​Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having what many consider the toughest season of his MLB career, yet Blue Jays fans still voted him into the 2026 All-Star Game. Minutes after being named the American League’s starting first baseman, Guerrero told reporters he plans to skip the exhibition to rest a lower back issue that has lingered for about a month, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. He expressed gratitude to the fans who voted for him and called it “one of the hardest parts of not going. It’s very difficult for me. But I really have to take care of myself and I’ve got to put my team first for the second half.”
The starting first-base spot came down to Guerrero and New York Yankees slugger Ben Rice in the second phase of All-Star fan voting. Despite Rice’s strong numbers, Blue Jays supporters proved to be the most influential this year, with every Phase 2 positional race featuring a Blue Jay among the contenders, though Guerrero was the lone starter who prevailed. The only other Toronto starter will be second baseman Ernie Clement, who earned an automatic spot as the AL’s top vote-getter in Phase 1.
Dylan Cease and Louis Varland added to Toronto’s total, giving the Blue Jays four All-Stars—tied for the most in the American League. Rice earned a reserve spot on the AL roster, but he won’t be the starter since Guerrero will sit out. The starting role for that position ultimately goes to Athletics star Nick Kurtz, who secured it by being the highest-ranked player on the player ballot, per MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos.
Guerrero’s All-Star nod comes not from the first-half stats alone but from the arc of his career and last year’s playoff performances in Toronto, which have made him a perennial attraction for fans. It’s not the typical method many expect for selecting an All-Star, but the game is designed to reflect fan interest, and many fans clearly wanted Guerrero for a mix of Blue Jays loyalty, name recognition, trolling, and a shot at sticking it to the Yankees. The All-Star Game is set for Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, July 14, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.