The All-Star Game is just weeks away and the first round of voting is underway. With the Red Sox sitting at 11 games under .500 for the first time since 2020, who is going to represent this team in Philadelphia?
For our purposes here we’re going to take out the obvious hail Mary: Aroldis Chapman. The man is already an eight-time All Star. Closers are always a good pick as they often represent the best reliever a team has. Or a combination of best and most famous. Unless the team really goes on a roll right now, there probably won’t be a groundswell of votes for anyone, but let’s think about it as though everyone is being considered.
First base: Willson Contreras
Even in 2026 it’s nice to be leading your team in homers. Willson has done everything he could to endear himself to Red Sox Nation with the bat, glove, and general intensity.
First base, however, has some strong contenders, like Nick Kurtz in Sacramento or the White Sox sensation Munetaka Murakami (currently on the IL and not expected back until after the game), or Ben Rice in New York. Plus there’s Vlad Jr. Managers have less discretion than they used to on the roster but being a big name helps a lot. Willson is excellent defensively, so he might still be the backup first baseman, especially if he gets a strong showing among voters, which is probably not too likely, but you never know.
Second base: Marcelo Mayer
There’s no chance Mayer represents the Sox in Philly as the American League second baseman.
Moving on, here’s another great place for the Blue Jays: Ernie Clement is right here. He’s one of the better bats at the keystone and just played in the World Series; he might even get voted in. People like Jose Altuve could be lurking on name recognition alone, even though he’s no longer an elite player. Chase Meidroth is on the ballot for the White Sox and he’s been good, though not necessarily what you think of when you think All-Star.
Can someone defeat José Ramírez? He’s held the job five years running though he declined to play in 2025. Alex Bregman was injured. It was hard to cycle through.
Junior Caminero? Maybe. Durbin can try again next year. Slick fielding and some better hitting might get him a brief national appearance someday.
Sorry, Trevor. You’re on the ballot but also having a bad year and are injured through the game anyway.
Bobby Witt Jr.? He’s been on fire, played for Team USA in the WBC, and is generally going to be hard to improve on.
Maybe he’d have made the All-Star Team at the end of 2025 if the voting happened then? It’s too bad because he really should have gotten more recognition for last season.
Cal Raleigh is terrible this season. Also hurt. But he might win the popularity contest based on his 60 home runs.
Shea Langeliers in Sacramento is absolutely crushing the ball.
Adley Rutschman is bouncing back to 2024 levels.
Salvador Perez might get the Royals Nation to stuff the ballot box again.
Outfield: Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu
This is possibly the only place the Sox can sneak through a guy on votes alone. Anyone voting for the ASG can consider the Gold Glove favorites Rafaela and Abreu for their ballot. Both are continuing to amazing on the grass and contribute with the bat.
It’s not 2024 and that’s more obvious to Jarren Duran than just about anyone. That still leaves two outfielders.
The competition, however, is fierce. Julio Rodriguez has turned it on as of late.
Byron Buxton? Randy Arozarena? They’re doing big things too. Buxton was on the team in 2022 and 2025, which seems like not enough in his career.
Aaron Judge is thankfully hurt and probably missing more of the season than just the All-Star Game.
Pitchers don’t get voted on and Chapman already has the closer’s claim to roster consideration. Tolle is the full package as a starter likely to relieve and not start the game. He’s good. He’s big. He has that trademark mustache. His interview presence is off the charts. He’d be hilarious to have for interviews. Or a mic’d up feature. If his career keeps on the trajectory we’ve seen, he’s going to make an All-Start Game someday. A real “face of baseball” kind of guy.
