Yanks have 9 -- yes, 9 -- potential All-Stars

June 30th, 2022

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The visiting clubhouse at Dodger Stadium figures to be thick with Yankees representation for the July 19 All-Star Game, with cases to be made for plenty of Bombers to zip their travel bags and head west to participate in the Midsummer Classic.

Aaron Judge is a lock, of course, with the slugger charging toward his first American League MVP Award. Judge has earned a starting spot as the AL's top vote-getter, and he’s hoping that there will be plenty of familiar faces once he gets to Los Angeles.

One player that both Judge and manager Aaron Boone are campaigning for is catcher Jose Trevino, who has hit a career-high six homers and entered play on Thursday batting .329 (27-for-82) in his last 29 games. Trevino is a finalist in the fan vote for AL catchers, along with Alejandro Kirk of the Blue Jays.

“What he’s doing this year is special,” Judge said. “I think he’s going to continue to do that for quite a few years. I think he, so far, deserves the right to be in L.A. this year and represent the Yankees and the American League. I hope he gets that nod. He’s worked his butt off for this opportunity and he’s taking full advantage of it.”

Other potential Yankees All-Star position players include first baseman Anthony Rizzo (20 homers, including nine in June), outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (18 homers, 140 OPS+ in 61 games) and second baseman Gleyber Torres (13 homers, 124 OPS+ in 67 games).

On the pitching side, the Yankees could be represented by Gerrit Cole (6-2, 2.99 ERA in 15 starts), Nestor Cortes (6-3, 2.51 ERA in 14 starts), Clay Holmes (13 saves in 34 appearances, with an 0.50 ERA that is the AL’s lowest among relievers) and Michael King (2.38 ERA with 56 strikeouts, most among AL relievers).

“With some guys that potentially would be going for the first time, that’s pretty special,” Boone said. “It’s awesome that a lot of guys are deservingly in consideration for it. Obviously we’re still a few weeks away from that, but I think I’d be pretty tickled to see a number of guys get that opportunity.”