MLB All-Star Game: Was Chris Sale Right Choice to Start?

Chris Sale, left-handed pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, will start the 2016 MLB All-Star Game for the American League. Was he the right choice?

Whether you agree with the way All-Stars are chosen in MLB, no matter how much you may disagree with the selections, I think everyone can agree it’s a great honor, especially for the players. These are already the best in the world, but being an All-Star means they are the best of the best.

For a starting pitcher, there is an even bigger honor than simply being on the team, and that’s getting the chance to start the game for your league. They usually don’t end up pitching much more than the others, but generally the starter is the best of the best of the best that year.

This year, American League Manager Ned Yost named White Sox lefty Chris Sale as his starter, and while there is generally some controversy regardless of who is chosen, I am surprised at the lack of it this year, at least that I have seen. Sale is certainly a great pitcher, but he hasn’t been so dominant that he was the obvious choice.

The fact is, American League pitchers haven’t been great this season. Last year, American League starters combined for a 4.14 ERA and 4.10 FIP. So far this year, they have a 4.51 ERA and 4.49 FIP. Sale led the AL in FIP in 2015 at 2.73; five others were also under 3.00. This year, the AL leader is Corey Kluber at 2.95, and no others come in under 3.00. In fact, second place is Masahiro Tanaka, all the way up at 3.31. Sale is 11th at 3.74.