Jhoan Duran Snubbed; Sonny Gray is Twins lone All Star

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Minnesota Twins are closing in on the All-Star break as is every organization in baseball. The Twins weren't going to have All-Star-worthy hitters, but one of baseball’s best pitching staffs had more than a few names that made sense. Sonny Gray will represent the Twins in Seattle, but Jhoan Duran finds himself on the outside looking in. Snubbed. Inexplicable. 

 

Image courtesy of Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

When Derek Falvey and Thad Levine built this Twins team for Rocco Baldelli, they clearly had their sights set on pitching. During the offseason, Minnesota dealt Luis Arraez to the Miami Marlins for Pablo Lopez, and the hope was that the organization would create pitching depth previously unseen.

Through the first half of the season, it’s hard to argue that they haven’t accomplished their goal. Minnesota checks in near the top of many pitching categories, and Sonny Gray has led that charge. Joe Ryan has been lights out aside from a couple of blowups, and Lopez has been better than the numbers suggest. Bailey Ober was left off the Opening Day roster, and all he has done since is pitch himself into a rotation cornerstone.

Baldelli has needed to cycle pitchers at times, calling on Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson, and biding time for the return of Kenta Maeda. As a whole, Minnesota’s starting rotation has been among the best in baseball. Gray will receive Cy Young votes if he continues on this trajectory, and Ryan was right there with him for much of the first half.

All that said, it was no surprise on Sunday when Sonny Gray was named to his third All-Star Game and first since 2019. Gray represents Minnesota as their lone selection. 

And that is the issue that many Twins fans may have had when they saw the All Star list on Sunday.

Gray was a clear choice as an All Star this season. However, it was the exclusion of closer Jhoan Duran that raised eyebrows.

Former Twins reliever Yennier Cano was named an all-star for the Baltimore Orioles alongside his bullpen mate Felix Bautista. Cano was sent to Baltimore when Minnesota acquired Jorge Lopez, and it was Cano who was seen as a throw-in with Cade Povich as the headliner. Now less than a year later, it is the Baltimore reliever making a national stage ahead of the Twins Jhoan Duran.

After debuting a year ago, Duran has fully embraced his role as a high-leverage reliever. Once a top starting pitcher prospect, Duran has turned his focus to unleashing the most incredible fastballs baseball has seen in some time. Posting a 1.86 ERA during his rookie campaign, Duran has been even more lights out this year for Minnesota.

Baldelli has subscribed to the idea that a "save" doesn’t always take place during the ninth inning, and he has shown no hesitation in deploying his best relief arm when the game matters most. Duran has consistently risen to the occasion, and he’s quickly earning a reputation around the game as an arm you don’t want to see.

Unfortunately the relievers on the American League All-Star Game team aren’t well represented. Bautista and Cano are joined only by Emmanuel Clase and Kenley Jansen. Twins fans certainly shouldn't have an issue with Clase making the All Star roster. However Jansen is on the roster as the lone Red Sox representative, in large part because all teams must be represented, and also likely because of his status in the game. The Orioles have been very good this year, and Bautista and Cano have been dominant much of the first half. While Cano has certainly slowed down in June, his overall numbers are very good. Do they both deserve to take a roster spot ahead of Duran? The Orioles are also represented by catcher Adley Rutschmann and outfielder Austin Hays, so the league weren't obligated to take both relievers. 

There is hope that Duran could get named as a replacement in the coming week. Pitchers dealing with injury may opt out and those scheduled to start on Sunday will need to be replaced.  but that’s definitely not the way he wanted to see his name called.

There is no denying that Gray is a worthy inclusion this season, but looking at a Twins team ready to make noise, it seems odd to leave Duran and his game-changing pitches out of the event. Maybe the All-Star Game includes him after all, but the next time Duran shouldn't be snubbed.

