6 Yankees Most Likely to Play in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game Next Month

Ben Rice is one of the six Yankees who are clear-cut candidates for July's MLB All-Star Game. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The 2026 MLB season is just over two months old, meaning the outlook for the rest of the campaign is taking shape. Although things haven't been perfect, the Yankees have given their fans plenty to cheer about throughout the season so far, especially with young guns like Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice taking that next step towards superstardom. That's without mentioning how veterans like Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger are doing their part, too.

The ultimate recognition for the Yankees' efforts would be a World Series win, but that can't happen for another four or so months. With that being said, some New York players might find themselves beneath the spotlight next month when the annual MLB All-Star Game takes over Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA.

After the first phase of voting opened on Wednesday, here's a look at the six Yankees who are most likely to join the American League squad for the 2026 MLB All-Star festivities.

1. Aaron Judge, RF/DH

Aaron Judge's 2026 performance hasn't been his best, but it's hard to imagine the AL All-Stars playing without the reigning back-to-back MVP. The 34-year-old slugger has been on each of the last five American League rosters, and his popularity as one of baseball's top stars will likely land him in the contest, regardless of what his bat is doing.

Aaron Judge has become a fixture at the MLB All-Star Game, so it's hard to imagine that he won't be there, even if this season hasn't been his best. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Judge is currently dealing with a rib injury, so it remains to be seen if he'll miss the ASG action. However, assuming that he's healthy, he'll likely be in the City of Brotherly Love next month. Through 59 games (214 at-bats) before his injury, Judge was slashing .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs, 42 walks and a 2.2 WAR. Sure, those aren't his best stats, but they're better than most AL batters, putting No. 99 on track to make another All-Star Game appearance.

2. Ben Rice, 1B/DH

Yankees fans always knew that Ben Rice had potential, but no one expected him to take his game to heights this high in Year 3.

The former 2021 12th-rounder has lit up the majors as he becomes a household name around the Bronx, amassing 17 home runs and 44 RBIs while slashing .304/.395/.647 with an absurd 187 OPS+ and .447 rOBA. His 2.4 WAR is third behind only Bellinger (3.4) and Schlittler (2.9) on the team.

Ben Rice has been named AL Player of the Week:

12-for-26, HR, 11 RBI, 4 2B, 2 3B, 1.418 OPS pic.twitter.com/kam8pvGwr7

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 1, 2026

Rice was recently named the American League Player of the Week for the final portion of May, so he's already on the road to getting the recognition he deserves. He's showing no signs of slowing down, with his foot firmly on the gas pedal, giving Yankees fans hope that he'll receive his first-ever MLB All-Star nod next month.

And with the way his career is shaping up, that could be just the first of many honors to come.

3. Cam Schlittler, RHP

Much like Rice's bat has been a revelation this year, the same can be said for Cam Schlittler's performance on the mound. The Weymouth, MA native has been everything Yankees fans want out of an ace and more, already surpassing last year's win total (4) with seven in an MLB-leading 13 starts—one fewer outing than he saw in 2025. On top of that, Schlittler leads American League pitchers in:

• WAR: 2.9
• ERA: 1.89
• ERA+: 219
• FIP: 2.13
• WHIP: 0.865
• Hits per nine innings: 6.2
• Walks per nine innings: 1.5

Although Schlittler uncharacteristically allowed four earned runs in Tuesday's 9-4 loss to the Guardians, there's no reason to push the panic button yet. He only allowed three-plus ERs twice before that this season, with both instances occurring in early April. He surrendered just five earned runs in as many appearances in May, meaning there's a good chance he'll quickly return to form to continue his All-Star (and potential Cy Young) bid.

4. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B

Cody Bellinger made quite the first impression after the ex-Cub was traded to the Yankees before the 2025 season. The former National League MVP went on to mash 29 home runs and 98 RBIs with a .813 OPS en route to finishing 12th in the race for the AL's Most Valuable Player. Of course, New York couldn't let him walk in free agency after that, signing him to a five-year, $162.5 million contract in January.

At first, a slow start to the 2026 campaign worried Yankees fans that Bellinger wouldn't live up to his contract. Fortunately, things changed for the better once the calendar flipped to May. Since the start of last month, Bellinger has slashed .303/.402/.560 with five home runs, 25 RBIs and 20 walks across 30 games (109 ABs). For context, that would put him on pace for 27 HRs and 135 RBIs in 162 games.

Lucky 13 ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/6s1s8OFIAU

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 31, 2026

It took a while, but Bellinger finally looks like his old self again. If he can maintain the status quo for the next month, there's a good chance that Yankees fans will be watching him in Philly next month.

5. Will Warren, RHP

The 2025 season was Will Warren's first complete big-league year. He finished eighth in AL Rookie of the Year voting after going 9-8 with a 4.44 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 162 1/3 innings across an American League-high 33 starts. It wasn't the most mind-blowing performance, but it was good enough to make you wonder what his next gear would look like.

As it turns out, that gear is Warren becoming one of the Yankees' most reliable starters. The 26-year-old righty is already 7-1 after his first 12 appearances, with his .875 win percentage tied for the second-best effort in the AL. His strikeouts per nine innings (9.8) are also more than last year's mark (9.5) as he holds opposing batters to a .234/.289/.363 slash line. The .652 OPS he's surrendered is even below the MLB average (.715).

Warren isn't the most obvious All-Star candidate, but he's playing well enough (four straight appearances without a loss) to warrant legitimate consideration.

6. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B/DH

As Yankees on SI's Joseph Randazzo wrote over the weekend, Paul Goldschmidt is quietly making his case to participate in the eighth MLB All-Star Game of his career.

Even at the age of 38, Paul Goldschmidt is finding ways to remain in the MLB All-Star conversation. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Initially a bench bat to begin the year, Goldschmidt saw more action as the Yankees used Rice more as the designated hitter with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined. The results have been great, with Goldschmidt slashing .318/.388/.591 with six home runs, 19 RBIs and eight walks in 25 games (88 ABs) since May 3. He has eight RBIs and a whopping 1.030 OPS in his last five games alone.

Goldschmidt is likely a long shot to be an All-Star starter, mainly due to his having a smaller sample size than the other AL first basemen. At the same time, a potential reserve role shouldn't be ruled out, and that's without accounting for potential injuries that could pop up between now and July.

Father Time is undefeated, but he's having a hard time catching Goldschmidt at the moment. If the gap doesn't close anytime soon, Yankees fans should remain confident that the former NL MVP could be in the All-Star mix next month.