mentioned in the intro, there aren't any true snubs from the finalists because, well, Freeman has been great.
But so too as Olson. And frankly, it's odd to not have the NL leader in home runs and RBI, which is where Olson is at for the Braves this season, smashing 26 home runs on the year with 62 RBi already to his credit, giving him an .888 OPS and 134 OPS+.
Admittedly, Freeman has a decisive edge in numerous statistical categories with an average that is 80 points better, a better OPS and OPS+ and accruing 1.2 more WAR to this point in the season. Having said that, Olson has been one of the best power hitters in baseball this year and not having him represent the best team in the NL at the MLB All-Star Game is going to be odd.
Once more, we can't call it a true snub, but it's odd that Olson isn't going to be at first base with the power numbers he's put up in the 2023 campaign.