Along with Cano, two other former Twins will be All Stars. Earlier in the week, we learned that Luis Arraez will start at second base for the National League. On Sunday, Brent Rooker learned that he will represent the Oakland A's in Seattle. Congratulations to them! 

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[Doctor Wu]

I'm shocked that Duran wasn't selected. Hopefully, one or two pitchers won't be able to make the game due to injuries (I think the Tampa Bay pitcher is already on the IL), so all hope is not last. Duran definitely deserves to be included. 

[awmonahan]

Duran should be there. He's a great pitcher and would be awesome for the fans to watch against an All Star lineup.

[William K Johnson]

Honestly, if not for the fact that each team has to have a representative, we most likely would not have had an all-star rep this season.   Nothing against Sonny Gray, but he is a starting pitcher with four wins at all-star break.   I am fully aware that his record is skewed by the blown opportunities for wins by the bullpen or lack of run production from what must be best described as one of the worse first half offenses by any team in recent memory.  How many first-place teams can say that they did not have one everyday player represented?

[mikelink45]

Quote

 Lopez has been better than the numbers suggest

I am beginning to think this is his name - everyone that writes an article uses this tag line.  Maybe he is worse that his numbers suggest.  He is just a good pitcher - not great.

I am never bothered by the All-star snubs.  It is a flashing thing to be named, but in the long run it does not mean much.  Doran can use the rest. 

[Linus]

He will get some good rest and a break. Better for the Twins. 

[Trov]

Personally, I pay no attention to the game for about 20 years now.  Even when it meant something, I still did not care.  The players for the most part do not care, unless they get a bonus for it.  Most pitchers opt out to be ready for the second half, or they just pitched on Sunday anyways.  The star hitters do not finish the game.  The fact that 1 player from each team needs to go, this will lead to so many more snubs.  

[weitz41]

At 42-43 I'm not overly surprised only 1 Twin made it. One or two more may get in as injury replacements on the pitching side (Ryan and Duran). I would guess an all-star appearance would help the players in their arbitration years.

[Nashvilletwin]

We shouldn’t knock our Twin’s development process: three home grown players - all traded away from the team in the past year - are All-Stars (two in their first full year getting an opportunity in the majors). Congrats to Arraez, Rooker and Cano - all great stories this season no matter how our FO defenders try to spin it.

I wonder who it will be next season……

[TwinsAce]

Clase doesn't deserve to go. He has low strikeout totals and has blown way too many saves this year. 

Duran also doesn't necessarily deserve to go, even though it seems obvious to Twins fans. It is really hard to make the All star roster as a reliever and you have to have a near perfect first half (or a ton of saves apparently.)  I am glad both BAL pitchers got chosen since they deserve it. 

[Fire Dan Gladden]

So Duran should have been an all-star because.... he throws hard?

How about tangible, statistical reasons why he was snubbed other than hometown fanboy bias...

 

[Nine of twelve]

So ****ing what? The ASG is a meaningless farce that does nothing more than prevent chosen players from getting a beneficial break from games that actually count for something.

Actually, that's not quite true. The function of the ASG is to earn take money from advertisers and other sponsors, which ultimately comes from us fans. So I guess from the viewpoint of MLB it's worthwhile. But from my viewpoint it would be just as well if it didn't exist.

[jmlease1]

I think Ryan had a real chance until he gave up 5 HRs to Atlanta. While one start shouldn't determine an all-star selection, it was his last chance to impress before the picks were made and unfortunately he had a really bad one when people were watching. 

Duran is certainly worthy of being selected, but there were always going to be some real snubs this year when only 4 teams had representatives in the starting lineup. Duran might have been hurt by the fact that the Twins don't use him as a 9th inning-only guy, which would be a shame because saves are still overrated as a stat, but that shouldn't be a reason to change our usage of him.

Good for Sonny Gray. he's been terrific this season and deserves the nod.

