Mets' Juan Soto and Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong have same All-Star problem

Mets’ Juan Soto and Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong have same All-Star problem originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Mets have had a very rough 2026 season, as they’re 29-36 on the season, and 15.5 games back of the NL East lead. But, they’re far from the only team struggling, and they’re not even the only expensive club going through some woes this year.

The Chicago Cubs, at 34-32, despite being significantly better off than the Mets, are going through some serious issues at the moment. Both teams are struggling, and with the All-Star Game on the horizon, their representatives are in a similar boat.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicts that Juan Soto for the Mets and Pete Crow-Armstrong for the Cubs will be each team’s lone representative for this year at the All-Star Game, as both teams have the same All-Star problem this season.

Mets have same All-Star Game problem as Cubs

“Soto and Crow-Armstrong also end up being the only representatives from their teams, which helps explain why those two clubs have disappointed,” Schoenfield writes.

The Mets outfielder is having a great season and deserves to be an All-Star despite missing time earlier this season.

PCA is in a similar boat, as even though he’s had some major low-lights this season, he’s been an all-around major positive for the Cubs as their most valuable player.

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However, looking across both the Mets and the Cubs rosters, it’s clear that there really isn’t anyone else who’s deserving of an All-Star nod this season.

There are some solid players, like Ian Happ, producing for the Cubs, but no one is performing well enough to justify an All-Star nod.

Similarly, the Mets don’t really have anyone worth noting who could make the All-Star team other than Soto. Nolan Mclean has a 3.98 ERA, Freddy Peralta has a 3.63 ERA, and none of the relievers stand out as clear-cut All-Star candidates.

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Offensively, there’s not a single player who has more than 60 at-bats this season for the Mets above Carson Benge’s .733 OPS, which isn’t good enough for an All-Star bid, especially in a crowded NL outfield.

Both Soto and Crow-Armstrong deserve this All-Star bid, but there’s not really any other player on either roster that’s deserving of an All-Star spot this year, which only further highlights how rough a season it’s been for both clubs.

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