Who Are the Biggest Snubs for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game?

A rookie sensation, a five-tool outfielder, and even a New York Met highlight the list of biggest snubs.

Tommy Troy (9) of the Arizona Diamondbacks steals second base as the throw eludes Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 3, 2026. Norm Hall/Getty Images

The annual showcase of Major League Baseball’s best players is on the horizon with the 2026 MLB All-Star Game set for July 14. That also means the annual tradition of deserving players being snubbed for the Midsummer Classic is also here. Even with expanded rosters, as each All-Star team gets 33 players, there will always be players who have the merits to partake in the game but will be at home watching with the rest of us.

Here are this year’s biggest All-Star Game snubs.

Brice Turang, 2B, Brewers

Turang was a Gold Glove winner in 2024, received MVP votes in 2025, and got overlooked by fans, managers, and his peers in 2026. He’s improved every season in the majors, posting a .585 OPS as a rookie in 2023, a .665 mark the next year, a .794 in 2025, and an .817 this year. He’s on pace for a 20/20 season and has retained his elite defense up the middle. Considering the Brewers have the second-best record in all of baseball, they deserved more than just two All-Stars, especially since the Atlanta Braves have five such players despite a worse record than Milwaukee.

Logan Gilbert, SP, Mariners

Just three teams have a better ERA than Seattle, and only two squads are allowing fewer runs per game. That’s a credit to the Mariners’ entire pitching staff and bullpen, but Gilbert is leading the brigade. He has a 3.19 ERA on the year, ranks third in the AL in WHIP (0.950), seventh in strikeouts (114), and his heavy workload has taken pressure off Seattle’s relievers as Gilbert ranks third in innings pitched (107.1). He’ll simply have to settle for being named AL Player of the Week on June 21st.

Ceddanne Rafaela, OF, Red Sox

Superb defense continues to be overlooked when it comes to getting the recognition it deserves, and no AL outfielder can measure up to Rafaela with the glove. He leads all outfielders in the league in defensive WAR, while ranking second in all of baseball in the stat, regardless of position. The Curaçaoan is no slouch with his offense either, with a 116 OPS+ that’s higher than what Julio Rodriguez, Vlad Guerrero Jr., or Jose Ramirez have this year. Add in that he ranks in the top five of the AL in both doubles and triples, and is on pace for over 20 stolen bases, and Rafaela’s five-tool skillset will be missed at the Midsummer Classic.

JJ Wetherholt, 2B, Cardinals

Entering Tuesday, there are 11 MLB players with at least 4.0 wins above replacement (WAR) this season. Ten of them will take the field in the All-Star Game, while Wetherholt is the odd man out. You can’t say it’s because he’s a rookie and has to pay his dues, as Detroit rookie Kevin McGonigle—who also has at least 4.0 WAR—got the nod. Wetherholt has been just as productive and has lived up to the billing of being baseball’s No. 3 overall prospect entering this season.

Wetherholt has added value across the board, with plus marks in batting, baserunning, and defense. He ranks fourth at his position with 13 homers, is a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts and leads all of baseball in assists. And unlike McGonigle, who plays for a Tigers team with the third-worst record in the AL, Wetherholt plays for a winner in the Cards, who are six games over .500 and just a half-game out of the NL’s last Wild Card spot.

Luke Weaver, RP, Mets

The Mets have been a disaster this year as one of three teams to already fire their manager. But imagine how much more disastrous they’d be without Weaver in the bullpen. His 11th MLB season has been his best, with career-high marks across the board. In addition to dazzling traditional statistics, the advanced analytics also love the RHP. He ranks sixth in MLB in win probability added (WPA), which essentially means he’s coming up huge in clutch and high-leverage situations.

Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox

Chicago’s had a remarkable turnaround and sits atop the AL Central, yet only one White Sox player got an invite to the All-Star Game. That is 3B Miguel Vargas, but his infield mate, Colson Montgomery, should have had the opportunity to share one-half of the infield alongside Vargas next Tuesday. Montgomery leads the team with 23 home runs, which ranks fifth in the AL, and he’s doing this in his first full MLB season. Montgomery made his Big League debut on July 4, 2025, and he’s been a team player by logging time out of position at third base since coming up. He got the short end of the stick this year but should be an All-Star Game fixture for the next decade.