The Players:
Half of the season has been played and now it's time for the All-Star game! It's a game where the fans will get to see their favorite players compete on the same field together, a game where the players themselves become fans and all of baseball comes together to celebrate one of the great traditions of the game -- the Major League Baseball All-Star game. The American League and the National League will come together today to decide the title of the best league for this season.
Here are the talented stars on the American League roster:
SP Jonathan Edwards (BOS) - 8-2, 3.41 ERA, 95.0 IP, 1.13 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, 2.9 WAR
SP Ignacio Gonzales (NYY) - 9-5, 3.83 ERA, 124.2 IP, 1.24 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, 3.7 WAR
SP Wyatt Hudepohl (SEA)* - 7-5, 2.53 ERA, 114.0 IP, 1.16 WHIP, 8.0 K/9, 2.8 WAR
SP Edwin Montoya (CLE) - 10-3, 2.11 ERA, 98.0 IP, 1.13 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, 2.6 WAR
SP Dakota Stone (TB) - 6-5, 3.08 ERA, 108.0 IP, 1.01 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, 3.3 WAR
SP Juan Tello (MIN) - 6-1, 2.49 ERA, 79.2 IP, 1.04 WHIP, 6.2 K/9, 1.1 WAR
SP Jose Virgen (KC) - 6-3, 2.62 ERA, 110.0 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 2.2 WAR
RP Luis Cuevas (LAA) - 1-2, 1.96 ERA, 36.2 IP, 0.98 WHIP, 11.5 K/9, 0.9 WAR
RP Andrew Perez (OAK) - 2-3, 3.28 ERA, 49.1 IP, 1.24 WHIP, 8.0 K/9, -0.3 WAR
RP Randy Rodriguez (TB) - 2-2, 20 SV, 2.00 ERA, 36.0 IP, 1.00 WHIP, 14.2 K/9, 1.9 WAR
RP Angel Vargas (TB) - 3-1, 2.02 ERA, 49.0 IP, 1.45 WHIP, 11.6 K/9, 1.8 WAR
CL Max Meyer (NYY)* - 2-0, 13 SV, 1.17 ERA, 38.1 IP, 0.86 WHIP, 13.4 K/9, 1.7 WAR
CL Jesus Romillo (DET) - 3-4, 28 SV, 2.16 ERA, 50.0 IP, 1.08 WHIP, 8.1 K/9, 0.7 WAR
C Gabriel Moreno (TOR) - .279/.361/.511, 219 AB, 12 HR, 138 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
C Adley Rutschman (TB)* - .256/.353/.473, 262 AB, 16 HR, 126 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
C Tyler Stephenson (CWS) - .265/.348/.376, 245 AB, 5 HR, 3 SB, 103 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
1B Nick Camacho (BAL) - .281/.339/.478, 270 AB, 13 HR, 6 SB, 122 wRC+, 1.3 WAR
1B Dave Gomez (CWS) - .319/.384/.615, 213 AB, 17 HR, 175 wRC+, 2.7 WAR
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR)* - .252/.367/.438, 322 AB, 17 HR, 1 SB, 123 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
2B Jose Pino (TB)* - .296/.384/.583, 324 AB, 25 HR, 165 wRC+, 3.5 WAR
3B Juan Dobbs (DET) - .308/.356/.491, 334 AB, 7 HR, 7 SB, 128 wRC+, 2.9 WAR
3B Wander Franco (BOS) - .349/.401/.627, 338 AB, 21 HR, 1 SB, 180 wRC+, 5.4 WAR
3B Justin Sill (CWS)* - .299/.350/.624, 348 AB, 32 HR, 162 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
3B Wilfred Veras (CWS)* - .304/.388/.618, 322 AB, 29 HR, 1 SB, 174 wRC+, 4.1 WAR
3B Kevin White (CLE) - .292/.369/.602, 322 AB, 28 HR, 1 SB, 163 wRC+, 4.1 WAR
SS Antonio Anderson (CWS) - .259/.321/.491, 316 AB, 14 HR, 5 SB, 121 wRC+, 3.9 WAR
SS Carlos Correa (NYY)* - .255/.340/.380, 271 AB, 8 HR, 5 SB, 100 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
LF Dave Aleman (DET)* - .298/.377/.544, 329 AB, 18 HR, 21 SB, 147 wRC+, 3.6 WAR
LF Alex Kirilloff (BOS) - .298/.359/.548, 305 AB, 19 HR, 3 SB, 146 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
LF Luis Morales (MIN) - .301/.381/.543, 322 AB, 18 HR, 152 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
LF Junior Perez (LAA) - .237/.331/.602, 304 AB, 34 HR, 1 SB, 151 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
LF Orlando Reyna (SEA) - .317/.370/.540, 252 AB, 15 HR, 1 SB, 144 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
CF Julio Rodriguez (SEA)* - .291/.377/.514, 247 AB, 12 HR, 6 SB, 146 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
RF Kyle Tucker (NYY)* - .284/.359/.466, 324 AB, 12 HR, 7 SB, 126 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
And these are the gifted players for the National League:
SP Robert Ahlstrom (NYM)* - 8-5, 2.32 ERA, 128.0 IP, 0.94 WHIP, 11.2 K/9, 4.1 WAR
SP Edwin Barreto (ATL) - 7-7, 2.93 ERA, 107.2 IP, 1.33 WHIP, 14.3 K/9, 3.6 WAR
SP Parker Detmers (WSH) - 8-3, 4.09 ERA, 94.2 IP, 1.15 WHIP, 14.0 K/9, 2.7 WAR
SP Jayden McClarin (NYM) - 8-6, 2.67 ERA, 118.0 IP, 0.88 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 3.8 WAR
SP Luis Patiņo (LAD) - 7-7, 4.03 ERA, 96.0 IP, 1.26 WHIP, 7.4 K/9, 1.6 WAR
