Every year, there are going to be long lists of players that many around the baseball community didn't get the recognition they deserved. Each team has to claim a spot, even if no one on their roster is having an All-Star-caliber season. Fan favorites win the votes to get starts when another player was more deserving. There are only 32 spots on each team so there are a lot of players that are left out on each roster. Some players might eventually be named to the all-star game as replacement players, for injured players or players that do not want to participate in the game. The 91st MLB all-star game will be played at Coors Field in Denver Colorado on July 13th at 7:30 EST.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Elected starters
C: Salvador Perez (KC)
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR)
2B: Marcus Semien (TOR)
3B: Rafael Devers (BOS)
SS: Xander Bogaerts (BOS)
OF: Mike Trout (LAA)
OF: Aaron Judge (NYY)
OF: Teoscar Hernández (TOR)
DH: Shohei Ohtani (LAA)
Pitcher/Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani
Reserves
C: Mike Zunino (TB)
2B: Jose Altuve (HOU)
SS: Bo Bichette (TOR)
SS: Carlos Correa (HOU)
1B: Matt Olson (OAK)
3B: José Ramírez (CLE)
1B: Jared Walsh (LAA)
OF: Michael Brantley (HOU)
OF: Joey Gallo (TEX)
OF: Adolis García (TEX)
OF: Cedric Mullins (BAL)
DH: J.D. Martinez (BOS)
DH: Nelson Cruz (MIN)
Starting Pitchers
RHP: Shane Bieber (CLE)
RHP: Gerrit Cole (NYY)
RHP: Nathan Eovaldi (BOS)
RHP: Kyle Gibson (TEX)
LHP: Yusei Kikuchi (SEA)
RHP: Lance Lynn (CWS)
LHP: Carlos Rodón (CWS)
Relievers
RHP: Matt Barnes (BOS)
LHP: Aroldis Chapman (NYY)
RHP: Liam Hendriks (CWS)
RHP: Ryan Pressly (HOU)
LHP: Gregory Soto (DET)
This is the first time in MLB history that a pitcher & hitter qualified for the all-star game. Shohei Ohtani has been the best player to watch in the game today. He has the most homeruns in the league (31) and an impressive 3.60 ERA in 12 starts. He is the front runner for MVP, and if it wasn’t for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., he would win it going away. His stardom grows after every single day and I hope he gets the opportunity to pitch and hit in the all-star game. I wonder what he will get on the open market too, since he should be asking for DH & pitcher money at the same time.
There are a lot of players that got snubbed for the American League side. There will have to be reserves in for Mike Trout & Shane Bieber since they are both on the injured list for the game, so there will be two roster spots up for grabs. I believe that Yuli Gurriel (HOU) should have gotten in because of his impact on the first place Astros. His slash line of 322/.390/.495 should not be over looked. I also believe that Whit Merrifield (KC) should have been on the all-star team. He's swiped 23 bases so far, already the third-most of his career behind only 34 in 2017 and 45 in 2018. He's the only player in the majors with more than 20 this season. He will be a popular name on the trade deadline and will definitely be moved (my pick is to the Red Sox). The last guy I believe that should have made the all-star team is Chris Bassitt (OAK). The A’s never get respect in the all-star game. In his 17 starts, only in four has Bassitt allowed more than two earned runs to cross the plate. His 3.04 ERA has him ranked sixth among qualifiers in the American League this season and his nine wins are second in the league, only behind, the Indians' Aaron Civale. Bassitt has helped to put the Athletics back in a position to make the playoffs.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Elected starters
C: Buster Posey (SF)
1B: Freddie Freeman (ATL)
2B: Adam Frazier (PIT)
3B: Nolan Arenado (STL)
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD)
OF: Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL)
OF: Nick Castellanos (CIN)
OF: Jesse Winker (CIN)
Reserves
C: J.T. Realmuto (PHI)
2B: Ozzie Albies (ATL)
3B: Kris Bryant (CHC)
SS: Brandon Crawford (SF)
2B: Jake Cronenworth (SD)
3B: Eduardo Escobar (ARI)
1B: Max Muncy (LAD)
SS: Trea Turner (WSH)
OF: Mookie Betts (LAD)
OF: Bryan Reynolds (PIT)
OF: Kyle Schwarber (WSH)
OF: Juan Soto (WSH)
OF: Chris Taylor (LAD)
Starting pitchers
RHP: Corbin Burnes (MIL)
RHP: Yu Darvish (SD)
RHP: Jacob deGrom (NYM)
RHP: Kevin Gausman (SF)
RHP: Germán Márquez (COL)
LHP: Trevor Rogers (MIA)
RHP: Zack Wheeler (PHI)
RHP: Brandon Woodruff (MIL)
Relievers
LHP: Josh Hader (MIL)
RHP: Craig Kimbrel (CHC)
RHP: Mark Melancon (SD)
RHP: Alex Reyes (STL)
There are also a lot of players that got snubbed for the National League side. Like the American League side, the National league also has injuries. Kyle Schwarber will have to be replaced because he is on the injured list and presumably, NL all-star game starter and front runner for NL MVP, Jacob Degrom is rumored to wanting to skip the all-star game to remain fresh for the Mets playoff push and second half of the season. With all that being said, I believe that Justin Turner (LAD) should have made the all-star game. Can you believe that he only made it one time in 2017? You can’t overlook his .295/.388/.484 slash line with 13 home runs and 57 strikeouts to 39 walks. Turner has been an All-Star caliber player just about every year he's been in L.A., and in yet another standout campaign, he should be on the NL team. Another player that got snubbed out of the NL team is Edwin Diaz (NYM). Diaz has converted 17-of-18 save opportunities so far this season. He has held hitters to just a .198 batting average as he's been among the toughest relievers to get hits against. If you have Alex Reyes (STL) in the game, and I know his 20/20 saves are impressive, but he has control problems that I have a concern with and his walks will come to bite him later down the stretch. The last set of players that deserve to be on the NL all-star team are all starting pitching. Max Scherzer (WAS) with his 2.10 ERA in 16 starts, a trade candidate on the deadline (Red Sox please get him), Freddy Peralta (MIL) with his 2.23 ERA is the seventh-lowest in the National League among qualified starting pitchers and his 129 strikeouts are the fourth most, Walker Buhler (LAD) with his 8-1 record and 2.35 ERA, Joe Musgrove (SD) with his 2.63 ERA and no hitter earlier in the season, and Tajiuan Walker (NYM) with his 7-3 record and 2.44 ERA.