The Los Angeles Dodgers added two more representatives to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game as Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin were included among the National League pitchers.
With Mookie Betts and Trea Turner already voted in by fans as All-Star Game starters, manager Dave Roberts said he hoped the Dodgers would run their total to seven selections once reserves and pitchers were named.
He was presumed to have been alluding to Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Julio Urías, but only Gonsolin and Kershaw were named as additional Dodgers All-Stars.
“Yeah, it did,” Roberts answered when asked if he was surprised by Freeman, Smith and Urías being All-Star Game snubs. “I think all three guys are worthy of it.
“Obviously there’s a fan selection, there’s a player selection, and Major League Baseball makes their choice. I’m certainly bias, but it’s hard for me to not see those three guys on the All-Star team.”
Freeman is batting .304/.381/.494 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI, 55 runs scored, seven stolen bases, a 146 wRC+ and 3.4 WAR, but he faced a stacked position group at first base.
Smith was perhaps the Dodgers’ biggest All-Star snub for a second consecutive season. He’s hitting .257/.348/.451 with 13 home runs, 42 RBI, 33 runs scored, a 127 wRC+ and 2.1 WAR.
Urías made a strong case for the second consecutive year but once again fell short of the selection. The 25-year-old has pitched to a 2.57 ERA and 3.92 FIP in 87.2 innings with 1.9 WAR while striking out 23.9% of hitters and walking 6%.
Urías shaking off All-Star Game snub
While Urías was more than deserving of being selected to this year’s All-Star Game, he is not going to dwell on the snub.
“Things just happened. Obviously you’re two starts away from the All-Star Game, but things happen,” Urías said of not being selected.
“Those are things that are out of my control and I can’t really do anything about. I’ve got to focus more on what I need to do to prepare for my next start.”
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