Josh Naylor got absolutely screwed out of an All-Star selection

The Cleveland Guardians should look into Josh Naylor being intentionally left off the 2023 All-Star Team.

Can you name the five top guys in the Major Leagues who lead the league in runs batted in? There’s the guy in first, Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves. He has 68. Then there’s the dynamo from the Los Angeles of Anaheim Angles, Shoei Ohtani who is tied with Olson for 68 as well. In third is Adolis Garcia with 67. Fourth is Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox with 66. And in fifth, Josh Naylor of your Cleveland Guardians with 60.

Naylor is the fifth-leading RBI guy in the Majors and the fourth-leading player in the AL. He’s got a better batting average than everyone in the top five but Ohtani. Yet, still, Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays. Diaz has a higher batting average and a decided edge in runs scored. So fair.

But Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? Naylor has more RBIs, more stolen bases, fewer strikeouts, and better splits. Guerrero’s splits are .274/.347.445 and OPS of just .792, while Naylor’s splits are .301/.340/.475 and OPS of .815. Seems rather unfair that Naylor gets the shaft here.

But Guerrero isn’t the worst of it.

How did Josh Naylor lose out to Brent Rooker?

Did the Oakland A’s buy an All-Star? Because that would make sense how a 28-year-old, career .221 hitter makes the All-Star game over a potential MVP candidate in Naylor. Rooker is not having an All-Star year, just hitting .243, nearly double the amount of strikeouts and fewer power numbers backing him up.

Rooker absolutely does not deserve to be an All-Star. Not over Naylor and the fact that Naylor was left off the team is an absolute travesty. You can argue for Diaz, he’s been super productive for the Rays, but Guerrero only won it because of the league’s desire for a second-generation star to develop and ascend to the top of the Majors. That’s the only explanation you can give me for why Naylor didn’t get the spot over Guerrero.

As for Rooker, I have no idea. Naylor has better stats, he’s more efficient and he’s just an all-around better player. Why Naylor got passed over despite the year he’s having will haunt us for a long time.

• Published on 07/04/2023 at 00:00 AM
• Last updated at 07/04/2023 at 00:00 AM