A <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jay</a> was robbed of becoming a five-time All-Star.

On Sunday evening, Major League Baseball announced the reserves for the 2025 All-Star Game. <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-vladimir-guerrero-jr-named-all-star-starter">We already knew Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</a> was named as the American League’s starter, but <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-catcher-alejandro-kirk-named-all-star-reserve">Alejandro Kirk</a> also made the reserve list, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-alejandro-kirk-top-three-catcher-mlb">which was well deserved</a>.
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That said, one notable Blue Jay was missing from the All-Star reserves: George Springer. While it’s possible he could replace a player in case of injury, even <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6477096/2025/07/06/mlb-2025-all-star-game-snubs/">The Athletic’s list of All-Star snubs doesn’t include him</a>.
After back-to-back seasons of regression in 2023 and 2024, Springer has been the Blue Jays’ best hitter in 2025. This season, the 35-year-old is slashing .281/.374/.512 with 16 home runs in 335 plate appearances for a 147 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR. The four-time All-Star hasn’t been good defensively this season and has split his time between designated hitter and the outfield.
As of Monday morning, Springer’s OPS sits at .886, the third-best for players actively in the American League. The only two players with an OPS above Springer are two MVP candidates, Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. His wRC+ backs this up as well, as his 147 wRC+ is the fourth-best in the American League for qualified hitters.
The snub gets even worse when you look at the players who made the reserve list. Most notably, Julio Rodríguez. The Seattle Mariners’ outfielder is one of the more exciting young players in the league with fantastic defence in centre field, but he’s slashing just .247/.306/.389 with 11 home runs in 402 plate appearances for a 101 wRC+.
If strong outfield defence is a barometer to make the All-Star Game, then why doesn’t the best defensive outfielder, Daulton Varsho, make it to the All-Star Game thanks to his strong defence for the past three seasons? By the start of the 2024 All-Star Game, Varsho was slashing .203/.285/.405 with a 94 wRC+, but with better defence than what Rodríguez has done.
Springer’s defence hasn’t been good in the outfield, so there is a legitimate (albeit weak) argument he shouldn’t be a reserve as an outfielder. That argument doesn’t hold any weight for the reserve designated hitter, as Springer has had a better season than Brent Rooker.
The Athletic’s DH broke out in 2023 and was one of the best offensive players last season, slashing .293/.365/.562 with 39 home runs in 614 plate appearances. However, the same cannot be said for his performance in 2025, as the 30-year-old is slashing .271/.348/.486 with 18 home runs and a 130 wRC+. Aside from two more home runs, Springer has the leg up in all the stats.
Sure, Springer isn’t a full-time designated hitter, nor a full-time outfielder, but if the league can’t find a spot for the player with the third-best OPS in the American League, it’s a flawed system.
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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. She can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.
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A <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jay</a> was robbed of becoming a five-time All-Star.



On Sunday evening, Major League Baseball announced the reserves for the 2025 All-Star Game. <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-vladimir-guerrero-jr-named-all-star-starter">We already knew Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</a> was named as the American League’s starter, but <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-catcher-alejandro-kirk-named-all-star-reserve">Alejandro Kirk</a> also made the reserve list, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-alejandro-kirk-top-three-catcher-mlb">which was well deserved</a>.
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That said, one notable Blue Jay was missing from the All-Star reserves: George Springer. While it’s possible he could replace a player in case of injury, even <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6477096/2025/07/06/mlb-2025-all-star-game-snubs/">The Athletic’s list of All-Star snubs doesn’t include him</a>.

After back-to-back seasons of regression in 2023 and 2024, Springer has been the Blue Jays’ best hitter in 2025. This season, the 35-year-old is slashing .281/.374/.512 with 16 home runs in 335 plate appearances for a 147 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR. The four-time All-Star hasn’t been good defensively this season and has split his time between designated hitter and the outfield.

As of Monday morning, Springer’s OPS sits at .886, the third-best for players actively in the American League. The only two players with an OPS above Springer are two MVP candidates, Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. His wRC+ backs this up as well, as his 147 wRC+ is the fourth-best in the American League for qualified hitters.

The snub gets even worse when you look at the players who made the reserve list. Most notably, Julio Rodríguez. The Seattle Mariners’ outfielder is one of the more exciting young players in the league with fantastic defence in centre field, but he’s slashing just .247/.306/.389 with 11 home runs in 402 plate appearances for a 101 wRC+.

If strong outfield defence is a barometer to make the All-Star Game, then why doesn’t the best defensive outfielder, Daulton Varsho, make it to the All-Star Game thanks to his strong defence for the past three seasons? By the start of the 2024 All-Star Game, Varsho was slashing .203/.285/.405 with a 94 wRC+, but with better defence than what Rodríguez has done.

Springer’s defence hasn’t been good in the outfield, so there is a legitimate (albeit weak) argument he shouldn’t be a reserve as an outfielder. That argument doesn’t hold any weight for the reserve designated hitter, as Springer has had a better season than Brent Rooker.

The Athletic’s DH broke out in 2023 and was one of the best offensive players last season, slashing .293/.365/.562 with 39 home runs in 614 plate appearances. However, the same cannot be said for his performance in 2025, as the 30-year-old is slashing .271/.348/.486 with 18 home runs and a 130 wRC+. Aside from two more home runs, Springer has the leg up in all the stats.

Sure, Springer isn’t a full-time designated hitter, nor a full-time outfielder, but if the league can’t find a spot for the player with the third-best OPS in the American League, it’s a flawed system.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. She can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.

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Blue Jays’ George Springer was robbed of his fifth All-Star Game

Toronto Blue Jays left fielder George Springer (4) runs to first base on a single against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre

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