The 2026 All-Star Game rosters were announced on July 4, as many of the top players from the American and National Leagues were picked to go to the Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia. However, were all of the picks correct? Obviously, this is somewhat subjective. But from a production standpoint, there are arguments to be made that some who weren’t picked deserved a spot. Here’s our National League 2026 All-Star Game snub list.
Braxton Ashcraft
As far as pitching is concerned, one could argue there were many potential snubs on the National League side. Granted, the bench was very deep, given the performances of the likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cristopher Sanchez, and first-time All-Stars like Max Meyer and Eduardo Rodriguez. But was Paul Skenes the right pick from the Pirates’ rotation?
Braxton Ashcraft‘s had a sensational 2026 campaign and, in many ways, outperformed the ace of the Pirates’ pitching staff. Just from May 1 onward, Ashcraft posted a 3.03 ERA, struck out 83 over 74.1 IP, and had one of the tidiest BB/9 (1.6) in the Majors. Skenes, meanwhile, has looked more human. Yes, he had 80 strikeouts over 63 innings. But he’s been vulnerable of late, which resulted in a 4.00 ERA over the last two-plus months.
Just something to think about.
Xavier Edwards
National League hits leader Otto Lopez earned his first All-Star Game berth, and that’s hard to dispute. However, one could also make the argument that his double-play partner, Xavier Edwards, also deserved a nod.
Edwards entered play on July 5 in the top ten of the Majors in total hits (97) and top-15 in on-base percentage (.383). He’s been a key sparkplug for a Marlins team that’s exceeded expectations this season and is in the thick of the NL playoff race.
The problem with Edwards is that he was one of several infielders who had a compelling snub argument. So does JJ Wetherholt, who has 13 home runs on the season and is the current MLB leader in Outs Above Average (+18). And, the obvious question is also this: who would Edwards replace?
Kyle Harrison
Three removed from being a top prospect in the Giants’ system, Kyle Harrison did not take the road less traveled. But in 2026, Harrison, now with the Brewers by way of Boston, has developed into one of the toughest pitchers to hit in the Majors.
Harrison, who made adjustments to his arm angle and release, has gone from an intriguing arm with good stuff to an elite asset for the Milwaukee Brewers. As of July 5, Harrison boasted a .280 opponents’ wOBA, good for a top-30 spot among starters (min. 65 IP), a 2.82 ERA, and the third-best K/9 (11.2) in the Majors among starting pitchers.
The only two with a higher K/9 were Dylan Cease (13.6) and Harrison’s teammate, Jacob Misiorowski (13.5).
Bryan Reynolds
The Pirates’ offense has been much improved in 2026. Not only has rookie Konnor Griffin provided a spark this season but the additions of Brandon Lowe, who wasn’t named to the 2026 All-Star team, either, and Ryan O’Hearn have provided much-needed depth that was lacking in past seasons.
But what has also helped is a resurgence from outfielder Bryan Reynolds.
A .379 wOBA, which is good for 15th among all MLB hitters with 275+ plate appearances, 35 extra-base hits, and a .395 on-base percentage that puts him in the top 10 in all of the league. Very impressive numbers for the switch-hitting outfielder.
Zack Wheeler
The final player on our snub list is perhaps the most notable one: Zack Wheeler.
Putting Wheeler here is a tough one, for the simple reason that the hometown team is sending five players to the Midsummer Classic. And out of those five, all of them deserved it. But it’s also tough not to put Wheeler, especially when considering just how well the Phillies’ ace has pitched since his return from the IL in late April.
Wheeler posted a sparkling 2.28 ERA in the Majors since the start of May, 11th-best among primary starters. His .257 opponents’ wOBA is sixth-best in total this season. Seventy-eight strikeouts over 75 innings for Wheeler, who played a key role in the Phillies’ run back up the NL Wild Card & NL East races.
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