The 2022 MLB All-Star Game rosters are now set.
However, injuries and unexpected situations always force a couple of players out of the game.
It happens every year.
The league has already announced the first batch of replacements, which includes three players.
“We have three new All-Stars! They replace Bryce Harper, Yordan Alvarez, and Josh Hader on the roster,” the league tweeted, with pictures of the three players in question: Miami Marlins’ Garrett Cooper, Boston Red Sox’s JD Martinez, and San Francisco Giants’ Carlos Rodon.
We have three new All-Stars!
They replace Bryce Harper, Yordan Alvarez, and Josh Hader on the roster. pic.twitter.com/asDrfY7UVj
— MLB (@MLB) July 12, 2022
It was a bit shocking to see Cooper getting picked ahead of Philadelphia Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins, or the Washington Nationals’ Josh Bell, but he is a deserving candidate nonetheless.
Cooper is hitting .299/.367/.460 with seven home runs and 40 RBI, while Martinez is slashing .313/.380/.500 with nine round-trippers.
Rodon is having another fantastic year with the Giants, boasting a 2.70 ERA in 100 innings, with 124 strikeouts.
Three Unfortunate Absences
Harper was recently hit by a Blake Snell pitch and suffered a fractured thumb, knocking him out of action for several weeks.
Alvarez, arguably the best hitter in baseball this year with his 1.058 OPS, is suffering recurring hand soreness and was placed on the injured list by the Houston Astros.
Hader is not injured, but will not participate in the All-Star Game due to family responsibilities, the Milwaukee Brewers said.
We will miss the three players being replaced, as they are among the very best in the game (you can make an argument for both Harper and Alvarez to be the best hitters in baseball, just as you can do it for Hader and relievers).
However, the three replacements will enjoy a fantastic experience and deserve to be recognized for their excellent seasons.
