Minnesota Twins fans need to be screaming from mountaintops about the egregious offense that took place during Major League Baseball's voting for the All-Star Game. Phase 1 was completed on Thursday, and with that, it was confirmation that the fan voting process prevents the best players in the game from being recognized.
In the American League, Aaron Judge was the top vote-getter, allowing him to secure his spot among the starting outfielders for the American League. There are no qualms with Judge, who will likely win the American League MVP award once again this season. For the Twins and Byron Buxton, the issue is with the outfielders moving on to Phase 2 of the voting.
Detroit Tigers' outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Baez, Los Angeles Angels' outfielder Mike Trout, and Cleveland Guardians' outfielder Steve Kwan advanced to Phase 2, where the voting will determine who is starting alongside Judge in the American League. Greene is one of the Tigers' leading power hitters this season, and for that reason, we get it. The players from the best team in baseball are going to bump. Even Mike Trout deserves the recognition because it's Mike Trout. But that is where the line should be drawn.
MLB All-Star voting exposes the one thing MLB still refuses to fix
As we mentioned last week, Baez's comeback with the Tigers has been a wholesome story to follow, but in comparison to Buxton he isn't an All-Star. Baez's success during the early weeks of the season is still what is carrying his 124 wRC+ on the season. A respectable number, but it loses its appeal when you consider Buxton is posting a 148 wRC+ on the season.
Similarly, Kwan is having an impressive season with a 2.4 fWAR with the Guardians, but falls quite short of the 3.1 fWAR that Buxton has. To that effect, Buxton's fWAR this season is second only to Judge among American League outfielders.
Buxton deserves to be in the All-Star Game — his numbers prove that he is easily one of the three best outfielders in the American League. But because MLB is desperate to appeal to fans, the best players in the game are left the biggest losers in their voting process.