Crazy 8: Mariners extend streak on bittersweet day

SEATTLE -- Logan Gilbert maybe didn’t have his best stuff on Sunday, but he felt that he “had enough to keep us in the game,” one that the Mariners eventually won, thanks again to some more late-inning heroics from Carlos Santana.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, the veteran first baseman crushed a go-ahead two-run homer, propelling Seattle to a 6-5 win -- its eighth straight victory. The latest triumph secured a four-game sweep over Toronto, the team that the Mariners are now tied with for the third and final AL Wild Card spot.

Santana has made an imposing impression among his new teammates, yet for as much excitement as there was around the new guy, there was just as much disappointment surrounding the players who’ve been here all year and just as paramount to Seattle’s surge.

That’d be Gilbert, and to a greater extent, Ty France, who were left off the All-Star Game roster for the American League when pitchers and reserves were revealed Sunday. Julio Rodríguez was the Mariners’ lone representative, selected as a reserve.

"I still have not really processed it,” France said. “But it is what it is. There are a lot of really good players out there, and not to take anything away from any of them, but I definitely thought I played my way in."

Adding insult to injury, France grew up roughly 20 miles from Dodger Stadium, the site of this year’s Midsummer Classic.

“You hit it on the head right there,” France said. “There’s not really much I can say about it. A little disappointed, but it is what it is.”

The first-base reserves are Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, invited as a legacy selection, and Minnesota’s Luis Arraez, who has played almost as many innings at second base (201 2/3) as he has at first (265).

Pitchers and reserve position players are chosen through a combination of player ballots and choices made by the Commissioner's Office, according to the ballot, meaning the fan vote -- which exclusively accounts for starters -- was not considered. France was a finalist to start at first base, but he lost out to the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

But that didn’t prevent France, his teammates or manager Scott Servais from sharing their views that France should be included. From a numbers standpoint, France entered Sunday leading all AL first basemen (minimum 50% of games played at first) in batting average (.310), on-base percentage (.384), OPS (.851) and wins above replacement (2.8), per Baseball Reference.

France seemed like a shoe-in for much of the season, even after missing 13 games due to a sprained left elbow, which he returned from on Thursday. Asked if he thought that impacted his All-Star bid, France said: “I don't know. It’s unfortunate timing, but my numbers are what they are. But it could have.”

Gilbert also had a strong case. Among AL starting pitchers, he entered Sunday ranked 14th in WAR, per FanGraphs (1.7), eighth in innings (100), fifth in ERA (2.61), 14th in strikeouts (93) and his 10 wins trailed only Justin Verlander.

Here’s Rodríguez on France: “When I found out about the news, I’m going to be honest with you, I was like, ‘Oh God, I’m going to be with Ty over there.’ That was like my first thought. I was happy and everything. ... But when I found out he was not going to be there, it was a bummer honestly, because I feel like he deserved that. I feel like his numbers, he put in the work. He definitely got it done and deserves to be in there.”

And Servais: “Very disappointed for Ty France. Ty France is the best first baseman in the league this year, and I certainly have a ton of respect for Vlad and he's an awesome player, no question about it. But up until Ty's injury, I thought he was a shoe-in and he makes the final vote and doesn't get in. Hopefully, he still will get in. But very disappointed that he did not get in.”

There’s still a chance France and Gilbert end up in Los Angeles as those selected drop out for injury or personal reasons in the coming days. Houston’s Yordan Alvarez was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday morning with hand inflammation and Toronto’s George Springer, who has been banged up, said that he’ll take the next week to decide whether he will play. France said he would still go if invited, leaving the door open if MLB comes calling.

“It's a huge honor to make the team, regardless of how you get on there,” France said. “The best players in baseball get to go out and enjoy that, and if that happens, it happens.”