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23 hours ago
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Michael Harris II did not make the National League All-Star roster, but the Atlanta Braves center fielder had a strong case to be in Philadelphia.
Harris entered All-Star selections batting .301 with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs and an .841 OPS, numbers that put him among the better outfielders in the National League. ESPN listed Harris among the league leaders in batting average, while FOX Sports named him Atlanta’s biggest All-Star snub, noting he ranked fifth in batting average and eighth in OPS among qualified National League outfielders.
Still, this was not an easy year to crack the NL outfield. Juan Soto, Andy Pages and Brandon Marsh were voted in as the National League’s starting outfield, while Pete Crow-Armstrong, Corbin Carroll and James Wood were selected as the three reserve outfielders. Jordan Walker also earned the final outfield spot as the league’s fourth reserve. Meanwhile, the Braves still landed five All-Stars in catcher Drake Baldwin, second baseman Ozzie Albies, first baseman Matt Olson, left-hander Chris Sale and closer Raisel Iglesias.
The numbers explain why the competition was so difficult. Crow-Armstrong earned his first All-Star selection after batting .287 with 22 home runs, 68 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and an .898 OPS while continuing to play Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field. Carroll remained one of baseball’s most dynamic players, hitting .291 with 24 home runs, 61 RBIs, 19 stolen bases and a .925 OPS. Wood developed into one of the National League’s most feared sluggers, batting .308 with 25 home runs, 63 RBIs and a .987 OPS.
The starters were equally deserving. Soto entered the break hitting .296 with 18 home runs while leading the National League with a .404 on-base percentage and a .964 OPS. Pages continued his breakout season as one of the Dodgers’ top offensive contributors, while Marsh hit .332 with an .878 OPS to earn his first All-Star starting nod.
Those numbers show why Harris was ultimately squeezed out despite an outstanding first half. His .301 batting average, 16 home runs and elite defense in center field would have been enough to earn All-Star recognition in many seasons. Instead, he found himself on the outside looking in because the National League outfield was arguably the deepest position group in baseball.
While Harris’ omission will disappoint Braves fans, it also serves as a reminder of just how competitive this year’s All-Star voting was. If an injury replacement becomes necessary, few players have a stronger case to receive the call than Atlanta’s dynamic center fielder.
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