NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is gearing up for his seventh All-Star Game, already voted in as an American League starter after pacing all Major Leaguers in Phase 1 fan voting. Now the Yankees’ captain will wait to see which of his teammates will join him. Judge received 4,012,983 votes, edging the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani’s tally of 3,967,668. With Phase 2 voting set to begin today, Judge expects to have pinstriped company for the July 15 Midsummer Classic at Atlanta’s Truist Park. • Goldschmidt, Rice on ballot as Phase 2 opens today At first base, Paul Goldschmidt is up against the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The 37-year-old Goldschmidt is seeking his eighth All-Star selection -- and first in the AL. Though his bat has cooled after two strong months, Goldschmidt enters play Monday with a slash line of .282/.346/.422, with 15 doubles, a triple, eight homers and 32 RBIs in 81 games. Goldschmidt’s most recent All-Star selection came in his NL MVP year of 2022, with the Cardinals. “It’s way better to be on his team than playing against him, that’s for sure,” left-hander Max Fried said. “He’s always just a professional at-bat, no matter what his numbers are, whatever day of the week. You know when he comes up to the plate, he’s going to give you his best and you can’t take any pitches off.” |
At designated hitter, Ben Rice is in a head-to-head battle with the Orioles’ Ryan O’Hearn. In his first full Major League season, the 26-year-old Rice has compiled a .233/.328/.479 slash line, with 12 doubles, two triples, 14 homers and 29 RBIs in 70 games. “I liked a lot of things he did last year,” Judge said. “All the tools and the swing, everything was there. It was just about him getting everyday reps and just getting another opportunity, and he was able to get that this year. “ … He cleaned some things up mechanically. He’s always got a great approach. He’s always talking with [Giancarlo] Stanton, talking with me, talking with different guys about, ‘Hey, what do you look for here? When do you sit for pitches?’ I think he’s just putting the whole total package together.” |
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As the manager of the defending AL champions, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone will be in charge of his first All-Star Game. He said some rival managers have reached out to advocate their pitchers, but Boone seems likely to keep at least two spots for hurlers of his own. Fried and Carlos Rodón both have strong cases. With a 10-2 record and 1.92 ERA in 17 starts, Fried has been everything the Yankees could have hoped for in his first season in pinstripes, especially considering spring injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. Rodón also has been excellent, pitching to a 9-5 record and 2.92 ERA across 17 starts. Rodón’s 119 strikeouts rank third in the AL, while his .180 opponent batting average is second. After Fried’s most recent outing, a seven-inning gem against the Reds in Cincinnati, Boone was asked whether he plans to name him as the AL’s starting pitcher. “That’s down the road. We’ll see,” Boone said, with a smile. “He’s making a case, though.” Considering the game will be played in Atlanta, that would figure to be a meaningful nod for Fried, a two-time All-Star who pitched for the Braves from 2017-24. “I’ve got a handful of starts to go before the All-Star break,” Fried said. “Right now, at this time, I’m not really looking that far ahead. A lot can happen between now and then. I’m really just focused on taking the ball, trying to compete and trying to win another game.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
Friday, July 11, is Billy Joel Bobblehead Night. The first 18,000 guests for the 7:05 p.m. ET game against the Cubs will receive a collectible keepsake of the popular musician, depicted in Yankees pinstripes and cap while playing the piano. For tickets and more information, visit yankees.com/tickets. |
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Who led the 1998 Yankees in stolen bases? A. Derek Jeter B. Chuck Knoblauch C. Paul O'Neill D. Bernie Williams |
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THIS DATE IN YANKEES HISTORY |
June 30, 1961: Whitey Ford runs his June record to 8-0 in eight starts with a complete-game 5-1 victory over the Washington Senators, becoming the first pitcher in AL history to win eight games in one month. Ford, who will go on to win the Cy Young Award, pitched to a 2.54 ERA in June. He'll finish with a 25-4 record and 3.21 ERA in 39 starts for the eventual World Series champions. |
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B. Knoblauch Knoblauch swiped 31 bases (in 43 attempts) during that memorable 1998 season, one more than Jeter’s 30. |
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