SP Juan Sandoval (NYM) - 10-4, 2.61 ERA, 110.1 IP, 1.04 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, 3.7 WAR
SP Isaiah White (MIL) - 5-5, 3.51 ERA, 105.0 IP, 1.24 WHIP, 13.7 K/9, 1.7 WAR
SP Jose Wicks (SD) - 6-5, 2.45 ERA, 110.0 IP, 1.13 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, 2.0 WAR
RP Gerardo Carrillo (PHI) - 2-1, 8 SV, 2.02 ERA, 49.0 IP, 1.06 WHIP, 9.4 K/9, 0.6 WAR
RP Jack Leiter (MIL) - 2-2, 3.15 ERA, 60.0 IP, 1.02 WHIP, 8.1 K/9, 1.1 WAR
RP Frank Mozzicato (ARI) - 7-5, 2.18 ERA, 62.0 IP, 1.11 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 1.1 WAR
RP Jared Szabo (MIA) - 1-1, 1.91 ERA, 56.2 IP, 1.11 WHIP, 6.2 K/9, 0.6 WAR
CL Omar Cabrera (SA) - 2-6, 21 SV, 3.92 ERA, 39.0 IP, 1.28 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, 1.3 WAR
CL Landon Sims (CHC) - 3-5, 20 SV, 5.89 ERA, 36.2 IP, 1.72 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 0.5 WAR
C Francisco Alvarez (NYM) - .220/.305/.404, 245 AB, 12 HR, 97 wRC+, 1.6 WAR
C Edgar Quero (CIN) - .252/.317/.437, 238 AB, 9 HR, 1 SB, 103 wRC+, 1.3 WAR
C Ernesto Ruiz (SA)* - .249/.364/.522, 245 AB, 17 HR, 144 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
1B Vinny Garza (WSH)* - .287/.334/.554, 341 AB, 23 HR, 136 wRC+, 2.3 WAR (Injured)
1B Jacob Gonzalez (ARI) - .305/.359/.548, 341 AB, 22 HR, 7 SB, 138 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
1B Mario Guevara (SF) - .331/.362/.480, 296 AB, 2 HR, 33 SB, 132 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
1B Angel Reinas (LAD)* - .262/.329/.586, 336 AB, 30 HR, 1 SB, 142 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
1B Jamel White (STL)* - .340/.367/.543, 350 AB, 14 HR, 1 SB, 150 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
2B Brian Greer (ARI) - .311/.345/.475, 318 AB, 7 HR, 1 SB, 124 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
2B Sergio Somarriba (ATL)* - .290/.382/.563, 252 AB, 15 HR, 8 SB, 157 wRC+, 3.0 WAR (Injured)
3B Luis Garcia (WSH)* - .317/.374/.516, 322 AB, 12 HR, 3 SB, 141 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
3B Bill Hairston (WSH) - .300/.376/.576, 323 AB, 22 HR, 7 SB, 156 wRC+, 3.4 WAR
3B Nobuo Tasaka (NYM) - .284/.343/.485, 328 AB, 15 HR, 3 SB, 129 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
3B Bobby Witt Jr. (PHI) - .268/.344/.458, 321 AB, 17 HR, 12 SB, 118 wRC+, 3.0 WAR
SS Eric Bitonti (PHI) - .301/.346/.517, 319 AB, 17 HR, 134 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
SS Hector Juarez (WSH)* - .357/.402/.656, 311 AB, 22 HR, 3 SB, 185 wRC+, 4.8 WAR
LF Julio Arriaga (PHI) - .314/.355/.681, 204 AB, 22 HR, 2 SB, 180 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
LF Manny Becerra (COL)* - .365/.422/.506, 348 AB, 2 HR, 41 SB, 150 wRC+, 3.9 WAR
LF Yohendrick Pinango (ATL) - .339/.395/.563, 295 AB, 11 HR, 3 SB, 161 wRC+, 2.7 WAR
CF Angelo Davila (COL) - .315/.384/.547, 232 AB, 10 HR, 6 SB, 148 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
CF Riley Greene (CHC)* - .264/.330/.504, 242 AB, 12 HR, 125 wRC+, 1.1 WAR (Injured)
RF Omar Delgado (CIN) - .292/.362/.577, 319 AB, 26 HR, 1 SB, 155 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
RF Dave Rivera (MIL) - .260/.343/.558, 312 AB, 26 HR, 1 SB, 145 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
(former Rays in italics - Tucker was a one-year rental in 2025 and Greene a half-season rental in 2028)
We sent a decent contingent of five to the game. Starter Stone makes his 4th appearance and first as a Ray, R-Rod goes for the second straight time and Vargas makes a surprise first appearance. Rutschman of course is a fixture - this marks the 11th straight year he's been an All-Star, selected in every season during his career except for his rookie campaign, and new acquisition Pino makes it for the third straight year.
The Derby:
Pino was selected for this competition.
And he won! This is the first (or maybe the second) time I can remember a Ray winning this competition, and Pino did it in style, hitting a contest-best 28 homers in the final round.
The Game:
It was a rough night for the AL and for the Rays contingent as pitchers Vargas and Stone both gave up runs with Stone surrendering a 2-run homer to Bobby Witt Jr. R-Rod didn't pitch. On the batting side at least Pino doubled and scored one of the two AL runs while Rutschman took the collar in 2 at-bats.