Major League Baseball announced the rosters for the July 14 All-Star game in Philadelphia on Saturday night. The Boston Red Sox will have two representatives in starter Ranger Suárez and closer Aroldis Chapman, both of whom are more than deserving of the honor. However, both first baseman Willson Contreras and starter Sonny Gray were left off the American League roster, making them two of the biggest snubs on either team. 

The 34-year-old first baseman has been the best and most consistent hitter in the Red Sox lineup, leading the team in batting average (.285), home runs (19), RBI (56), runs scored (44), on-base percentage (.378), slugging percentage (.536), and OPS (.914) entering play on Sunday. With 19 home runs in 85 games, the 11-year veteran is on pace to hit 35, far surpassing his career-high of 24 set in 2019.

Entering Sunday’s action, Contreras’ OPS of .914 ranked ninth-highest among all qualified hitters in baseball. Contreras is the only hitter in the top 10 to be left off the All-Star roster and one of two hitters who rank in the top 20, along with Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Similarly, Contreras’ 2.9 fWAR ranks 19th among all qualified hitters, making him the only player in the top 20 not to make the All-Star Game. 

Along with being one of the best hitters in baseball in 2026, Contreras has also been one of the best defensive first basemen in the sport, ranking in the top five in both fielding run value and defensive runs saved, and in the top 10 in outs above average. 

By all accounts, this is one of the best seasons of Contreras’ now-11-year major league career, and he should’ve been rewarded with his third All-Star nod. 

Like Contreras, Gray has made an incredible impression during his first season in Boston. The 36-year-old Gray leads all starters with 10 wins in 16 starts and posts a 2.61 ERA, the ninth-lowest among qualified starters. Gray is joined by Rays starter Nick Martinez as the only two pitchers within the top 10 lowest ERA's in the sport to be left off the All-Star rosters. 

In his last six starts, Gray has allowed only nine earned runs on 30 hits, while striking out 41 and walking only nine in 39.2 innings. That stretch includes a no-hit bid taken into the eighth inning against the New York Yankees. 

While both Contreras and Gray could still find themselves in Philadelphia on July 14 as replacement players, their omission from the initial American League roster is among the most glaring in baseball. 

Meanwhile, the Red Sox will look to complete the three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night at Angel Stadium. The now two-time All-Star Suarez (4-3, 2.94 ERA) will get the start for Boston opposite Ryan Johnson (1-3, 7.40 ERA) for Los Angeles. First pitch set for 9:30 p.m. ET. 

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