[Brandon]

When it comes to pitchers, I would rather they get snubbed.  Less chance to get injured.  But every team needs to be represented so there are always snubs.  Brent Rooker is this season's Ron Coomer.  But Duran does deserve to go.  I think it would be better to do a league "who got snubbed" to help alleviate the bias.

[ashbury]

If Gray alone is going, then Rocco needs to be in the discussion for Manager of the Year for leading this ragtag pitching staff to essentially a tie in the majors for ERA.  And they need to institute a similar award for pitching coaches so that Pete Maki can bask in the limelight of making a silk purse from his collection of 23 (and counting) sows ears. 

[Blyleven2011]

Yes it's definitely a snub ...

But a logical snub ...

Baltimore is playing well and twins are not , so the Baltimore players are the chosen ones  , Jansen and Rooker are their Lone representatives as is Sonny Gray  ...

I could see Duran as more of a logical choice over Gray as Duran is a very dominant pitcher ...

The best players don't always get voted in or chosen  ....

[Minny505]

Cano and Bautista stand out as the best RPs in the AL this season. They are the most deserving.

After that, by the numbers, Duran gets lost in a sea of excellent RPs. 

Far from a snub.

[John Belinski]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

If Gray alone is going, then Rocco needs to be in the discussion for Manager of the Year for leading this ragtag pitching staff to essentially a tie in the majors for ERA.  And they need to institute a similar award for pitching coaches so that Pete Maki can bask in the limelight of making a silk purse from his collection of 23 (and counting) sows ears. 

That must be a joke saying Rocco should be in discussion for manager of the year.

[John Belinski]

7 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

I'm shocked that Duran wasn't selected. Hopefully, one or two pitchers won't be able to make the game due to injuries (I think the Tampa Bay pitcher is already on the IL), so all hope is not last. Duran definitely deserves to be included. 

Just look at how he pitched yesterday and you know why he is not on the All Star team. He can throw the ball fast, but still not lights out as closer.  Twins have had some really good closers inn the past and maybe Duran will very good, but he is not there yet.

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

We shouldn’t knock our Twin’s development process: three home grown players - all traded away from the team in the past year - are All-Stars (two in their first full year getting an opportunity in the majors). Congrats to Arraez, Rooker and Cano - all great stories this season no matter how our FO defenders try to spin it.

I wonder who it will be next season……

Steer - he is close now

[Jocko87]

5 hours ago, William K Johnson said:

Honestly, if not for the fact that each team has to have a representative, we most likely would not have had an all-star rep this season.   Nothing against Sonny Gray, but he is a starting pitcher with four wins at all-star break.   I am fully aware that his record is skewed by the blown opportunities for wins by the bullpen or lack of run production from what must be best described as one of the worse first half offenses by any team in recent memory.  How many first-place teams can say that they did not have one everyday player represented?

I clicked on this article expecting some statistical analysis and comparisons to see maybe how far off he was. Oops. I knew better.

William is completely correct here. No hitter is close.  No pitcher is an obvious choice and we can’t use full staff rankings to make a case for an individual honor. There are several pitchers who are performing very well but the reality is that success of the staff is driven by solid performances across the board rather than a few standouts. 

This team doesn’t really have an all star on the roster this year. It is very similar to the Coomer days but with a first place team it should be a wake up call to everyone. The performance sucks and the league doesn’t respect them. Just like the Coomer days. The difference is the talent is there. 

[farmerguychris]

I've thought about this for awhile, so seems like a good time to ask - Do we want our players to make the All Star Team?

1 - They need the rest more than they need the recognition right?

2 - With arbitration negotiations coming up yearly, and these hearings overseen by non-baseball people - wouldn't it be better for our payroll to have players not make all star teams, thus not expecting to be paid more each year?  Maybe its only a few million over the course of a season - but a few million could help us upgrade from some of our players like Pagan couldn't it?

Would have been nice to see Duran in there closing out the all star game, but would prefer to not risk injury to one of our few pen pitchers having a good year.

