The Los Angeles Dodgers have four All Stars on the National League team. That is the third most of any team, with the Atlanta Braves with five and the New York Yankees with six, if you’re keeping score at home.
It’s a little insulting.
The Dodgers can’t have all the All Stars, but some of the choices look a little vindictive, given Braves manager Brian Snitker made some of the choices.
First, Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin are All Stars. Betts and Turner are starters. Kershaw and Gonsolin are in the conversation to be the starting pitcher for the National League team. Given the game is in Dodger Stadium, either Kershaw or Gonsolin would be the right choice to start the game.
Gonsolin is having a breakout season. He is 11-0 and leads the National League with a 1.64 ERA. His WHIP is 0.80 and he has emerged as a favorite to win the Cy Young Award.
Kershaw’s numbers are not as impressive, but All Star worthy. He is 6-2 with a respectable 2.40 ERA. But his selection to the team is more sentimental than meritorious. It is his ninth All Star selection, which is the second most in Dodgers history. Pee Wee Reese has the most All Star Game appearances with 10. Steve Garvey, Don Drysdale, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges each had eight appearances.
But with Snitker making the call to who starts the All Star Game, there’s a chance it could be either Sandy Alcantara from the Florida Marlins or Braves ace Max Fried.
That would be a mistake.
While Kershaw would be the feel-good pick to start for the National League All Stars, Gonsolin is the one who deserves it.
But if Snitker chooses Fried, don’t be surprised.
It looks like Snitker is already holding grudges against Freddie Freeman. Snitker did not pick Freeman as one of the All Star reserves, opting for Pete Alonso from the New York Mets and CJ Cron from the Colorado Rockies instead.
Another obvious snub was Will Smith. He leads all National League catchers in home runs with 13 and RBIs with 42, but Snitker chose his own catcher, Travis d’Arnaud, to the All Star team. Not that d’Arnaud isn’t having an All Star season, second among National League catchers in home runs with 11 and second in RBIs with 37. But it’s not hard to see Snitker is playing favorites.
For the record, the Dodgers lead the National League with a 151 run differential. The Braves are second in the NL with a 72 run differential.
Suck on that, Snitker.
Another glaring omission from the National League All Star team is Tyler Anderson.
He is having the best season of his career, going 9-1 with a 3.15 ERA in the first half. He is also the surprising workhorse of the Dodgers rotation, leading the team with 91.1 innings pitched.
But probably the most impressive stat of Anderson’s season so far is that he has only walked 15 batters in 14 starts. Pair that with 77 strikeouts, and he is more than All Start worthy.
And finally, Gavin Lux deserved some All Star consideration. He is leading the Dodgers with a .304 batting average and is second on the team with a .370 on-base percentage. Mix that in with Lux still playing out of position in left field for most of the first half of the season, and his All Star credentials only grow.
There is still a chance the Dodger snubs will make the All Star team. Players always drop out because of injuries, or just to take extra time off at the All Star break. But the first All Star Game at Dodger Stadium since 1980 should have more Dodgers on the team.
Speaking of the 1980 All Star Game, Turner is the first Dodger shortstop to start for the NL All Stars since Bill Russell in 1980.
The Dodgers ended the week by sweeping the visiting Chicago Cubs in a four-game weekend series.
Dodger startiers power rankings:
- Tony Gonsolin
- Tyler Anderson
- Clayton Kershaw
- Julio Urias
- Ryan Pepiot
The Dodgers have won seven games in a row and are 11-1 in their past 12 games. It has given the Dodgers an eight-game lead over those pesky San Diego Padres in the NL West standings.
The Dodgers (56-29) start a three-game series on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday and have a two-game weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim starting on Friday.
The All Star Game is July 19.
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