Red Sox's Biggest All-Star Snub Was More Deserving Than Julio Rodríguez

The Boston Red Sox have three American League All-Stars this year, which isn't a bad ratio for a team only one game over .500. But one can easily make the case they should have had four.

Third baseman Alex Bregman, starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, and closer Aroldis Chapman all earned the nod to head to Atlanta for the Midsummer Classic on Jul. 15. If things were done purely based on merit, though, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela should have joined them.

However, because the All-Star Game is occasionally a popularity contest, Rafaela lost his spot to Julio Rodríguez of the Seattle Mariners, who is now a three-time All-Star at the same age as Rafaela (24).

Rafaela has Rodríguez virtually tied or beaten in just about every stat that matters. His OPS is nearly 70 points higher (.763 to .695), he has more defensive runs saved and outs above average in center, and he even tied "J-Rod" in home runs on Sunday with 11.

It's not just Rodríguez who Rafaela outshone. He led all AL center fielders in both aforementioned defensive metrics, with 12 DRS and 14 OAA. He's peaking right now, with a huge weekend in Washington, D.C., and the All-Star Game would have been the perfect platform to recognize his star status.

In 2023, Rodríguez also earned a selection he probably didn't deserve at the time, but he validated it completely with a red-hot second half in which his OPS was well over .900, and a 30-homer, 30-steal season, still the only one of his career.

While the Mariners' star is still capable of a star turn like that, though, it hurts the Red Sox and their fans to see him rewarded over an emerging star in Rafaela. And for all the complaining about the fans getting All-Star votes wrong, it was the players and coaches that were at fault here.