Blue Jays’ J.A. Happ gets All-Star nod but was it warranted?

J.A. Happ will be the Toronto Blue Jays lone representative when the midsummer classic takes place at National Park on July 17th, however, was the selection warranted?

The veteran southpaw who may not even be wearing a Blue Jays uniform by the time the game takes place has seen his earned run average balloon to 4.44 following two poor showings versus the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.

The league attempts to have each team represented at the All-Star game and granted aside from J.A. Happ the Jays do not have very many deserving candidates statistically. Possibly Yangervis Solarte would be the only other name to consider and even his numbers don’t jump off the page when you think All-Star.

However the choice to select Happ over Tampa Bays Rays hurler Blake Snell is mind-boggling and I am not trying to rain on Happ’s parade but come on, look at the comparison. It is not even close.

Happ: 10-5, 4.44 ERA, 1.177 WHIP, 9.8 SO/9, 0.8 WAR

Snell: 12-4, 2.09 ERA, 1.026 WHIP, 10.2 SO/9, 4.3 WAR

Snell who leads the league with the lowest earned run average should have not only been selected over Happ but Jose Berrios as well. A certain Rays teammate went to bat on social media for his rotation running mate yesterday.

More from Toronto Blue Jays News

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

If you give Happ a mulligan on the 13 runs he was torched for in his last two outings, his numbers become a little less bloated. There is no denying that Happ has been the Jays best pitcher for the entire campaign thus far. The 35-year old has surrendered three runs or less in 11 of his 18 starts and has fanned 8 or more batters in 9 starts this season.

The All-Star nod certainly won’t hurt his trade value in the coming weeks as Happ is guaranteed to be dealt out of Toronto before the July 31st deadline.

Next: Blue Jays stuck between a rock and a hard place with Osuna

Happ has always been the consummate professional and this will be his first All-Star appearance in his 12-year career, unfortunately, Blake Snell was more deserving.