Baltimore Orioles: 3 Players Deserving of an All-Star Spot

The Baltimore Orioles have not looked good as a team for most of the 2021 season. However, these individual players deserve to make the All-Star Game

The Baltimore Orioles, like many years in recent history, have not looked good. Prior to the win on June 1, the team had lost their last 14 games, the longest losing drought by an MLB team since 2013. However, it has not been all bad news for the rebuilding organization. The Orioles have some incredible talent despite holding the worst record in Major League Baseball.

With the launch of balloting for the MLB All-Star Game on Thursday, here are three Orioles who should find themselves representing the American League.

John Means, P, Baltimore Orioles

This one should be the most obvious. John Means has been the best pitcher Baltimore has had in a very long time.

Means, 28, started his first Major League Baseball game with the Orioles in 2018. The start was one that he would seemingly like to forget, as the left-hander gave up 5 earned runs in three innings. Means would not see the diamond again until 2019.

During the 2021 season, Means has been on a hot streak. In 11 games started this season, Means is 4-1, has an ERA of 2.05, and 68 strikeouts in 70.1 innings pitched.

Means made history during the month of May. On May 5, 2021, against the Seattle Mariners, Means pitched the first no-hitter of his career. Means was just a dropped third strike away from a perfect game. It was the first no-hitter for Baltimore since 1991.

Means is no stranger to the All-Star Game, having been selected to his first in 2019. If last season wasn’t ravaged by a pandemic, it’s very likely that Means would have made it for a second consecutive season.