Ken Rosenthal's All-Star roster prediction breaks cardinal rule just to snub a Yankee

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal just dropped his final All-Star roster projections ahead of the official announcement on July 6, and while every team must be accommodated ... just two Yankees feels a little light, right?

Unfortunately, the reality of their recent slide might've formally hit this week. Both Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice will not make the starting lineup after the second round of voting, and it's difficult to see a world where either player squeezes onto the roster otherwise (despite Aaron Boone's preference). Aaron Judge accrued the most votes of any AL player, and Max Fried's a Cy Young finalist waiting to happen, so both will be honored. But, beyond that ... Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger make the Hall of Very Good, Luke Weaver was hurt for a month, Devin Williams was a sleeper agent working for the Dodgers in April, and ... well ... sure, two it is.

Wait. Sorry. Just like Rosenthal, we forgot about Carlos Rodón, who has absolutely earned a slot, and will probably get one after pitchers start to drop left and right. But, in The Athletic insider's final projections, he left the Yankees' secondary lefty ace off, while honoring setup man Bryan Abreu of the Houston Astros.

Wait ... it's supposed to be almost impossible to get invited as a setup man. Houston's closer, Josh Hader, seems to be a lock. What gives?

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal snubs Yankees' Carlos Rodón for Houston Astros' Bryan Abreu on MLB All-Star roster projection

Now, as Rosenthal noted, the initial roster is very much subject to change, and his list of honorees trends towards pomp, circumstance and excitement rather than deserving half-seasons. Eventually, pitchers will opt out, players will come down with hand, foot and mouth disease, and rosters will balloon closer to the 77 total selections of last summer.

But, if Rosenthal had fame and excitement in mind while trying to make his roster pop ... again, a setup man? Even one with 60 Ks in 39 2/3 innings? Over the co-ace of the most-followed team in baseball? Rosenthal even complained to the straw man in his own brain mid-article about picking five Astros to only three Tigers. I know exactly how he can fix that problem, if he'd like to.

Justice for setup men. Always. But when an Astros flamethrower gets the kudos after 2022 Michael King got snubbed, that sets off the alarm bells I'd always rather ignore. Rodón and his 2.95 ERA/just-over-1.00 WHIP/third-in-the-league strikeout total are going to get to Atlanta when all's said and done ... right?