The Atlanta Braves received plenty of recognition when the 2026 MLB All-Star rosters were unveiled, with Chris Sale, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin and Raisel Iglesias all earning selections. Five representatives tied Atlanta with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies for the most All-Stars in baseball, highlighting just how dominant the club has been throughout the first half of the season.
Even so, the final roster did not fully capture how impressive Atlanta has been. A team loaded with MVP-caliber talent and one of the National League’s deepest rosters had several other players who built convincing All-Star resumes. Among the biggest omissions, each of whom produced at an elite level before the break but ultimately fell victim to roster limitations, positional competition and the usual selection politics.
Dylan Lee
Relievers like Dylan Lee often find themselves overlooked because they lack the flashy save totals or ninth-inning spotlight that typically attract All-Star attention.
That should not have been the case this season.
Lee has quietly established himself as one of the most effective relievers in all of baseball. According to FanGraphs, he has been Atlanta’s most valuable bullpen arm by WAR, ranking ahead of both Robert Suarez and All-Star closer Raisel Iglesias. His numbers speak for themselves: a 1.30 ERA, 1.42 FIP, 34.0 percent strikeout rate and just a 3.0 percent walk rate.
His standing across Major League Baseball only strengthens his case. Lee ranks fourth among all relievers in fWAR and sixth in RA9-WAR, making his exclusion difficult to justify. If the All-Star Game is intended to reward first-half excellence, a reliever performing at that level should not need a high save total to earn recognition.
Lee’s dominance has been evident every time he takes the mound. Rather than overpowering hitters with triple-digit velocity, he relies on deception, command and movement to consistently neutralize opponents. One of his best outings came against the New York Mets when Chris Sale encountered trouble. Lee entered the game and struck out three consecutive batters to prevent the inning from unraveling.
Those high-pressure situations are exactly where elite relievers separate themselves. Instead of simply collecting saves, Lee has repeatedly been trusted to escape the most dangerous moments of games and has excelled in that role. His omission from the All-Star roster stands out as one of the biggest oversights of the selection process.
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Michael Harris II
Michael Harris II entered the season with something to prove after an inconsistent 2025 campaign. He has answered every question and then some.
FanGraphs credits Harris with a .302/.335/.505 slash line, 16 home runs, a .362 weighted on-base average, a 128 wRC+ and 2.3 WAR. He has also remained an outstanding defensive center fielder, recording five defensive runs saved while continuing to impact games with his glove.
In simple terms, Harris has been one of baseball’s most complete center fielders, combining power, consistent offense and excellent defense for one of the National League’s top teams.
Unfortunately, the crowded field of outfield candidates likely worked against him, as established reputations often carry significant weight during All-Star selections. Despite that, Harris has consistently delivered whenever Atlanta has needed him.
He recently homered during the Braves’ 5-3 victory over the Mets while also making an outstanding defensive play early in the game to prevent extra bases. Throughout the first half, Harris has routinely influenced games in multiple ways, whether with his bat, speed or defense.
Even one of the season’s more unusual moments turned into another showcase for Harris when supporters of England’s national football team attended a game at Truist Park and quickly embraced Atlanta’s center fielder. Somehow, they ended up cheering for one of the Braves’ most deserving All-Star candidates.
Robert Suarez
Robert Suarez also had a compelling case but appeared to become a casualty of Atlanta’s remarkable bullpen depth.
While Raisel Iglesias deserved his selection, Suarez produced numbers worthy of joining him. Across 32 innings, he posted a remarkable 0.56 ERA, 2.45 FIP, allowed just 0.28 home runs per nine innings, maintained a 5.0 percent walk rate and stranded an astonishing 97.7 percent of baserunners.
Suarez may not match Lee’s strikeout totals, but he has been equally effective through pinpoint command, weak contact and remarkable composure, despite dealing with his current injury. His 47.1 percent ground-ball rate has provided Atlanta with another reliable late-inning weapon, while his ability to keep the ball in the park has been invaluable during several high-leverage situations.
On many other teams, Suarez likely would have been an obvious All-Star selection. Instead, he found himself competing with two other elite Braves relievers for limited roster spots. Atlanta had three bullpen arms worthy of recognition, yet only one ultimately received the honor.
Maybe Next Year
Every All-Star season produces difficult decisions, and deserving players inevitably miss out because roster spots are limited. That reality does not change how impressive Lee, Harris and Suarez were during the first half.
None of the three represented sentimental hometown selections. Each built a legitimate All-Star resume backed by outstanding production, advanced metrics and consistent impact on one of baseball’s best teams.
The Braves still finished with five All-Stars, tying the Dodgers and Phillies for the most selections in Major League Baseball. Looking strictly at the first-half performances, however, Atlanta had a convincing argument that it deserved eight representatives instead of five.