Nathan Eovaldi - The Historically Snubbed All-Star

There is unfair and then there is the 2025 campaign of the Rangers star right hander.

I guess it serves me right to goof on Juan Soto.

The other day during a radio segment, I might have laughed a small bit at Soto’s anger about missing the all-star game. I like the player and I absolutely think he belongs, to be fair.

I also don’t typically spend 10 seconds stressing about all-star games or their rosters.

I just couldn’t believe Soto cited money as his issue about missing the all-star team. He gets $100,000 for making the game and that is a lot of money. On the other hand, he makes $765,000,000 over the course of the contract he just signed this winter:

"What do you think? I think it's a lot of money on the table if I make it."

So, yes, it is a lot of money. But, not for you. If someone made $100,000 a year, then his All-Star bonus is $190.00 or so, based on his $51 million per season.

And now, with the shoe on the other foot, today, I am pretty mad about Nathan Eovaldi.

To Eovaldi’s credit, I don’t think he is mentioning his incentive to make the All-Star game is exactly the same as Juan Soto’s. Eovaldi also gets $100,000 if he makes the All-Star game and maybe just about everyone with a veteran contract has a similar clause in their deal, I’m not terribly sure about that.

But, Eovaldi deserves his $100,000 because he has been amazing this year. Now, since he already makes $25 million a year, his incentive is about $400 for someone making $100,000 a year, so I realize he will be fine, too.

Yet, unlike Soto, Eovaldi is our guy. And I just find this one extra egregious. I guess I am a homer, especially since he didn’t bring up the money. I’d like to think he was annoyed about not making this All-Star game because he was a dominant pitcher in 2025 and also a guy who has made the All-Star game in 2021 and 2023. Yet, this might be the some of his very best work and he did not make the cut.

How?