[Mike Sixel]

The lack of analysis here leads me to believe he wasn't snubbed at all. 

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, John Belinski said:

That must be a joke saying Rocco should be in discussion for manager of the year.

What tipped you off?  The little smiley face?

[ashbury]

7 hours ago, William K Johnson said:

I am fully aware that his record is skewed by the blown opportunities for wins by the bullpen or lack of run production

Good.

There was a year that Nolan Ryan led his league in ERA with plenty of games started and innings pitched.  His WAR and WAA and WPA and any other alphabet soup you happen to look at confirms his good season.  And yet he went 8-16.  It can happen. 

I won't go so far as to say ignore W-L record for a starter in the modern game, but it should be looked at in context.  If all else looks solid, and the W-L isn't there, maybe the rest of the roster let him down.

By various measures, Sonny Gray is one of the top 5 starting pitchers in the league this year.  The only knock is he doesn't go as deep into games as some, and that's as much the on-field staff's decision as his own performance.  The innings he has pitched, he has delivered.

[Nine of twelve]

1 hour ago, farmerguychris said:

I've thought about this for awhile, so seems like a good time to ask - Do we want our players to make the All Star Team?

1 - They need the rest more than they need the recognition right?

2 - With arbitration negotiations coming up yearly, and these hearings overseen by non-baseball people - wouldn't it be better for our payroll to have players not make all star teams, thus not expecting to be paid more each year?  Maybe its only a few million over the course of a season - but a few million could help us upgrade from some of our players like Pagan couldn't it?

Would have been nice to see Duran in there closing out the all star game, but would prefer to not risk injury to one of our few pen pitchers having a good year.

I'm totally in favor of players being recognized for their achievements, both in terms of monetary bonuses and in terms of awards and the like. I think it would be good and appropriate to have bonuses tied to full-season awards, for example an all-pro team, MVP, Cy Young, and so forth, rather than tied to ASG appearances.

[Rosterman]

Cano and Rooker All-Stars! Man, what would our current team be like with those two in the clubhouse today?

[Mike Sixel]

7 minutes ago, Rosterman said:

Cano and Rooker All-Stars! Man, what would our current team be like with those two in the clubhouse today?

Rooker has not been good since April. Every team needs a representative....

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

I clicked on this article expecting some statistical analysis and comparisons to see maybe how far off he was. Oops. I knew better.

William is completely correct here. No hitter is close.  No pitcher is an obvious choice and we can’t use full staff rankings to make a case for an individual honor. There are several pitchers who are performing very well but the reality is that success of the staff is driven by solid performances across the board rather than a few standouts. 

This team doesn’t really have an all star on the roster this year. It is very similar to the Coomer days but with a first place team it should be a wake up call to everyone. The performance sucks and the league doesn’t respect them. Just like the Coomer days. The difference is the talent is there. 

I was thinking the same thing  , it should be a wake up call for the players to do better  , if they aren't chosen it's for a reason  ...

Can't knock the starting pitchers this year , which by the way is going to waste unless the hitters perform consistently  day to day ...

Attendance is dwindling at target field , wonder what Attendance at twins fest will be next January  and even Attendance  at spring training  ....

If Attendance is dwindling  it should tell the owners something , the fans don't enjoy the FO 's interpretation of baseball  ...

I hope the owners don't wait that long ( spring training  ) to realize  we have a total system failure and fans lack of interest ...

Total system failure when we can't even get players voted in ,, I don't know if any of our players were in the top 5 of any position for voting as i dont follow the Allstar game or its voting like i used to... 

[Mike Sixel]

It's hard to argue there is a total system failure when they have a .500 record, having played mostly NOT their weak divisional foes so far. 

To be clear, it isn't an acceptable level of success, IMO, but it isn't a total system failure.

They also have the 11th rated farm system, and are about to add three top picks to that. The system was MUCH worse when they took over.