Blue Jays have an All-Star in Justin Smoak

Mar 4, 2017; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak (14) at bat against the Minnesota Twins at CenturyLink Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak (14) at bat against the Minnesota Twins at CenturyLink Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Blue Jays slugger Justin Smoak has been hitting the cover off the baseball all season long while putting up All-Star worthy numbers along the way.

Justin Smoak is ranked second in home runs among major leaguers with 17 round trippers and the slugger is only one big fly off the pace of league leader Aaron Judge.

Smoak leads all first among first-baseman while still putting up a .291 batting average in 59 contests this season. The 30-year old also leads all American League first baseman with 42 runs batted in.

Unfortunately for Smoak, he was nowhere to be found in the updated All-Star Top-5 voting released by MLB.com on June 06th. The top 5 were as follows:

FIRST BASE
1. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 475,826
2. Yonder Alonso, A’s: 433,570
3. Carlos Santana, Indians: 420,336
4. Eric Hosmer, Royals: 399,545
5. Yuli Gurriel, Astros: 336,117

The first baseman is completely worthy of the nod by the midsummer classic usually turns into a popularity contest as we have witnessed in previous years. Smoak will need to rely on the American League All-Star manager to add him to the roster if he is going to make the trip to Marlins Park on July 11th to represent the Blue Jays.

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Smoak who credits consistent at-bats and finding the ability to relax on the diamond would be a great candidate for the Home Run Derby should he received the All-Star honor.

Following the Jays latest victory over the Oakland Athletics, third baseman Josh Donaldson was asked about Smoak’s All-Star worthy season. While Smoak was downplaying his efforts, Donaldson reiterated that Smoak deserves it.

The numbers speak for themselves, I know our fans do a great job of getting us in there. I believe they need to get behind Smoak and he deserves it for sure.

The first baseman signed a mid-season two-year extension last year much to the chagrin of Blue Jays nation due to the poor offensive season Smoak compiled in 2016. Somehow the slugger has reinvented himself and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Next: Blue Jays: Dear fanbase, J.A. Happ will be fine

Regardless of the votes, Blue Jays fans have an All-Star in Justin Smoak.