The MLB All-Star Game is fast approaching. On July 14, National League All-Stars will take to the field in Philadelphia to take on their American League counterparts — or, as some would call them, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Inspired by the team’s World Series run last year, Jays fans flooded the MLB ballot box during Phase 1 of voting. Toronto will likely have players representing the AL all across the diamond once the final rosters are determined.
But despite the Jays’ stunning success last year, most of their stars haven’t quite lived up to last year’s standards. This leaves a lot of AL stars, who may have earned an All-Star nod, out in the cold.
Make no mistake, there are deserving Blue Jays. Kazuma Okamoto and Ernie Clement have more than earned their spots. A case can even be made for Gold-Glove centerfielder Daulton Varsho. But there are some head-scratchers.
Here is a brief list of the most egregious snubs from the AL All-Star voting:
Since coming up last year, the A’s first baseman has been nothing short of prolific. This year, Kurtz is hitting .280/.426/.530 with 19 home runs. He leads baseball in walks (73) and RBI (64) while his .955 OPS is second in the AL behind Yordan Alvarez. In May, he tied Mark McGwire for the club’s on-base streak record, ending at 48 games. Compare that to the Blue Jay who may be fielding his position.
In any other year, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. might be an All-Star lock. But this year, Vladdy hasn’t quite hit his stride, slashing .276/.358/.360 with four home runs. This is by no means a bad stat line, but it doesn’t really stack up to Kurtz’s performance.
A former batting champion, Diaz is once more excelling at the plate, hitting .334/.416/.517 with 12 home runs for the Tampa Bay Rays. He currently leads the AL with his .334 average in a season that may result in another batting title. His closest competitor is Alvarez at a distant second with a .314 average. Despite his prowess, he was not selected by fans.
Instead, Jays DH George Springer has a chance to fill the role. Last year, Springer was one of baseball’s best hitters. This year, not so much. Springer is slashing just .216/.307/.366 with eight home runs.
Dingler, the Detroit Tigers backstop, is having a breakout season, hitting .268/.334/.539 with 19 home runs (Dingler dingers, if you will). His .873 OPS is the highest mark thus far for any catcher, topping even Shea Langeliers, who will likely be featured in the summer classic.
But this year, Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk could get the nod. While Kirk has had quite a career, he is just returning from injury and has only played in 15 games this season, hitting .192/.246/.288 with one home run in one mind-boggling selection.
The second-year Chicago White Sox shortstop is continuing to build on his reputation for power. Montgomery is hitting .221/.316/.484 while leading all shortstops with 20 home runs and powering the once-lowly White Sox to an AL Central lead. Despite his efforts, fans did not give him a well-deserved All-Star nod.
Andres Gimenez, the Blue Jays shortstop, has been given the honor to move to Phase 2. While he does boast an elite glove, Gimenez is hitting just .235/.277/.376 with seven home runs. His .653 OPS lags all qualifying AL shortstops.
Honorable mention: Kevin McGonigle