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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 18: Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (left) and Philadelphia Phillies Managing Partner and CEO John Middleton (right) applaud and the Phillie Phanatic reacts after the 2026 MLB All-Star Game logo is revealed during Philadelphia's 2026 All-Star Game Declaration on July 18, 2025, at Dilworth Park, in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even after a big series win out west, I’m making this week’s article one big complaint about a meaningless game that just amounts to an annual popularity contest. God bless America that I’m able to do this for a couple of bucks, baby.
It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.
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As I’m sure you’re already aware at this point, Major League Baseball has unveiled the rosters for the 2026 All-Star Game, which will take place in just over a week in Philadelphia.
The Midsummer Classic, to me at least, is always a fun way to unwind and enjoy some of the top talent that our sports have to offer. Even in an age where highlights of guys from across the country are readily accessible through the digital avenue of choice, I still appreciate seeing top tier guys rub shoulders with one another on one stage. I like that players went back to wearing their own uniforms during the game, too. We should’ve never had to deal with the ASG-specific jerseys that had been worn previously, those monstrosities.
This year, the Red Sox will send a pair of lefties to represent them: starter Ranger Suarez and closer Aroldis Chapman. What I’m about to say should not diminish the season they’ve each been having so far; one guy with an ERA+ of around 140 across nearly 90 innings and another guy with an ERA+ damn near 200 out of the bullpen are not the problems with this roster.
However, if you’ve been following along, you’d know there were some notable snubs from the American League’s roster: first baseman Willson Contreras and right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray. I bet you don’t need me to rattle off their 2026 accomplishments, but I’m gonna give you the TLDR anyways. Apparently, the powers that be don’t think that a guy with an OPS north of .900 with 19 homers is worthy of an All-Star nod. The same goes for the guy who’s in the top-10 in ERA across baseball among qualified starters.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. To quote the great Kent Brockman, “Democracy simply doesn’t work.”
I understand what you might be thinking, and yes, I ultimately agree with you: this is all just one big popularity contest at the end of the day and it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I get that it’s small potatoes. Besides, every team needs representatives at the All-Star Game (a rule that I’m totally cool with, by the way—I’m a big fan of every fan base having a chance to see at least one of their guys out there) and there are only so many roster spots.
But when I look at Sonny or Willson not being deemed worthy, I start to worry what the point of the ASG roster building process is. What, exactly, are we doing here? What’s the point? Whether it’s the fan voting for the starters, the players ballot to fill in the blanks (now that managers don’t pick the pitching staff and whatnot anymore), or the commissioner’s office making some finishing touches, what’s the point of a system that’s going to snub two guys whose performance has been over 50% better than the league average output either on the mound or at the plate?
There will be some replacement picks made prior to the first pitch in the City of Brotherly Love, of course. Maybe our deserving Sox players will find themselves in the Junior Circuit’s dugout that way. Hell, Vladdy Jr. already announced he’s sitting out in spite of the fact that he was voted as a starter (even though his OPS begins with a 6; again, democracy simply doesn’t work). Contreras feels like a natural replacement for Guerrero. And yet, I’m still annoyed that we’re having to have this replacement conversation in the first place. For God’s sake, Contreras is on pace for a roughly 7.0 bWAR season at first!!!!!!! That’s an All-Star!!!!!!!!!! You should know one when you see one!!!!!!
Even if the fans don’t vote someone like Gray or Willson in as a starter, there has to be some sort of change to the ASG roster system where meritocracy and popularity can coexist. The pendulum has swung so far towards the latter, and it’s clearly not through just the fan voting. Of course the fans are gonna vote for their own favorite players. On top of that, though, of course players are gonna vote for their buddies. Of course the league is gonna move mountains to make sure that their most marketable stars are going to be there. I get that Aaron Judge is going to be voted as a starter even though he hasn’t played since the end of May. I get that Travis Bazzana is a number one overall pick and that the league would like general fans to get to know him. I get that there’s someone, every year, who’s gonna get snubbed.
None of that means I have to find the whole situation any less stupid.
I don’t know what the fix to this looks like, and I’m sorry that I don’t have all of the answers. Maybe you find an objective sort of stat (WAR? ERA+/OPS+? Something else?) to make a shortlist of finalists and then let the fans and/or players vote from there? I have no clue, but something’s got to change here. Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray should be All-Stars. I know it, you know it, but clearly the most important people in regards to this topic don’t know it.
Now if only we could then make a system to fix the Red Sox’s record this year…..
Song of the Week: “Strange Things” by Randy Newman
Finally saw Toy Story 5 this weekend, but I had to throw it all the way back to the beginning.
Same time and same place next week, friends! Go Sox.
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