With the MLB All-Star Game a day away, a whopping 80 players have been named All-Stars as of Monday afternoon.
After MLB named Brewers rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski an All-Star after just five career starts, the replacement process was criticized by players who accused the league of prioritizing its buzziest players instead of the most deserving. Of the 80 All-Stars, 15 made the roster as replacement players.
“Major League Baseball is really just focusing on the most marketable players,” Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos said. “So the fact that they can have somebody in the game that is going to basically blow out one inning and throw 103, 104 (mph), they’re going to get more eyeballs on baseball. They’re going to think it’s getting more popular.”
MLB’s unique requirement that every team have at least one All-Star also makes it slightly more challenging to reward every deserving player.
The recognition also comes with contract incentives for some players, which has also led to complaints about MLB’s priorities.
Who’s In, Who’s Out
Despite MLB naming 80 different players an All Star, the player who has the richest contract in the history of sports was not named one.
Mets star Juan Soto is considered one of the game’s biggest snubs, after signing a 15-year contract worth $765 million this past offseason. Soto is batting .262 with 23 home runs and has an OPS over .900.
The Phillies have their own gripes with the roster. Kyle Schwarber is the team’s only representative in Atlanta with Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, and Trea Turner all being omitted despite strong seasons.
Misiorowski’s addition to the National League roster over Sanchez and Suárez prompted the Phillies to rip the selection process.
“What a joke,” Turner said. “That’s f— terrible.”
“It’s turning into the Savannah Bananas,” Castellanos said.
Sánchez has a 2.59 earned run average, the fourth-lowest in the NL, but the game conflicts with his pitching schedule. MLB offered Sánchez an All Star nod in exchange for being available for the game, which he declined, a league source told The Athletic. Gene Mato, Sanchez’s agent, told The Athletic his client is willing to pitch in the game.
Contract Incentives
Soto’s roster omission cost him an $100,000 bonus—pennies on his $51 million average annual salary and $75 million signing bonus he was paid up front, but he still noticed.
“What do you think?” Soto said when asked about being snubbed. “I think it’s a lot of money on the table if I make it.”
Oher teams have rewarded players on their own.
On Saturday, Sánchez told reporters the Phillies triggered the $50,000 bonus in his contract despite being left off the National League roster.
“Everyone knows I’m an All-Star here,” Sánchez told reporters. “They’ve showed it by supporting me here. All my teammates; the league knows it too.”
