O's Jordan Westburg on not making the All-Star team (update, He's in now!)

He was one of six Orioles who were finalists in the American League in voting for the All-Star game. As it turned out, Gunnar Henderson will start at shortstop and Adley Rutschman as the catcher for the American League, but no other O's finalists made the team.

That group includes Ryan Mountcastle, Jordan Westburg, Ryan O’Hearn and Anthony Santander.

Westburg was on the ballot at third base, but unless he is a late add to replace someone injured, he will not be in the game on July 16.

“I understood it,” Westburg said this afternoon in the Baltimore clubhouse. “There are a lot of good players in this league and so just to be in those conversations, I was very honored. I felt blessed.

“It’s disappointing. I don’t know how many times I will get that opportunity in my career but at the end of the day, I’m not going to live and die by that decision. I’m going to enjoy the time off with my wife at our home. It will be fun.”

Westburg is batting .281/.328/.506/.835 with 20 doubles, five triples, 14 homers and 49 RBIs. He has been remarkably consistent with an OPS of .916 in April, .835 in May, .797 in June and .800 thus far in July.

Westburg ranks 11th in the AL in slugging, 13th in OPS, 15th in batting average and tied for 17th in RBIs.

Was he surprised just three O’s got voted in and/or selected for the game?

“Yeah, a little bit. I get the fan vote is kind of whose fanbase shows up the most. I get that side. But yeah I was a little surprised just to see (only) Corbin (Burnes) added.

“There are a lot of guys deserving in this clubhouse. But there are also guys in other clubhouses that are deserving so, you know, it’s out of our hands. I think that everybody here is mature enough to handle the news and no one is really reeling on that in a disappointing way. We are all professionals. We’re going to handle it and we’re going to focus on today’s game and try and finish strong this first half,” he said.

Westburg has been clutch for the Orioles this year too, batting .308 when hitting with runners in scoring position with an OPS of 1.033 in such spots.

O’s skipper Brandon Hyde was asked a few times today about Westburg. He often raves about him. He did today.

“He does everything right. He literally does everything right, the way he prepares, the way he plays," said Hyde. "We just a had a hitter’s meeting and I thought it was awesome our hitting guys recognized this. We were down 12-0 in the fourth. Mounty (Ryan Mountcastle) gets a basehit to right field, Jordan is at first base and Westy goes first to third. That sets up Austin Hays for a sac fly. That’s an RBI for a teammate. That sets up the bottom of the order to have guys on base. It just epitomizes honestly who he is. He just plays the right way, so hard, prepares incredibly well. He just does everything right.”

Westburg was told that Burnes wanted those that didn’t make it to make sure they took time to appreciate being considered for the honor and appreciate the seasons they’ve had to this point.

“Yeah, it’s cool,” said Westburg. “I was very honored and humbled by the fact that I was in those conversations. It was something coming into the year I certainly would not have expected. I have confidence in my abilities, but I would never think I would be in talks halfway through the year to be an All Star.

“It is something I will never forget, no matter how long my career goes. I will cherish it and move on from it though and focus on tonight’s game."

Update: Westburg now is going to the All-Star game. He has been named this afternoon as a replacement for Boston's Rafael Devers, who will miss the game due to a nagging left shoulder injury. 

So as of this moment the Orioles have four All-Stars with Burnes, Rutschman, Henderson and Westburg. That matches the four they sent to the game last year.