Julio Rodríguez Is Out of the All-Star Race and the AL Outfield Ballot Is a MESS

Alright, Mariners fans, take a deep breath. We just got the Phase 2 finalists for the MLB All-Star ballot, and while two players are already locked in, Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani at NL designated hitter and Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement, we've got 16 more huge decisions to make. But before we even get into the craziness of who *is* in, we gotta talk about who isn't. You saw that right: our own Julio Rodríguez fell out of the top six for the AL outfield. What are we even doing here, people?! T-Mobile Park should be up in arms over this!

The Toughest Calls and Shocking Surprises

Some of these choices are just brutal, man. Take NL first base, for example. You've got Freddie Freeman from the Dodgers battling Matt Olson from the Braves. These two are forever linked, with Olson even replacing Freeman in Atlanta after Freeman won a World Series there. Both are absolutely phenomenal players, and honestly, the Phillies' Bryce Harper didn't even snag a spot. It's truly a "no wrong answer" situation. Then there's AL third base, where Junior Caminero from the Rays is going toe-to-toe with the Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto. Okamoto is leading all AL third basemen in RBIs, and you know those Blue Jays fans turn out the votes. But Caminero? He just had a three-homer day on Thursday and he's been the avatar for a surprising Rays team that's even ahead of the Jays in the standings. Caminero blasted 45 homers last year, and his underlying numbers are even better in 2026. Again, a tough call, but Caminero's surge is for real. And don't even get me started on the NL outfield, which was a roller coaster. Guys like Juan Soto from the Mets barely scraped in, and he's got the highest OPS of anyone there! It just shows how stacked that field

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is when players like James Wood, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Corbin Carroll, and Jordan Walker didn't even make the cut. Crazy!

The AL Outfield Mess and Other Head-Scratchers

Now, let's get back to what really grinds my gears, the AL outfield. Aaron Judge is sidelined, but you can still vote for him, and I bet a lot of folks will. Mike Trout from the Angels is hoping to be back for the game, especially since it's in his home area of Philadelphia. You've also got Byron Buxton, Cody Bellinger, Jesús Sánchez, and Daulton Varsho in the mix. But the fact that *Julio Rodríguez* fell out of the top six? That just makes the whole thing feel a little easier, but only because we don't have our guy in it! Come on, MLB, seriously? How does that happen? Beyond that, AL first base is a statistical anomaly. Ben Rice from the Yankees has an OPS a full 250 points higher than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays, but fans love Vlad Jr., and this could be his fifth start, a Blue Jays record. In the NL, shortstop has budding star CJ Abrams of the Nationals against eight-time All-Star Mookie Betts from the Dodgers. Abrams is having the better year, but let's be real, Mookie is Mookie. Then at NL catcher, you’ve got Drake Baldwin of the Braves, who looks like the reigning NL Rookie of the Year despite missing games, up against Will Smith of the Dodgers, who’s eyeing his fourth straight All-Star nod. Finally, at NL second base, Ozzie Albies of the Braves is a strong candidate for his fourth All-Star appearance, benefiting from Brice Turang not making the final two. So, Mariners fans, while our guy Julio got a raw deal this round, the voting for the rest of these spots starts Monday at noon ET. We gotta rally for anyone we can, and keep showing up for our M's every night. It's a long season, and the best is yet to come for our boys in blue!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.