Every once in a while, a certain list comes that takes the baseball world by storm. Well, here is another such list by The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. It’s what he calls his “All-Quarter Century Team.” It’s supposed to be a celebration of MLB’s best. And in many ways it is. The list features several legends, from Mike Trout to Aaron Judge. But a couple of usual suspects are not there, which hasn’t particularly amused the fans.

Mike Trout has no doubt been a no-brainer in center field. Granted, his recent years have been spent on the injured list more than on the roster, but he was a force to be reckoned with during his prime time. Stark also went ahead to remind everyone that Trout averaged 9.6 WAR per 162 games—and that is just otherworldly. He was the face of baseball for nearly a decade.

As for the right field, Judge gets a nod from him. And yes, in a way, he has earned it. In Judge’s last four seasons, he has produced a 207 wRC+—it’s a staggering number that highlights his dominance. He has hit baseball like very few have, and he is still doing so now. But here is where the issue is—there is no Shohei Ohtani and Alex Rodriguez on the list.

Let’s start with Shohei Ohtani—he is legit called the face of baseball now. Even now, he is hitting. 304 and his 1.053 OPS rank among the best in the league. His 17 runs have him tied with Kyle Schwarber, and he is just ahead of Aaron Judge, who himself is having a stellar season. Also, this is just the offense part; Ohtani is not even pitching yet. Last year, he became a three-time AL MVP. He also joined the 50-50 club, a club that’s exclusive to him. So, how does this not qualify him for a 25-year honor roll?

Then there is Alex Rodriguez. He has been snubbed from the list royally, too. A-Rod has 696 home runs, over 3000 hits, and three MVPs. He has been a cornerstone for the sport for decades. Yet, he has been left off the list.

Hence, fans are not taking it easy, and not just A-Rod and Ohtani; fans are not happy with several names on the list.

MLB fans’ slam Jayson Stark’s list

One X user was simply against Aaron Judge being on the list and pitched another name, Sammy Sosa. “Sammy Sosa over Judge,” he wrote. And can you blame him? Sosa has a career 609 home runs, with three seasons surpassing 60 homers, a feat that’s simply unmatched. Now, sure, Aaron Judge has had a remarkable season; in fact, he is having another MVP season this time, too. He is hitting .402 and boasts a 1.246 OPS. However, Sosa’s consistent power during his time has been unparalleled, and hence understandable why fans would want him over Judge.

Another on X couldn’t find the reason why A-Rod was snubbed. Now, the user pointed out that he would understand if there was a criterion for choosing players, like not selecting the ones associated with PED use. However, here that’s not the case because Barry Bonds is on the list too. He is someone who has had a history of such PED use, too, so the list removing Rodriguez makes no sense. Meanwhile, A-Rod has far more stellar stats in several categories, like RBIs and total bases. Excluding him raises a question about the consistency of the selection criteria.

A Dodger fan wrote, What a weird list. And the sentiment is understandable. Because no doubt, Ortiz was a no-brainer selection, too. He is very much in the MLB scene right now, even though not a player. But Ohtani is on another level—he is spreading the game globally. This time, the season opener happened in Japan, and just the sheer love the fans showed him was a testament. Plus, did you know that the $700 million that the Los Angeles Dodgers shelled out for him, they earned it back in a single year? That’s how big his impact is—so his not being on the list amazes many.

Not one player, but an MLB fan was unhappy with three players on the list. According to him, it should be Mookie Betts over Aaron Judge, Robinson Cano over Jose Altuve, and Shohei Ohtani over Ortiz. Now, coming to Betts, his biggest power is the power to be versatile. It’s something that even the Yanks captain can’t beat him to. As for Cano, he is a big name in power hitting and defensive skills, and while Altuve has been consistent, Cano’s overall contribution might edge ahead. As for Shohei Ohtani, he is essentially a two-way player, and Ortiz was a DH—so there are differences. Ohtani is not pitching now, but when he does, he does both brilliantly. And in case you have not heard, there seems to be a buzz that Ohtani is throwing a slider!

A fan remarked that Mike Trout is probably one of the most over-hyped players of this century. And this is a frustration that many feel given Trout’s injury-plagued recent years. From 2021 to 2024, he has barely managed to be on the roster, always ending up in the IL. He played only 41% of the games in those years. From calf strain, back inflammation, a fractured hamate bone, and a torn meniscus, he has gone through everything. And yes, he is still sidelined.

Do you think Jayson Stark’s list really had MLB’s best? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.