For the past four seasons, Juan Soto was a lock for the All-Star Game. From Nationals to Padres to the Yankees—you name the jersey, and Soto had earned his midsummer stripes. But in his first year with the New York Mets after a historic $765 million deal that shook the baseball world, Soto’s All-Star streak has snapped.

It’s not because he hasn’t been performing. Sure, the Mets star’s start has been slow, and that has frustrated fans and fueled doubts. But with a huge contract hanging, pressures are not far-fetched, are they? By May 28, his OPS was at a sad .745. However, he turned the page when June came and showed his real power. Over his last 34 games heading into Sunday, he posted a scorching 1.211 OPS.

He looked like the Soto that the Mets broke the bank for. Still, when the All-Star roster was announced, his name was missing. And Soto was mature enough to handle the same while offering a deeper level of understanding.

However, there is no denying Juan Soto’s impressive performance. He is leading the National League in walks, second in OBP, and third in runs scored. Add in his .263 batting average, 21 home runs, and 51 RBIs, and you have a player who is carrying a team that’s playoff hungry. But the votes went elsewhere. Names like Corbin Carroll, Fernando Tatis Jr., and James Wood are headed to Atlanta.

That being said, the Mets won’t be without the star power. Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, and Edwin Diaz will all represent them. And for now, Soto’s value to the team is impeccable. The team sits just behind the Phillies in the NL East, and a big part of the reason is because of Soto’s ability to control the at-bats and get on base.

But while Soto’s absence is an eyebrow-raiser, he is not the only one who got left out of the guest list.

Juan Soto is not the only red-hot star left out of the All-Star Game

With only so many slots to go around, a few more deserving names were snubbed off the list.

Starting in Seattle, where J.P. Crawford has been quietly putting in one of the best years of his career. At 30 years old, he is hitting .285 with a .386 on-base percentage, which are both career highs. He also ranks among the top AL shortstops in advanced fielding metrics. The Mariners already have four all-stars, which might explain this snub. But yes, Crawford’s 129 wRC+ shows that he deserves to be there.

Then there is  Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins. The guy has battled through injuries to become one of the most reliable arms in the league this season. 8-4 with a 2.76 ERA and 116 strikeouts over 104 innings. Plus, with Minnesota hanging around in the playoff race, he felt like a no-brainer. Yet he will have to wait for a potential injury replacement call if anything!

Also on the NL side, CJ Abrams might be one of the most underrated snubs of them all. Currently, the Nationals’ shortstop stat line speaks for itself—.285/.356/.482 with 12 homers and 19 steals. These numbers simply scream that the person needs to be on the all-star lineup. He also leads all NL shortstops when it comes to OPS and is tied with Trea Turner in bWAR at the position. Sure, the defense is a work in progress, but the offense really cannot be ignored.

Yeah, Soto isn’t the sole deserving person who has been snubbed. Seems like, sometimes “best” comes down to the timing, the team limits, and a pinch of luck. Don’t you think?