Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani Out of 2026 MLB All-Star Game
Major League Baseball will be without its two biggest global superstars for the 2026 All-Star Game festivities in Philadelphia, representing a significant ratings blow for broadcaster Fox.
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge remains sidelined with a right rib stress fracture that has kept him out since June 5. Judge is scheduled to undergo critical diagnostic re-imaging during the All-Star break to evaluate his recovery. The Yankees have struggled severely in his absence, posting a mediocre 15-17 record since he went on the injured list. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman provided a cautious update regarding the upcoming scan:
"I don't think we're anticipating it's coming back clean. I think we're anticipating and hopeful that it's showing the healing process."
Joining Judge on the sidelines is Los Angeles Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. The National League's leading vote-getter will sit out the showcase to receive treatment on his left knee1, which includes having fluid drained. Ohtani's knee pain has primarily affected his ability to pitch rather than hit, prompting the Dodgers to manage his workload proactively. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained:
"He’s been managing this quite well, the knee, and so if there’s a chance that we could be proactive and get it drained and do whatever we need to do to try to manage it, along with the rest for the All-Star break, we were going to do that."
With both superstars out, MLB is leaning heavily on Philadelphia Phillies hometown heroes Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to carry the event's momentum.
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An instance of Championship operations must bench superstars to preserve their physical health for ultimate prizes. — The Dodgers chose to proactively rest their marquee superstar during the All-Star showcase to manage his long-term knee recovery and pitch-readiness. ↩︎