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Lauren Amour looks at three 2024 MLB All-Star Game snubs. She breaks down three players who were worthy enough of having a roster spot in the All-Star Game.
Francisco Lindor, SS, New York Mets
Perhaps the most obvious 2024 All-Star Game snub is that of Francisco Lindor. The three-time Silver Slugger-winning shortstop has never been named to an ASG as a member of the Mets. It's a bit peculiar, especially considering that his teammate, Pete Alonso, was selected to be on his fourth NL All-Star team -- that matches Lindor's career total.
Lindor's 3.6 fWAR, 15 home runs, 45 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and 119 wRC+ apparently weren't enough for the former Platinum Glove winner to be sent to Arlington, but Alonso's 1.1 fWAR, 18 homers, 48 RBI, and 123 wRC+ were. But what's even more shocking is that Lindor, who hit 19 home runs and drove in 60 before the break last year, also didn't make it. So, if his 2023 stats didn't earn him the selection, then 2024's definitely did not.
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Of the Top 15 players in fWAR this season, Francisco Lindor, who ranks 10th, is the only player to NOT make the All Star game
It baffles me that one of the most electric players in the biggest market continues to get overlooked year in & year out pic.twitter.com/AE1zePndNh
— Dalton Feely (@dfeely14) July 8, 2024
Lindor could still make it to Texas as a reserve for the National League due to injuries or players opting out, but he earned his place before that. And most Mets fans and baseball fans alike would agree that he's more deserving than Alonso. It's possible that MLB wanted Alonso in his fourth straight Home Run Derby -- the two-time Derby winner inferred that his participation was contingent upon his All-Star selection.
Josh Smith, 3B, Texas Rangers
Filling in for the injured Josh Jung at third base, Josh Smith has enjoyed a breakout campaign for the Rangers this season. The 26-year-old possesses a team-leading 19 doubles, a .290 batting average, and a .380 on-base percentage across 85 games in 2024. While Texas' lineup has largely struggled this year, Smith has acted as a sparkplug for their, at times, dormant offense.
The American League third base WAR leader isn’t an All-Star
Make it make sense
Nonetheless, Josh H. Smith deserves recognition for a terrific first half 👏 pic.twitter.com/02nOmNM0QR
— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@rangers__nation) July 8, 2024
He's slashing .333/.459/.435 and driven in 26 runs with runners in scoring position. Additionally, the former second-round pick owns a 2.6 fWAR, .364 wOBA, and 135 wRC+. The Rangers couldn't have asked for more from Smith in his expanded role this season. That's why he deserved a spot on the AL All-Star team's roster.
To have Smith not make the AL All-Star team but have teammate Marcus Semien, with a .678 OPS and 1.9 fWAR, as a reserve simply doesn't make sense. You'd think MLB would want more Rangers representation, considering the Midsummer Classic is being held in Texas, and the Rangers are the reigning World Champions. If a spot opens up, Smith would be a great fit.
Christian Walker, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
This is arguably the third year in a row that Christian Walker was robbed of an ASG nod. This season, the D-backs first baseman is batting .265 with a team-leading 22 home runs (seventh best in MLB), 65 RBI, and a .507 slugging percentage. He's accumulated 2.5 fWAR along with a 135 wRC+ and .361 wOBA in 2024.
Since 2022, Walker has blasted a sixth-best 91 home runs, more than Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, Jose Ramirez, and Paul Goldschmidt. His 262 RBI in that span is fifth best in the league. All players above him have been named All-Stars at least once, if not multiple times, in the last three seasons -- making it even more confounding that Walker wasn't an All-Star this year or in years prior.
Pete Alonso made the NL All-Star team over Christian Walker. pic.twitter.com/idMzF3nmba
— PHNX Diamondbacks (@PHNX_Dbacks) July 7, 2024
In fact, he's never had an All-Star appearance despite being more than worthy. Walker has won Gold Glove Awards the past two seasons for his defensive work at first base, but his offensive performance deserves to be recognized, too.
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