Davey Martinez and the Nationals would have loved to take part in the All-Star Game. No one asked

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The moment the Nationals won Game 4 over St. Louis to secure the NL pennant, manager Davey Martinez and his staff had locked up another long-cherished honor: managing the All-Star Game.

At least, that was the plan. Ever since 1934 — the second All-Star Game ever — when the Senators’ Joe Cronin faced off against Bill Terry of the New York Giants, the Midsummer Classic has been a managerial rematch of the previous year’s World Series. Except there was no All-Star Game last year, meaning Martinez and the Nationals have been overlooked.

Martinez told The Athletic Monday he has not been asked to participate in this year’s All-Star Game, as part of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ staff or otherwise. It’s disappointing, particularly given that his AL counterpart from that season — former Astros manager A.J. Hinch — was suspended for the 2020 season and stripped of the honor. (It was announced last January before the game was canceled that Astros manager Dusty Baker would have managed the American League team.)

“It’s unfortunate,” said Martinez, who said he has a lot of respect for Roberts and the Dodgers. “When I go back and think about the whole All-Star Game and everything, I think about the people who were affected by the (COVID-19) pandemic. For me, it would have been nice to be the manager. I would have loved it. But it was more to be with my coaching staff there as well. More power to everyone going to the All-Star Game this year. I would love to be there, but I would love to be there with my coaching staff.”