Yankees’ Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger and others hold strong footing in initial All-Star vote update

Major League Baseball’s All-Star voting entered its next stage after Phase 1 concluded on Thursday, and the early positioning favored multiple members of the New York Yankees. With the league’s format moving the top vote-getters at each position into Phase 2, several Yankees remained close to the top of their respective categories heading into the next round.

Ben Rice, the Yankees’ first baseman, was listed as the second-most-voted first baseman behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. That placement matters because the league’s rules for advancement are based on position-by-position top finishers moving forward. If Rice holds the momentum through the transition to Phase 2, he would be among the Yankees most closely tied to a starting-role path in the final fan-ballot results.

Aaron Judge also appeared near the top of his position in the voting update, reported as first among outfielders in the Yankees’ All-Star vote picture, though the update also noted that he would not be able to play. The same update described Cody Bellinger as fourth in the voting at first base, keeping him in contention for the next phase even without being in the top two at the time of the update.

The broader Yankees voting snapshot also included Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was described as fourth overall with 419,777 votes. Meanwhile, the update cited the competition at second base by referencing Ezequiel Durán’s 531,182 votes and his standing as the second-ranked player at that position, underscoring how tight the voting totals can be across teams as Phase 2 approaches.

In parallel with the fan-voting news, the Yankees were also reported to have recalled Yerry de los Santos. The recall is a roster-management move, but the voting update was the main thread of this particular report, reflecting a team that is drawing attention both from fans and from day-to-day operational adjustments.

Separate from the on-field and All-Star voting developments, the report also noted that Jim Abbott is set to receive an ESPY. Abbott’s mention in a Yankees-focused update ties the franchise to a wider baseball community spotlight, though the report did not add further details beyond that recognition.

As Phase 2 nears, the key thing to watch is whether the Yankees’ vote standings translate into advancement under the league’s position-by-position rules. Rice’s second-place standing at first base and Bellinger’s proximity to the top two create a clear avenue for Yankees representation, while Judge’s inability to play makes it especially important to monitor who ultimately benefits from the final voting outcomes.