

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game selections have ignited frustration across the league, and it’s not hard to see why. Phillies’ shortstop Trea Turner didn’t mince words when asked about the roster. “What a joke. That’s terrible. I mean, that’s terrible, dude,” he said bluntly. That’s a sentiment that echoes far beyond the Philadelphia clubhouse. The frustration stems from a growing feeling that the All-Star nods are drifting further from performance and more toward marketability.
While standout players like Seiya Suzuki and Cristopher Sanchez have been left off the list despite having All-Star-worthy numbers, a few surprise additions have raised eyebrows, prompting questions about whether the selection process is still genuinely merit-based. The center of all discussions is one rookie kid from the Brewers—Jacob Misiorowski!
Broadcaster Ron Darling described the decision to select a pitcher with only five starts as “kind of a joke to the game and the integrity of the game.” While acknowledging Misiorowski’s talent, Darling emphasized that “it’s a bad choice for baseball” when so many other deserving pitchers were overlooked.
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Safe to say Misiorowski’s All-Star selection has created furore, but he has now received firm backing from one of his teammates. The Brewers’ slugger Christian Yelich, who is on a 7-year, $188.5M deal with the team, has rallied behind Misiorowski.
“I understand why some people feel the way they feel, just because it’s a small sample. But at the end of the day … people want to be entertained. It’s a showcase of some of the best and most exciting players in the game. Miz is definitely that, right?… It’s an honor. He should enjoy it.” Yelich said, before concluding with a strong final advice for Misiorowski: “And if people don’t like it, f— ‘em.“
Christian Yelich said he understands the frustration from players around Misiorowski being selected as an all-star, but pointed out it’s an entertainment business. And far as his message to Miz?
“It’s an honor. He should enjoy it. And if people don’t like it, f— ‘em.”
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) July 12, 2025
Well, Jacob Misiorowski is turning heads. At 23 years of age, he’s already an All-Star after only five big league starts. That smashes the record previously held by the Pirates’ Paul Skenes, who made it in 11 games last year. Misiorowski’s numbers? A sharp 2.81 ERA, a 4–1 record, and 33 strikeouts over 25.2 innings. So, it’s surely a tiny sample size, but maybe that’s what the league wants—Young, electric arms squaring off against the game’s biggest stars. As Yelich pointed out, “people want to be entertained.”
But selecting someone after just five outings raises big questions about where the Midsummer Classic is headed. Mets slugger Brandon Nimmo was also vocal about the deviated objective of the All-Star game: “I don’t think every team should get a person. It’s supposed to be All-Stars, and it’s not supposed to be who is the best player on every team? It’s supposed to be, who are the best players in the major leagues?”
What’s your perspective on:
Is the All-Star Game about proven stars or the thrill of new talent like Misiorowski?
Have an interesting take?
Yes, the All-Star game is supposed to be the clash of the best in the league, but what if a newcomer is putting up better numbers than the established stars? Well, the debate will continue.
Jacon Misiorowski is not the only young talent stealing the spotlight
Jacob Misiorowski’s All-Star selection is easily the biggest lightning rod of the 2025 Midsummer Classic. However, he is not the only rookie stealing the spotlight. For instance, Jacob Wilson of the A’s became the first rookie shortstop ever voted in as an All-Star starter. Again, a move traditionalists viewed as premature.
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The next name is of White Sox reliever Shane Smith. A Rule 5 Draft pick just this past December, also earned a selection. Notably, this is only the second time in MLB history that a Rule 5 player has made the All-Star Game.
So, the young talents have clearly taken over the 2025 All-Star rosters. Names like Paul Skenes, James Wood, Elly De La Cruz, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, all 23 or younger, have joined the festivities, signaling a shift toward a new era. While many fans welcome the energy and fresh faces, others feel the event is drifting away from its core of celebrating consistent, proven excellence.
The All-Star Game was always meant to be about bringing the best talent in the league together on one stage. But there’s this long-standing rule from way back in the early 1970s that every team has to have at least one representative. So, instead of just being about the best performers, it’s also a showcase of the talent every team possesses.
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But the Jacob Misiorowski controversy raises a big question. What should the All-Star Game represent? Should it be a reward for dominance, or a showcase of baseball’s most exciting emerging stars, even if their resumes are not eye-catching? Surely, the 2025 edition leans toward the latter, and depending on who you ask, that’s either thrilling or troubling!
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Is the All-Star Game about proven stars or the thrill of new talent like Misiorowski?