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4 Cardinals unfairly snubbed from the All-Star Game
The St. Louis Cardinals have just one All-Star Game representative this year but with the way they've played they should have way more.
The St. Louis Cardinals' first half has certainly been a bumpy ride, but with the best record in the National League since Mother's Day, just one All-Star representative in Ryan Helsley seems a bit unfair. After Helsley announced he won't be participating in the All-Star Game, fans won't see a single Cardinal take the field in Arlington. At 50-46, they currently own the second Wildcard spot and the fifth-best record in the NL, so how come they only have a single All-Star? Here are four Cardinals players unfairly snubbed from the All-Star Game in 2024.
Sonny Gray was snubbed from the All-Star Game
Signed to a 3-year $75 million contract to lead the Cardinals starting rotation, Sonny Gray has been worth every penny to start his tenure in St. Louis. Despite missing some time due to injury, Gray has been fantastic, recording a 3.34 ERA in 17 starts. His FIP (fielding independent pitching) of 2.56, however, indicates he's gotten quite unlucky in the first half. Still, his phenomenal rate of 10.9 strikeouts per 9 innings and great run prevention should've gotten him his 4th career nod.
Compared to other All-Stars Tyler Glasnow, Logan Webb, Hunter Greene, and others, Gray had a real case to pitch in Arlington, but perhaps his two missed starts at the beginning of the season were all the difference. After all, the only stat Gray lags behind the other starters is wins-above-replacement (WAR). With the important pitching stats similar to many All-Star starting pitchers in the National League,
Willson Contreras was snubbed from the All-Star Game
Had Willson Contreras not been unfortunately struck by JD Martinez's swing, fracturing his arm in early May, he'd be a lock for the All-Star Game. However, since he was sidelined for several weeks, Contreras was passed up by his brother William and Will Smith of the Dodgers. However, a third catcher should've been added to the roster and it should've been Willson Contreras.
With a .917 OPS and a 158 OPS+, Willson Contreras is not only one of the best offensive catchers in the league but also one of the best offensive players overall. Similar to Trea Turner, who won the starting job at shortstop due to Mookie Betts' untimely injury, Willson's missed time should've been overlooked for his fourth career appearance in the All-Star Game.
Both NL catchers Will Smith and William Contreras have accrued more WAR than Willson Contreras at this point in the season, but neither player is within 20% of Willson offensively in terms of OPS+. With Contreras's vastly improved defense and extremely strong throwing arm, he should've garnered much more consideration. Perhaps not taking a bid from his brother or Will Smith, but he should've had a spot on the team.
Masyn Winn was snubbed from the All-Star Game
Defense has long been overlooked when considering players for the All-Star Game, but it really should be time to value plus-defenders more. Tommy Edman was among baseball's leaders in WAR in 2022 but was unfortunately left out due to middling offensive production. Masyn Winn has fallen in a similar spot this season. With Mookie Betts out, there was a real case to be made that Winn should start at shortstop for the National League, but Trea Turner ultimately won the fan vote despite missing significant time.
With 3.5 wins above replacement so far already, Winn leads the Cardinals and is among the best in baseball. His 1.8 defensive WAR is third in MLB behind Milwaukee's Brice Turang and Toronto's Daulton Varsho. With an electric arm stronger than Reds All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, more WAR, and comparable offensive numbers, the Cardinals rookie deserved much more consideration than he got.
For an exhibition match to show off the game's best and most exciting young players to a national audience, not featuring a deserving young rookie like Masyn Winn was a huge miss by the voters. Hopefully, he'll get a nod soon as his bat continues to develop.
Alec Burleson was snubbed from the All-Star Game
Alec Burleson's breakout season has come out of seemingly nowhere. Viewed as a fourth outfielder who may not even make the Opening Day roster, Burleson has cemented himself as a middle-of-the-order bat in a Cardinals lineup devoid of its usual star power. He's been able to pick up the slack from ailing veterans Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, while quietly becoming one of the best outfielders in all of baseball.
Compared to starting outfielder and tonight's Home Run Derby champion Teoscar Hernandez and many other outfield All-Stars in the National League, Burleson competes pound-for-pound, slugging 17 homers at the halfway point with fewer plate appearances than most. His quiet rise probably went unnoticed by most voters, and his ballot eligibility as only a designated hitter (competing with Shohei Ohtani and Marcell Ozuna) did not help his case.
However, with an .814 OPS and 126 OPS+, Alec ranks amongst the best for National League outfielders, where he has played the most innings this season, and surely should've gotten more consideration this season.
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