Red Sox only team to have 2 ‘most forgotten’ All-Stars on The Athletic’s list

The Boston Red Sox have had plenty of All-Stars over the last two decades, some more popular than others.

The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner compiled a list of each MLB team’s “forgotten All-Stars” since 2000, and had the Red Sox as the only team with two: Matt Clement and Steven Wright.

“Just because both pitchers went 13-6 in their one standout season with the Red Sox, and you probably don’t remember them in the midsummer classic,” Kepner wrote. “Wright — the last knuckleballer to make an All-Star team — didn’t get to pitch, but Clement tossed a scoreless inning in Detroit and struck out Carlos Beltrán."

Clement spent two seasons in Boston. The right-hander was 10-2 before the All-Star break and was named to his first career All-Star Game. On July 26, Clement was struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Carl Crawford during a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He finished the year 13-6.

Clement made just 12 starts in 2006 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He officially retired in 2009.

Wright spent his seven-year career with the Red Sox and bounced between a starter and reliever role. In 81 total games (44 starts), the knuckleballer went 24-16 with a 3.86 ERA. His lone All-Star appearance came in 2016 when he finished the first half with an American League-best 2.68 ERA. Wright also had three complete games during that stretch.

Before the 2016 All-Star Game, Wright was informed he wouldn’t pitch unless the game went into extra innings.

There were several former Red Sox players that made Kepner’s list. They’re listed below, as well as the years they were in Boston.

• Mike Stanton (1996)
• Tony Clark (2002)
• John Burkett (2002-03)
• Vicente Padilla (2012)
• Ryan Cook (2015)
• Eduardo Núñez (2017-19)