As expected, Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan will represent the Twins in the All-Star Game at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park on July 14. That's good news. The bad news is that Kody Clemens wasn't named to the American League roster.
Clemens has broken out this year with 1.7 fWAR, a .248/.311/.500 (122 wRC+) slash line, 26 home runs and 42 RBI over 76 games. Additionally, he has provided Minnesota with exceptional defensive versatility in 2026, logging innings at first and second base and all three outfield positions.
Kody Clemens has homered in three straight games!
— MLB (@MLB) July 4, 2026
He's got 5 HR in his last 8 games overall 💪 pic.twitter.com/PyBRe0NWw2
Meanwhile, Cleveland Guardians rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana made the AL All-Star team with notably worse stats than Clemens. In 58 games this year, Bazzana has posted 1.3 fWAR and a .250/.341/.412 (113 wRC+) slash line with seven home runs, 27 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
The defensive metrics also favor Clemens, who has recorded 0 Defensive Runs Saved in the outfield (186 innings), +1 DRS at second base (87 innings) and +4 DRS at first base (349 1/3 innings). As for Bazzana, the rookie has posted -2 DRS over 501 2/3 innings at second base.
Bazzana is undoubtedly having a strong rookie year, but Clemens is clearly more deserving of being an All-Star. Every team is required to have at least one All-Star, but Bazzana isn't Cleveland's only representative on the AL roster, as Guardians left-hander Parker Messick was also named to the team.
Twins' Kody Clemens could still be an All-Star in 2026
There's still time for Clemens to be named an All-Star. Typically, some players choose not to play in the Midsummer Classic to rest or because of an injury. Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who won the fan vote for AL first basemen, has already declined to participate in this year's All-Star Game, per MLB.com's Doug Miller. Guerrero has been playing through back pain this season, so the star decided it'd be best to take the All-Star break as an opportunity to rest.
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was also voted into the All-Star Game, but he won't participate due to a fractured right rib that has kept him sidelined for over a month. With Judge and Guerrero's spots on the AL roster needing to be filled, Clemens still has a decent shot to be named a first-time All-Star. There's also a solid chance that other AL position players will either decline to participate in the game or have to back out because of an injury.
The 2026 All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, July 14. The Game will be available to watch on FOX.
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