Ben Rice's All-Star case is becoming impossible for MLB to ignore

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Ben Rice may not win the fan vote for American League starting first baseman, but at this point, keeping him out of the All-Star Game altogether would be far more shocking. The New York Yankees slugger continues to put together one of the biggest breakout seasons in baseball, and his numbers stack up favorably against virtually every first baseman in the American League.

Yet with the latest All-Star voting update released Monday, Rice still trails Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. by more than 575,000 votes for the starting job. That's where popularity and production have created two very different conversations.

One is about who starts. The other is about who deserves to be there.

Rice's numbers tell the story​

Rice entered Monday hitting .293 with 22 home runs, 53 RBIs and a 1.004 OPS through 71 games. Those numbers aren't just good enough for an All-Star appearance. They're good enough to place him among the most dangerous hitters in the American League.

His 22 home runs rank fourth in the AL, while his OPS sits above the 1.000 mark, a threshold reached by only a handful of elite hitters each season. The production has become even more important for New York as the Yankees navigate life without Aaron Judge, who remains sidelined with a rib stress fracture.

When Judge went down, someone needed to help carry the offense. Rice answered the call.

From Dartmouth to Yankee Stadium​

What makes Rice's rise even more remarkable is how unlikely it seemed just a few years ago. The Cohasset, Massachusetts native played college baseball at Dartmouth before being selected by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He wasn't viewed as a can't-miss prospect or future star. Instead, he steadily climbed through the organization while improving at every level.

Now he's become one of the best success stories in baseball. Last season offered a glimpse of his power potential. This season has transformed him into one of the league's premier offensive threats.

For Yankees fans, he's become much more than a pleasant surprise. He's become essential.

MORE: Cardinals fans give Nolan Arenado emotional standing ovation in first return to Busch Stadium

Why Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still leads​

The voting gap isn't necessarily about performance. Guerrero remains one of baseball's biggest names and has built a loyal following through multiple All-Star appearances and years of star-level production.

Rice simply doesn't have that track record yet. While Guerrero leads the fan vote with more than 1.45 million votes, Rice has still positioned himself comfortably in second place and appears headed for Phase 2 voting.

The challenge is that fan voting often rewards name recognition as much as statistics. Rice is discovering that reality firsthand.

Philadelphia should be waiting​

Whether he wins the starting job or not, Rice has done more than enough to earn a trip to Philadelphia for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. His power, consistency and ability to produce in the middle of the Yankees lineup have made him one of the breakout stars of the first half.

The fan vote may determine who starts at first base. It shouldn't determine whether Ben Rice gets an All-Star jersey.

At this point, his bat has already made that decision for everyone.

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