6 NL Players Likely to Be Snubbed From All-Star Game

The unfortunate truth about the MLB All-Star Game is that not all of the deserving players will get in. For the most part, it's a popularity contest driven by team-ballot stuffing, which leaves the unlucky players out in the cold. These six NL players in particular seem destined for that fate.

6. Michael Conforto

Despite ranking sixth among all NL outfielders in fWAR, Mets outfielder Michael Conforto isn't even in the top-20 in All-Star voting. There's no doubt he shouldn't start, but he certainly deserves to make it in as a bench player. It seems, though, that even his .498 slugging percentage and 137 wRC+ simply won't be enough to get him in.

5. Jeff McNeil

McNeil, like his teammate Conforto, is having a quality year at the plate. He ranks third in batting average behind only Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger at a .338 mark. His .411 on-base percentage also ranks third. Unfortunately, his All-Star vote count ranks 18th. Just another Mets outfielder who simply won't get the love he needs to make it in.

4. Yasmani Grandal

Yasmani Grandal is playing arguably his best baseball to date, but is on the outside looking in for All-Star voting so far. He ranks fourth despite his .925 OPS and 138 wRC+, and he's more than 600,000 votes behind first-place Willson Contreras. He might be able to sneak in as a backup, but he'll need a boost to get there.

3. Pete Alonso

Yet another Met that isn't getting the recognition he deserves. The rookie slugger leads all NL first baseman in home runs and is outdone in slugging only by Josh Bell. He might not deserve to start, but he certainly deserves to be on the team. Unfortunately, he ranks fifth and is almost 250,000 votes away from garnering an election spot.

2. Paul DeJong

DeJong ranks first among all qualified NL shortstops in fWAR (2.7), first in on-base percentage (.364), second in wRC+ (124), fifth in defensive runs saved (6) and sixth in All-Star voting. Javier Baez is the only player who can even hold a candle to DeJong's performance on both sides of the ball this year, but the fact that there are four other names ahead of him means that he's on the path to disappointment this year.

1. Anthony Rendon

It's a travesty Anthony Rendon isn't leading the All-Star vote at third base this year, let alone in position to grab a spot. He leads the field at the hot corner in isolated power, OPS, fWAR, wOBA and wRC+ yet somehow ranks fifth in the voting. He's the only third baseman in all of baseball with an OPS over 1.000 and he's not even in line to be a replacement. The truly disappointing part is that his status in the voting is virtually set in stone barring a miracle.