Houston Astros Fans Furious Over Shocking All-Star Snub

Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco was arguably this year's biggest All-Star snub.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco (56) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. / Gerry Angus-USA TODAY Sports

All-Star snubs are inevitable. Every year, there are a number of great players who don't get chosen for the annual Midsummer Classic.

It's just part of the process.

That said, how is Ronel Blanco not an All-Star?

The Houston Astros pitcher was omitted when the 2024 All-Star reserves (including pitchers) were announced on Sunday. Now, his only hope is as a last-minute replacement for a pitcher who gets injured or backs out due to his pitching schedule.

While that happens fairly often with pitchers, Blanco shouldn't have to be an alternate in the first place. He should already be on the American League roster alongside teammates Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker.

Astros fans and media members were quick to voice their shock and outrage on social media, especially when inferior pitchers like Cole Ragans of the Kansas City Royals were chosen over him.

Ronel Blanco was robbed of an All-Star selection. He has the 4th best ERA on the AL, best batting average against, 6th lowest WHIP AND he threw a no-hitter.

Horrible decision to not select him

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) July 7, 2024

I know everyone is dealing with Hurricane Beryl right now but MLB selecting Cole Ragans to the AL All Star Team over Ronel Blanco is criminal.

Ragans: 5-6 with a 3.28 ERA

Blanco: 8-3 with a 2.53 ERA#Relentless

— Brian LaLima (@BLima790) July 8, 2024

Whatever the reasons, whatever the rules, there’s no doubt Ronel Blanco should be an American League All-Star. He may yet get in if a pitcher who was chosen bails on the game. That’d be some justice. Ronel is a fantastic story who’s been critical to the Astros staying in the hunt

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) July 7, 2024

Blanco has been one of the best pitchers in baseball all season, dating back to his no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in his season debut on April 1. In the three months since, he's repeatedly proven that he wasn't just an early-season fluke or mirage.

Entering play on Tuesday, the 30-year-old righty is 8-3 with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 88 strikeouts in 96 innings while holding opponents to a .174/.259/.329 batting line. Analytical fans will nitpick his 4.35 FIP and other peripherals, but there's no denying that he's been one of the sport's most dominant pitchers in the first half.

Among AL hurlers, Blanco ranks top 10 in WAR, ERA, wins, winning percentage, WHIP and hit rate, to name a few.

If he keeps that up, he'll probably get some Cy Young votes after the season ends.

While Blanco's numbers are exceptional on their own, they don't tell the whole story. His value goes beyond statistics, as he's been Houston's best and most reliable starting pitcher all season. While most of his rotation-mates have either gotten hurt or struggled at some point, Blanco has been a stabilizing force in the Astros' rotation from the beginning.

If that's not an All-Star, what is?