As Major League Baseball gears up for the 2025 All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park, the Chicago Cubs find themselves at the center of a fascinating mix of celebration and surprise. The Cubs will be sending three players to the midsummer classic, but notably, one of their brightest stars, outfielder Seiya Suzuki, was left off the roster despite a career-best season.
Seiya Suzuki has been a standout performer for the Cubs this year, leading Major League Baseball in runs batted in (RBIs) with 75 as of early July. His recent solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 4th highlighted his offensive prowess and clutch hitting ability. Yet, in a move that has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike, Suzuki was not named to the All-Star team.
Instead, the Cubs will be represented by outfielders Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, both of whom earned starting spots through fan voting, and starting pitcher Matthew Boyd, who was selected as a reserve. Tucker, making his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance but his first with Chicago, has been a critical offensive force, often seen as the missing piece in the Cubs’ lineup that has struggled to reach the playoffs since 2020. Crow-Armstrong, meanwhile, is making his All-Star debut and has emerged as one of the premier center fielders in baseball, garnering over three million votes in the initial phase of fan voting. He is also considered a potential 40-40 candidate this season, with impressive home run and stolen base totals.
Matthew Boyd’s selection is perhaps the most surprising. The 34-year-old pitcher signed a two-year free agent contract with the Cubs in December 2024 and has been a revelation in the rotation. Boyd boasts an 8-3 record with a 2.65 ERA over 17 starts, striking out 87 batters in 98.2 innings while maintaining a 1.08 WHIP. His 1.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) leads all Cubs pitchers this season, underscoring his value to the team. Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Boyd’s infectious enthusiasm and team-first mentality, saying, "He loves just playing. He loves his start days. He loves the days he's not starting and then being in the dugout and rooting for his teammates, and that's contagious. That's certainly another piece of what he's brought to this group." Boyd will be making his first All-Star Game appearance, joining a star-studded roster that includes names like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Paul Skenes, and Chris Sale.
The Cubs’ omission of Suzuki and first baseman Michael Busch from the All-Star roster has sparked debate. Busch has also posted impressive numbers, with 18 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a 3.4 WAR, but was similarly left off the team. The decision highlights the sometimes unpredictable nature of All-Star selections, where fan voting, manager picks, and positional considerations all play a role.
Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox will be sending promising young pitcher Shane Smith to the All-Star Game for the second consecutive year. Smith, a rookie with a 3-6 record and a 3.86 ERA, was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Rule 5 draft last December and has quickly become a key part of the Sox’s future plans. He is only the second player in MLB history to make the All-Star Game in the year following his Rule 5 draft selection, marking a rare and impressive achievement.
The All-Star Game, scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 7 p.m. Central Time, will be broadcast on FOX 32 from Atlanta’s Truist Park. Fans will get to see a showcase of talent from both Chicago teams amid a star-studded lineup featuring National League starters like Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, first baseman Freddie Freeman, and the Dodgers’ designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, as well as Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.
For the Cubs, the All-Star selections reflect a team in transition, blending emerging young talent with seasoned veterans. Crow-Armstrong and Tucker represent a new wave of Cubs stars, while Boyd’s breakout season has provided much-needed stability and leadership on the mound. The absence of Suzuki, despite his league-leading RBI total, remains a talking point as the midseason classic approaches.
As the Cubs and White Sox prepare to send their best to Atlanta, the focus will be on how these players perform on the national stage and how their contributions shape the remainder of the 2025 MLB season. With playoff aspirations and individual accolades on the line, the All-Star Game offers a moment of celebration amid the grind of a long season.
In the end, the Cubs’ mix of established stars and surprising selections like Matthew Boyd underscores the unpredictable and thrilling nature of baseball. Whether Suzuki’s snub will fuel a second-half surge remains to be seen, but for now, the spotlight shines brightly on Tucker, Crow-Armstrong, and Boyd as they prepare to represent Chicago in one of the sport’s biggest showcases.
