Yankees Fans Receive Disappointing Ben Rice News on Monday
New York Yankeesfirst baseman Ben Rice has fully broken out this year. The 27-year-old has taken his game to another level in his third big-league season. Across 65 games, Rice has posted a .293 batting average, .387 on-base percentage, .998 OPS, 19 home runs and 47 RBIs.
With superstar outfielder Aaron Judge sidelined with a rib fracture, Rice has taken it upon himself to make sure New York's offense remains elite. His two-run home run Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays helped the Yankees take the series on the road against a division rival. Unfortunately, his efforts have not solidified a starting spot in this year's All-Star Game.
In fact, there is plenty of work still to do. MLB revealed the first round of All-Star Game voting updates Monday, and Rice was high on the ballot. However, he was not first, with Toronto's first baseman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., taking the top spot.
That was a familiar sight on the American League ballot, with many Blue Jays players receiving a flood of votes given how much support the team has received following its World Series appearance in 2025.
Unfortunately for Rice and Yankees fans, that has placed Guerrero ahead of him for the top spot. Rice sits second in voting, meaning that Guerrero would start the All-Star Game over him.
The top vote-getters at each position in the AL!
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That is completely unjustified based on this season alone. Guerrero is the more accomplished player overall, but for 2026 specifically, it is not even close. Guerrero has posted a .280 batting average, .372 on-base percentage, .737 OPS, three home runs and 27 RBIs. Rice's numbers are far better across the board.
There is still time for Yankees fans to support their first baseman, but the lead is sizable. Guerrero owns 603,014 votes, while Rice sits nearly 100,000 votes behind with 509,830.
With voting still ongoing, Yankees fans have a chance to close the gap, and given the season Rice is having, he deserves every shot at starting alongside the rest of the league's best.
Related: Yankees Facing Troubling Development After Giancarlo Stanton News
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 12:14 PM.