New York Yankees and more undeniable winners from the MLB All-Star Game

Expectations were high for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game after an electric Home Run Derby, but after an action-packed top of the first inning, there weren't many highlights to speak of. The American League won the game 4-0, thanks to a three-run opening frame and some historically dominant pitching.

But while the game might've been a dud overall, it still brought some winners worth discussing.

New York Yankees

The biggest winner from the All-Star Game was undoubtedly the New York Yankees, who needed this after the Home Run Derby didn't go their way. Cody Bellinger was the one responsible for the game's biggest swing, delivering a two-run single with the bases loaded against Cristopher Sanchez to give the AL all they would need offensively. He won the All-Star Game MVP award because of that swing.

Yet, Bellinger wasn't the only Yankee to produce. Ben Rice immediately followed Bellinger with an RBI single of his own, meaning the Yankees' dynamic duo drove in three of the AL's four runs. Cam Schlittler's decision not to pitch in the game was a bit of a gut punch for some Yankees fans, but Bellinger and Rice made up for that.

Miguel Vargas, Chicago White Sox

Miguel Vargas has enjoyed a breakout year with the Chicago White Sox, ending the first half with 21 home runs, 59 RBI and a .848 OPS. Vargas deserved to be an All-Star, and he showed why on Tuesday, launching a moonshot off Justin Wrobleski to extend the AL's lead.

Vargas didn't deserve MVP honors for turning a 3-0 lead into a 4-0 lead, but this was the loudest swing of the night from a player who certainly deserves more attention on a team that also should be talked about more.

Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays

John Schneider's decision to start his ace, Dylan Cease, in the All-Star Game was met with controversy, mostly because he went out of his way to insist that he was dead-set on choosing his Toronto Blue Jays pitcher even if Schlittler had been available to pitch in the game. We can argue whether Schneider's decision was the right one, but what we can't say is that Cease didn't look the part of a deserving starter on Tuesday.

Cease struck out three of the four batters he faced, fanning Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto and C.J. Abrams. He did issue a walk, but striking out three of the four best hitters in the National League's starting lineup is an accomplishment that shouldn't be taken lightly. Cease has been dominant all year, and that continued on the big stage.

OF Pete Crow-Armstrong

For reasons I truly cannot understand, Pete Crow-Armstrong, MLB's leader in fWAR by over one full win, was not voted in as an All-Star Game starter. PCA took this stride, though, grounding a single into center field in his only at-bat of the All-Star Game against Louis Varland.

Is a seeing-eye single really that big a deal? No, but it feels like a bigger deal when realizing that PCA was responsible for just one of the National League's three hits. The NL got nothing going all night, and perhaps had Crow-Armstrong gotten another at-bat or two as he should've, they might've been able to scratch out a single run.

Tampa Bay Rays

For a while, it looked like the Tampa Bay Rays were going to be the All-Star Game's biggest losers. Not only did Junior Caminero hit a come-backer in his first at-bat of the night with two runners on base, but his second at-bat saw him get drilled in the hand by a 97.6 mph Riley O'Brien sinker. In real time, it looked as if he had broken or fractured his hand or a finger. Fortunately, Caminero dodged a major bullet and said he expects to be in Friday's lineup. That makes the Rays a winner.

Had Caminero gone down with a serious injury in a meaningless exhibition game, that would've felt like a season-defining blow for a Rays team that has the best record in the American League right now. Caminero being fine, combined with Nick Martinez pitching a one-two-three inning and Bryan Baker recording the final out of the night, made for a pretty good day for the Rays.

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