"What will Raleigh do for an encore after his historic 60-homer season? Here's one way to look at it: 34 players have hit at least 50 home runs in a season, with 23 of those doing it just once. Let's assume Raleigh's true talent level isn't hitting 60 home runs, or even 50, but something less. We don't know that yet, but you probably don't want to bet on a 50-homer season."
"Kurtz over Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? A tough call for sure, but I just can't ignore Kurtz's rookie slash line: .290/.383/.619, with 36 home runs in 117 games. You don't luck your way into numbers like that -- and he did that after playing a grand total of 33 games in the minors. After getting called up in late April, it's not like the league ever really figured him out either, as July and August were his best months."
This preview presents way-too-early All-Star selections for the 2026 Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia, featuring 32-man rosters with 20 position players and 12 pitchers per league. For American League starters, Raleigh is selected despite questions about his encore after his historic 60-home run 2025 season. Analysis suggests his true talent level likely falls below 50 homers, with historical comparisons indicating an average decline of 12.7 homers among similar players, projecting approximately 47 homers as attainable. Notably, rookie Kurtz earns selection over Vladimir Guerrero Jr., having posted a .290/.383/.619 slash line with 36 home runs in just 117 games after minimal minor league experience, demonstrating sustained excellence throughout the season despite a September decline.
#mlb-all-star-predictions #2026-midsummer-classic #american-league-roster #rookie-performance #home-run-analysis
Read at ESPN.com
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