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One of baseball's best teams had its All-Stars skipped
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

One of baseball's best teams had its All-Stars skipped in pregame introductions

By Adam Gretz  |  Last updated 7/11/23

Major League Baseball made a few changes to the player introductions for the 2023 All-Star Game by having everybody run out from centerfield instead of the traditional lineup on the base lines. 

They also skipped introducing two of the All-Stars from one of the best teams in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rays All-Stars Wander Franco and Shane McClanahan were noticeably not introduced when the American League reserves were being introduced, and the Rays social media team absolutely took notice of that.

Franco and McClanahan were supposed to follow the reserves for the host Seattle Mariners, but never got introduced as the hometown players received an extended ovation.

That seemed to be the source of the problem.

Nobody seemed prepared for the fact Seattle's All-Stars were going to get more cheers. Franco and McClanahan should have been told to wait for a few extra seconds to allow for the extra cheers and then run out after they were completed. They did not. 

They both ran out and when it became apparent that they were already gone, the Seattle PA announcer moved on.

Tampa Bay's Yandy Diaz, a starter for the game, did get introduced with the American League starters.

The Rays have the league's best record at the break and have some worthwhile All-Stars. Even if two of them were skipped.  

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