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Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki is having a stellar 2025 season playing as the designated hitter. Suzuki has already hit 25 homers and driven in 77 RBIs, but the All-Star roster only has one spot for a DH in the starter and reserve roles. Shohei Ohtani is the starter, while Kyle Schwarber got the reserve spot.
In episode 144 of "Holding Kourt" on Wednesday, Justin Turner's wife, Kourtney, asked him who the major snubs were for the 2025 All-Star game from the Cubs. Turner believes two of his teammates deserved to be in the All-Star game, the first being Seiya Suzuki.
Turner pointed out that Suzuki is leading the national league with 77 RBIs and will undoubtedly have 150 by the end of the regular season, barring injuries. Moreover, he has already hit 25 homers.
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"I think the unfair thing about that is obviously he's DHed most of the season," Turner said [From 27:50]. "And in every other position in the All-Star Game, they add two or three players at every position. Except for DH. DH, there's one guy. It's obviously they were, it was going to be Ohtani. Like, that's not even a question. But then they don't put a second DH."
The two-time MLB All-Star mentioned that the league thinks in a way that any player from the infield or outfield can DH, hence scratching the need for an extra specialist.
"It is a position, and it's not easy to do. And Seiya is way more than deserving. So, a big snub there," Turner added.
Notably, only 35 players have hit 25 homers before the All-Star break. The last person, before Suzuki, not to be selected as an All-Star despite this impressive feat was Detroit Tigers' Hank Greenberg in 1935.
Justin Turner names another major All-Star snub from the Cubs
Despite being snubbed, Seiya Suzuki isn't in low spirits. Justin Turner shared that Suzuki is one of the 'sneakily funniest' players in the Cubs' clubhouse, and he respects how the Japanese player carries himself. In addition to Suzuki, Turner believes the first baseman, Michael Busch, deserved an All-Star selection.
"I think he's obviously having a breakout year," Turner said (Timestamp: 28:48). "He's doing big things. He's like sixth in all of baseball in OPS. He is literally, I mean, if you can put his numbers up against any first baseman in the game, and his are better, literally. So I think it's just tough that you have these household names that are getting in."
Turner alleges that the presence of big-name players results in sluggers like his less popular Cubs teammate getting left out. He proved his point with examples of popular first basemen like Freddie Freeman, Pete Alonso, and Austin Riley.
