Why did Juan Soto miss All-Star 2025 selection despite leading NL in offensive WAR stats? All you need to know about the Mets star's omission

New York Mets star Juan Soto, who holds the richest contract in all of baseball, won't be on the All-Star field representing the National League. Soto came fifth in fan voting but can still make the team if a selected outfielder is injured or drops out.

Soto's snub comes despite him leading the NL with 4.0 offensive WAR. He's closely followed by Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who has a 3.9 offensive WAR.

This will be Soto's first time missing the Midsummer Classic since 2019 and there are several reasons why this may have happened.

Slow start cost Juan Soto

Juan Soto was poor at the plate to begin the season. He could only hit .217 in April as his offensive stats dropped in all categories. This may have stuck in voters' minds, as All-Star selections often lag behind latest performances.

Currently, Soto is hitting .263 along with 21 home runs and 10 stolen bases. This is thanks to his offensive rebound since mid-May, which saw him putting a .287/.432/.548 batting line with a 1.020 OPS.

Balloting and team quotas kept Juan Soto out

Voting comprises fan selections, player votes, and commissioner’s picks. Soto never cracked the top three vote-getters in fan balloting for his position.

In terms of team representation, the Mets already have three All-Stars in selections in Francisco Lindor (starter), along with reserves Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz.

Competitive NL outfield

Voters had several names to pick from in the outfield, including Ronald Acuña Jr., Corbin Carroll, Kyle Stowers, Fernando Tatis Jr. and James Wood. All of these players were picked ahead of Soto.

While not all of them had better numbers than Soto, like Miami’s Stowers or Arizona’s Carroll, they were selected to fulfill team representation needs.

Juan Soto's reaction to All-Star snub

The Mets outfielder is taking the All-Star snub in his stride. While he laments that he'll be absent from this year's All-Star game, he hopes to return stronger next season.

“For me, I try to play as hard as I can and help the team and enjoy the moment,” Soto told the New York Post. “Everyone wants to be an All-Star and live the experience of being there, but this year it didn’t happen. I was glad I was able to be there four years in a row. If I didn’t make it this year, it’s no big deal. I’ll come back stronger next year.”

Soto made four in a row but missed making it five straight selections. However, he can use this All-Star break for much-needed rest as he has featured in almost all of the Mets' games.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra