Rays Rightfully Have Multiple Players Joining Junior Caminero on AL All-Star Team
In this story:
The Tampa Bay Rays have been arguably the most pleasant surprise in the MLB this season, turning into a dominant squad.
With a record of 52-34 entering play on July 5, they have the best record in the American League and are four games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East. They are right in the mix as one of the best teams in the MLB, and it should come as no surprise that they have multiple representatives on the AL All-Star Team this year.
The Rays have one player who will be in the starting lineup, third baseman Junior Caminero. It is the second consecutive year that he has been selected for the team and will be in the starting lineup, but it is the first time that he has been voted in as a starter.
Last year, he was the replacement for Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians, who opted not to play. This is a historic moment for Caminero, who is the first player in Tampa Bay history to start consecutive All-Star games.
Rays have four players make AL All-Star Team
That streak should continue for years to come as one of the most impressive young superstars in the game. Thus far this season, he has a .291/.379/.566 slash line with 26 home runs. He will be participating in the 2026 Home Run Derby as well.
Joining him on the AL All-Star Team this year is a trio of teammates. One other position player, Yandy Diaz, has made the team as the second designated hitter, behind Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros.
Diaz remains one of the most consistently productive sluggers in the game in his age-34 campaign. He is as underrated as they come, and it was nice to see his performance rewarded by his peers as a player-elected pick.
This season, he has a .325 batting average, which leads the AL, with a .408 on-base percentage and .495 slugging percentage. He has 12 home runs, 15 doubles and 53 RBI as an anchor for the lineup.
Fantastic 4 https://t.co/BF1SdKzkZ8 pic.twitter.com/f5eCC86cKB
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 5, 2026
On the pitching staff, two Rays’ hurlers made the cut: starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen and closer Bryan Baker. Both are incredibly deserving of the honor.
Rasmussen is on the AL All-Star Team for the second straight year. The ace of the staff, he has been great through 17 starts with a 7-4 record and 2.78 ERA across 97 innings of work. He has 96 strikeouts and only 17 walks issued, earning a 2.5 bWAR.
Baker has been a revelation for Tampa Bay at the backend of their bullpen. Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles during the 2025 season, he didn’t make a great first impression with the franchise.
He struggled mightily, but quickly ascended to the closer’s role this year with other players ineffective or injured. Baker has been dominant with 23 saves and a 1.83 ERA in 34.1 innings with 37 strikeouts.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.