MLB All-Star 2025: Surprises and Key Absences in the Rosters

Analysis of the Initial Rosters of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game

The initial rosters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game have been announced, the result of collaboration between fans, players, and the league. In Alofoke Deportes, we bring you a detailed analysis of the selections, highlighting the most relevant aspects and possible slip-ups. It is important to note that injuries could prevent some of the selected players from participating in the event in Atlanta, and replacements will be announced in the coming days. At the end of this process, it is expected to have between 70 and 75 All-Star players for this season. The preliminary rosters include 65 players, an unusual number due to the designation of Clayton Kershaw as a “Legend”. Kershaw, who recently entered the 3,000 strikeout club, deserves this recognition. Now, let’s move on to the details.

American League: Analysis and Observations

Image credit: Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty ImagesBiggest omission: Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins The Twins’ only representative on the initial list is outfielder Byron Buxton, a good choice. Ryan (8-4, 2.76 ERA) performed similarly to other players like Kris Bubic of Kansas City and the Texas duo of Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. Bubic and deGrom were included, which is positive, and Bubic in particular has a remarkable history.

However, Ryan and Eovaldi were not selected, and probably deserved inclusion more than Seattle’s Bryan Woo, whose numbers (8-4, 2.77) are very similar to Ryan’s. Woo plays in a more pitcher-friendly park, but the metrics favor Ryan.

In summary: if this is the biggest discrepancy, the process worked quite well.Second biggest omission: Tie between several batters. The rule that each team must have a player, along with position requirements, often excludes valuable players from teams with multiple candidates. Therefore, some positional selections could have been different. The Rays, who are playing very well, probably deserved more than one player. Their most deserved selection was infielder Jonathan Aranda, along with veteran second baseman Brandon Lowe. Infielders like J.P. Crawford (Seattle), Isaac Paredes (Houston), and Zach McKinstry (Detroit) had good arguments for being selected before Lowe, whose power numbers (19 home runs, 54 RBIs) influenced the choice.

Although Gunnar Henderson has had a disappointing season, I believe he deserved to be the Orioles’ default selection instead of Ryan O’Hearn. However, the latter was chosen as the AL’s starting designated hitter by the fans, and Baltimore really doesn’t deserve two players. It’s a great story that O’Hearn is an All-Star for the first time a few weeks before turning 32.

Other points to note:

• The White Sox’s default selection is rookie pitcher Shane Smith, a Rule V pick from Milwaukee last winter. Smith is the lowest-rated player on the AL team, but he has been consistently solid. Adrian Houser, an acquisition during the season, has been excellent for Chicago and has possibly produced more value than Smith. However, it’s good to honor the rookie who has been present throughout the entire campaign.
• The Athletics’ Jacob Wilson was chosen as the starter and is easily the most deserving player on that team. I’m not sure I see a second selection there, but Brent Rooker was chosen as the designated hitter. Rooker has been fine, but his spot could have been for one of the aforementioned overlooked hitters, or perhaps Maikel Garcia of Kansas City.
• Houston’s Jeremy Pena is a deserved pick and should possibly be the AL starter at shortstop instead of Wilson. Unfortunately, he is on the injured list, and although he is reported to be able to resume baseball activities soon, Pena will likely be replaced. Any of the aforementioned overlooked hitters would be a good option.

Regarding the lineups, the fans do a great job these days. However, I disagreed with some of their choices. I would have preferred a combination in the infield of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Pena instead of Gleyber Torres and Wilson, but I’d like them all to be on the team. And I definitely would have chosen Buxton over Javier Baez in the outfield.

National League: Analysis and Observations

Image credit: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Biggest omission: Juan Soto, New York Mets

It’s not clear how this happened, but I guess Soto is a victim of his own standards. Yes, he signed a contract for an unimaginable amount of money and, so far, hasn’t reinvented the game as a member of the Mets. He’s simply been an underperforming Juan Soto, who is still one of the best players in the sport. His OBP is, as always, above .400, he leads the league in walks, and it seems Pete Alonso has enjoyed hitting behind him very much.

The All-Star Game was invented for players like Soto, and although you could leave someone like him out if he’s having a really bad season, that’s not the case here. That said, it’s surprising that Soto hasn’t been selected, while MacKenzie Gore and James Wood, part of the trade that sent Soto from Washington to San Diego, were. Both deserve it, and it could be argued that a third player the Nats acquired in the trade, CJ Abrams, also deserves it. But Soto deserves it too.

Finally, the most deserved selection for the Marlins is outfielder Kyle Stowers, who actually ended up being their default selection. But he probably ended up taking Soto’s place.

Second biggest omission: Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers

It’s hard to overlook any of the Dodgers, but somehow Pages slipped away despite his fantastic first half for the defending champions. It was just a numbers game. I have five NL outfielders ranked ahead of Pages, and all but Soto were selected, so no further objections. The fans voted for Ronald Acuna Jr. to start in his home stadium. Having Acuna there in front of the fans in Atlanta makes sense. But he’s only played half of the first half.

Other points to note:

• The shortstop position is very loaded in the NL, but the only pure shortstops to be selected were the starter Francisco Lindor and Elly De La Cruz. Both are good selections, but the Phillies’ Trea Turner has been just as outstanding. Abrams and Geraldo Perdomo of Arizona are also deserving. The position has been so good that the player with the most career value currently playing shortstop in the NL, Mookie Betts, barely deserves a mention. Betts has had a below-expectations first half, but who would be surprised if he tops this list at the end of the season?
• Both leagues had three spots in the pitching staff assigned to relievers. The AL group (Aroldis Chapman, Josh Hader, and Andres Munoz) was much clearer than in the NL, which ended up with Randy Rodriguez of the Giants, Edwin Diaz of the Mets, and Jason Adam of the Padres. It made sense to honor someone from San Diego’s dominant bullpen, and you could have flipped a coin to choose between Adam and Adrian Morejon.
• Choosing these rosters, meeting all the requirements/needs of the teams and positions, is really difficult. I have no real problem with the pitchers selected for the NL. One of them is Chris Sale of Atlanta, who is on the injured list and will have to be replaced. My choice would be Cristopher Sanchez of Philadelphia (7-2, 2.68 ERA).
• And for the starters, Alonso should have gotten the nod over Freddie Freeman at first base, although it will be great to see Freeman’s reception when he takes the field in Atlanta. For the record, Michael Busch of the Cubs has had a better first half than Freeman at this point, although that only became a reality in the last few days, thanks to his explosion at Wrigley Field. I would have gone with Turner at shortstop, but it’s a close call. And I would have started with Wood instead of Acuna.