Pair of Astros pitchers named among biggest All-Star snubs

The Houston Astros have one of the best records in baseball this season. Second place in the American League, only to the Detroit Tigers, it's no surprise that the roster has plenty of talented players.

But there are a few who deserved to make it, but didn't. Chad Jennings of The Athletic identified two Astros who didn't make the team, but should have. Those two players are pitchers Framber Valdez and Bryan Abreu.

Both Valdez and Abreu are solid pitchers and have helped lead the Astros to second place in the AL. But with Hunter Brown and Josh Hader on the roster, it's easier to be overlooked.

Valdez has worse statistics than Brown, while Abreu has slightly worse statistics than Hader. Having four pitchers make the All-Star team would be an incredible feat, but the Astros have a case.

This season, Valdez has a 2.90 ERA with a 10-4 record and two complete games. He has 115 innings pitched and has struck out 115 batters in that time. He's also walked 41 batters and has allowed eight home runs this season.

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Abreu, on the other hand, has a 1.52 ERA and 64 strikeouts to 20 walks in 41.1 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Since the start of June, Abreu has a 1.08 ERA and eight holds, with Hader picking up 11 saves in that span.

If Hader weren't on the Astros, and the save opportunities went to Abreu, he might've been an All-Star. But, similar to how Brown steals the limelight from Valdez, Hader steals it from Abreu.

Both Abreu and Valdez have solid cases to be All-Stars this season, and with some pitchers likely to back out due to injury or after making a start close to the All-Star game, either could make it as a late replacement.

For Valdez, it would've been his third, while it would've been Abreu's first All-Star nod. Both are deserving of a spot, and if it were most other seasons, they might be All-Stars. Both are among the most egregious snubs for the 2025 All-Star Game.

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