MLB Insider names this Cardinals player an egregious All-Star snub

MLB Insider Jeff Passan named St. Louis Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman as one of the most egregious All-Star snubs.

The St. Louis Cardinals have four All-Stars on their roster: Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Ryan Helsley and Albert Pujols. But to most observers, myself included, there should have been a fifth member of the roster headed to Los Angeles in mid July.

Jeff Passan of ESPN.com wrote that Cardinals second baseman/shortstop Tommy Edman was among the “most egregious” All-Star snubs and should have at least made the team as a reserve.

It’s hard to argue. Edman, 27, has proven that his breakout 2021 season wasn’t a fluke, as he’s maintained his stellar infield defense while transitioning to shortstop after Paul DeJong’s struggles forced the Cardinals to shakeup their infield. Edman has also been better offensively this season than he was last season – he’s hitting .257/.322/.376 with seven home runs and 33 RBI – and his 102 OPS+ is 11 points higher than it was last season.

The National League reserves at second base and shortstop were Jeff McNeil and Dansby Swanson, respectively, and both were valid choices. McNeil is having a breakout season in his age-30 campaign and has helped solidify a New York Mets middle infield. Swanson, meanwhile, has been a star for the Atlanta Braves and emerged as one of the best shortstops in baseball ahead of becoming a free agent this winter.

There are likely to be players who back out of the All-Star Game – it happens every year – and Edman very well could sneak onto the roster in that way. But it’s disappointing that he didn’t make it outright, as his performance has certainly warranted such consideration, and it certainly wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up in Los Angeles one way or another for the All-Star Game festivities.