All-Star snubs include 3 Mariners who deserved to be on MLB's big stage

It proved to be a Happy Fourth of July for the Mariners, as they broke out the bats with their second-most runs of the season in an extremely satisfying 11-0 thumping of the Blue Jays. Randy Arozarena led the offensive explosion by going 3-for-4, including a grand salami in the second inning to break the game wide open.

As if the day wasn't already a good one for Arozarena, it only got better when he was selected to the American League roster for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. It's the third All-Star selection of his career and second with the Mariners, making him just the 15th player with multiple selections in franchise history.

For all the understandable frustration about Arozarena's defensive effort and antics at the plate, he has been the Mariners' most consistent offensive threat this season and we're not going to begrudge his accolade. However, what about those who weren't as fortunate to earn a trip to the festivities in Philadelphia?

3 Mariners who were snubbed and should be going to the All-Star Game

Cole Young, 2B

We start with the player who was the biggest snub and also highlights the more farcical side of the whole All-Star Game voting process. Cole Young has been the best second baseman this season in the Majors and yet there was no place for him in Philadelphia, whereas the Blue Jays' Ernie Clement is the starter despite not being the best second baseman in the AL.

It's easy to pick on the weak, so let's focus in on Young's strength's rather than any of Clement's shortcomings. (Just to be clear, Clement is at least having a good campaign in his own right.) The simple fact is the M's young star has a 2.8 bWAR, which is 0.9 ahead of any other second baseman in the AL.

Young also leads the way among AL second basemen with 41 RBI and 10 DRS, while being second with nine homers and 126 total bases. On top of all this, MLB missed a trick by not promoting his profile as one of the most handsome eligible bachelors onto the national stage, to help bring in more casual fans.

Bryce Miller, SP

Sure, we get it that Bryce Miller has only started eight games this season, combined with one other appearance courtesy of the not-so-wonderful "Are we using it or not?" piggyback system. At the same time, why couldn't the majors have thrown him a solid, given some of the players who were selected to the All-Star Game?

Miller began this season on the 15-day Injured List with a left oblique strain, but since returning he's been the best pitcher in the Mariners rotation. In fact, he's arguably been the best starting arm in the AL full-stop, but it's being hidden in plain sight, in part because of his unassuming persona.

Since being activated from the IL on May 13, Miller is first among all starters with a 33.2 K%, 2.7 BB% and 0.66 WHIP, and second with a 1.71 ERA, .204 BABIP and .162 batting average against. The only positive about the 27-year-old missing out is that he can use this as more motivation to continue proving the doubters wrong.

Logan Gilbert, SP

Overall, this is setting up to be one heck of a season for Logan Gilbert. His 3.19 ERA is on course to be a career-low, while his 2.6 bWAR puts him well on course to surpass his current best of 3.0, set in 2024. That year saw him earn the first All-Star selection of his Major League career, so why isn't he going again this time around?

Certainly, you can't tell us that Michael Wacha of the Royals or the Twins' Joe Ryan are better? However, it also probably didn't help that Gilbert had a subpar first quarter of the season, before finally rediscovering the mojo which helped earn him the honor of Mariners' opening day starter this season and last:

It's like night and day between Gilbert's first 10 starts and his past eight, but ultimately his slow start to 2026 probably went against him, fair or not. In any event, his 7.1 innings of one-hit, no-walk scoreless ball on Saturday versus the Blue Jays proves that "Walter" is back and likely pissed off at his All-Star snub, which can only benefit the Mariners moving forward.

Honorable mention - Dominic Canzone, DH

DH was one position where they got it right with the selections of Yordan Alvarez and Yandy Díaz, but we still want to give a shout out to Dominic Canzone. He had his breakout campaign last year in Seattle and this season has built on this to become even better.

Canzone has already set new career highs with 14 homers and 37 RBI, while being projected to set new marks with a .551 slugging percentage, .900 OPS and 154 OPS+. His productivity is finally matching the way he has always carried himself so confidentially, and he's establishing himself as a top DH in the AL.

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