Despite Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s bluster about being the best shortstop, the Rangers had only one position player close to being voted onto the All-Star Game roster.

Adolis Garcia finished fifth in outfield voting in the American League.

Mike Trout finished first. He was transferred to the 60-day I.L. yesterday. He won’t being playing in the All-Star Game. Aaron Judge finished second. Byron Buxton finished third. He, too, will not play because he’s on the I.L. Fourth was Michael Brantley. Fifth was Garcia. 

So, Garcia should be a started based on attrition.

He is a legitimate All-Star. As is his teammate Kyle Gibson, who has the lowest ERA in the American League at 2.00. Second is Lance Lynn, at 2.06. (Which makes you wonder, what if the Rangers were actually trying to win. How dominating would a one-two of Gibson and Lynn be? With a lineup built to win not to tank? If only.)

This isn’t the case of the league having to find an able-bodied mouth breather to represent the team since the rule is every team has to have a player. 

There are two slam dunk All-Stars on this team.

And for any IKF fans out there, just know, despite his hubris, he isn’t closer. He has the seventh highest average among American League shortstops, eighth highest on-base percentage and OPS, a distant fifth most RBIs, and has committed the second-most errors. 

He may be fine for a front office that has settled on mediocrity, but Kiner-Falefa is not a top-tier shortstop, if you go by the numbers.

So, Rangers fans, let’s celebrate the fact that two of the best players in the league wear Rangers jerseys.

But, please, do everything you can to ignore the jersey they will wear in the All-Star Game.

Do yourself a favor and don’t Google this year’s All-Star jerseys. It will only make you hate baseball.

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