Kimbrel talks about his exclusion from All-Star Game

The amount of Orioles All-Star snubs is shrinking.

The bucket isn’t empty.

Perhaps the more egregious omission is closer Craig Kimbrel, whose 23 saves already match last year’s total with the Phillies and are one more than in 2022 with the Dodgers. His ERA is down to 2.10 with a 0.903 ERA in 38 appearances. He’s allowed one earned run in his last 21 innings.

Infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Anthony Santander are injury replacements and first-timers to give the Orioles five All-Stars. Gunnar Henderson is the starting shortstop. Adley Rutschman is the starting catcher. Corbin Burnes was selected to the pitching staff and could start if he accepts the invitation.

Kimbrel is a nine-time All-Star who didn’t pack his bags for Arlington, Texas. He was surrounded by assumptions, though. The overall body of work and extended stretch of success following a brief demotion from the closer’s role seemed to make him a lock.

He isn’t sweating it. Others can do the venting.

“I don’t play this game to go to the All-Star Game, but obviously the All-Star Game lets you know where you are,” he said. “I feel like to this point in the season, I’m pretty happy, the way I’ve been able to throw the ball. My numbers are pretty good. I had a tougher stretch at the beginning of the year. Reasoning or whatnot, it was part of my season so far and I was able to get through that and get on a good run.

“You never want to assume anything in this game, but at the same time it’s always an honor to get the opportunity to go to it. I wouldn’t say personally I’m disappointed not having the opportunity to go, but it’s a family venue and it’s fun to take your kids and let them experience that. I think a little disappointed in not having that opportunity this year to do so, but at the same time, not everyone who throws up good numbers has the opportunity to go to the All-Star Game. There are guys every year who are deserving that don’t have that opportunity. Just unfortunately this year I’m one of those guys.”

A positive spin lands on Kimbrel being able get some down time before resuming the grind.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “Rest is rest. I think at this point, I’ve got the ball quite a few times. I’m probably going to do it quite a few more in the next couple days hopefully, and anytime you can get multiple days off and recharge is always good, especially going into a second half that we’re going to continue to play close ballgames, and the games are just going to continue to get more meaningful and meaningful as we get closer to the end of the year.

“It’s about being good and ready to go at the end of the year, and so you want to pick and choose those times when you can get back and get healthy, and the All-Star break is a good time to do that.”

The only teams with as many or more representatives than the Orioles are the Phillies with seven, Dodgers with six and Guardians and Padres with five.

I spoke to Kimbrel a few hours before Major League Baseball announced Santander’s inclusion. I thought the line was drawn at Westburg.

We left Oakland with only three confirmed Orioles, one fewer than last year.

“I think more times than not you’ve got a team that’s playing well, that’s in first place, you’re going to have guys who are having really good years on the team, and most of the time those are the guys who are represented,” Kimbrel said.

“There’s fan votes, there’s player votes, there’s a lot of things that go into it. That’s just how it works out sometimes.”