The MLB All-Star process certainly isn't perfect, with many players deserving of the honor failing to get the call each season. Here's a look at 20 players who didn't make the 2019 MLB All-Star Game but had a strong argument to be included.
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The New York Yankees are looking for answers at third base, and many analysts think they've found their guy in Arizona Diamondbacks star Eugenio Suárez. CBS Sports writer Mike Axisa urged the Yankees to make a big swing for both Suárez and Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly. "Suárez is the guy this trade deadline. The big rental bat who fits so many contenders. The Blue Jays, Cubs, Mets, and Tigers all make sense for Suárez in addition to the Yankees," Axisa wrote. "He's on pace for more than 50 homers, and although his third base defense leaves something to be desired at this point in his career, the power makes up for it." While Suárez has been linked to the Pinstripes over and over again for the past month, the move is unlikely after the team traded two prospects for Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon Friday afternoon. Kelly is a bit of a newer name and would fit nicely in the Yankees' starting rotation, according to Axisa. "Kelly, 36, is having yet another terrific season, one in which he's again outperformed ERA estimators that are based on exit velocity and other measures of contact quality allowed. Do it once and it might be a fluke, but Kelly has done it for close to 1,000 innings now. It's a skill," he wrote. "Kelly is plug-and-play. He'd slot in nicely as New York's No. 3 in October behind Fried and Carlos Rodón." Though it may be a difficult trade to pull off, especially with so many teams vying for Suárez, the Yankees have been struggling in the infield, and Axisa urged the team to pick up him and Kelly, no matter the expense. For a team with historically deep pockets, like the Yankees, they just might be able to pull it off. "Barring a surprise addition to the trade market (always possible), Suárez will be the best power bat available at the deadline, and Kelly will be one of the top starters available," he wrote. "Winning a bidding war to get one of them will hurt. Getting both would really put a dent in New York's young player pipeline. Both would fill needs and fill them very well though. They're worth the price." Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Yankees Floated in Massive Three-Team Trade Idea Yankees' Aaron Judge Leads MLB in Wild Pitching Stat Yankees Interest in Rockies Infielder Gaining Steam Yankees Star Pitcher Struggles in Rehab Assignment Aaron Judge Surpasses Yankees Legend on Home Run List
The Green Bay Packers offense was dealt a bit of a blow early in training camp. Friday, third-round rookie wide receiver Savion Williams was a spectator for practice after suffering a concussion. Williams, chosen by the Packers with the No. 87 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, is aiming to climb the depth chart at a crowded wide receiver position this summer. At 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, Williams ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.48 seconds during the NFL Combine and has the profile of potentially becoming a reliable possession receiver and after-the-catch weapon for quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense. Reaching those benchmarks and climbing the depth chart will have to wait, though, as Williams works his way through the concussion protocol and back onto the field for practices during training camp and the preseason this summer.
The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
The Seattle Storm are looking to make things right after Tuesday’s 87-63 blowout loss to Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. They get a chance to do so on Thursday when they return to action against the Chicago Sky in a road game at Wintrust Arena. The Storm got a big boost ahead of the Sky matchup, which comes in the form of seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins returning to action after a one-game absence. After registering the first triple-double in WNBA All-Star Game history on Saturday, Diggins was unable to suit up against Dallas on Tuesday due to personal reasons. The 5-foot-9 guard was not listed on Seattle’s injury report for the Sky game, though, which means that Diggins should be back in the starting lineup come Thursday. This is a crucial development for the Storm, who will be looking to improve on their 14-10 record. In 23 games played this season, Diggins has produced averages of 17.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 triples per game. Chicago Sky List Angel Reese as Questionable to Play Against the Seattle Storm While the Storm got some good news ahead of Thursday’s clash, the same cannot be said for the Sky. This is after two-time All-Star forward Angel Reese was added to the injury report with a back problem. The silver lining is that Reese, who missed Chicago’s last game before the All-Star break with a leg injury, is listed as questionable to play, which means that there’s still a chance that she’s able to suit up against Seattle. Reese looked fine on Tuesday as Chicago suffered a 91-68 blowout loss to the Minnesota Lynx, posting an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. It is unclear exactly when Reese sustained the injury, but it has now placed her status against Seattle in jeopardy. It is worth noting that Michaela Onyenwere (knee) and Ariel Atkins (leg) have also been ruled out for the Storm game, as they continue to recover from respective injuries. This only means that Chicago will be significantly shorthanded on Thursday, especially if Reese also ends up sitting out.