The NL All-Star team is #With28, as Daniel Murphy will represent the Mets next week for the 2014 All-Star game at Target Field in Minnesota
The MLB All-Star game rosters were announced this evening on ESPN and it was revealed that the Mets will be represented in Minnesota by second baseman Daniel Murphy. No Mets position players were voted in this year as starters, so Murphy will be available on the bench for Mike Matheny's squad. It's the second baseman's first MLB All-Star selection.
A year ago, David Wright started at third base and Matt Harvey was the starting pitcher for the National League at last year's All-Star game at Citi Field. With Harvey out due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery and Wright in the midst of a disappointing season, the Mets representative had to come from a little further down the roster. Regardless, it's a great accomplishment for Murphy, who has had a great season in spite of the team's struggles. Through 86 games, Murphy has been the team's most consistent offensive performer, hitting .294/.344/.414 with 7 home runs and 20 doubles. Among qualified National League second basemen, Murphy is tied for second with Chase Utley at 2.5 Fangraphs WAR. By the wRC+ metric, Murphy's 116 mark ranks fourth behind the Brewers' Scooter Gennett, the Dodgers' Dee Gordon, and the Pirates' Neil Walker.
Jon Niese was the only snub for the Mets, as the lefty has tossed 103.1 innings with a 2.96 ERA. Even if selected, the southpaw would've been unable to participate in the game after he was placed on the disabled list earlier today. The MLB All-Star game takes place at Target Field this year and is set for Tuesday, July 15th at 8:00 PM.