Buxton, Judge, Suarez, Ohtani are out of the ASG, Murakami, Rafaela, Martinez, Herrera are Named Replacements

More players have been removed from the original ASG rosters and replacements have been named. Let's get to it.

2026 Topps Munetaka Murakami #503

Bryan Buxton, voted in as a starter for the AL squad, was placed on the DL on July 7 with a reaggravated right hip impingement. Impingement means, according to the Cleveland Clinic, "the painful pinching or rubbing of soft tissues - such as tendons or bursa - against bone in a joint." That sounds painful. With Buxton now out of the game, Riley Greene of the Tigers has been named as his replacement in the starting lineup. Buxton's replacement on the roster goes to the White Sox' "rookie" slugger Munetaka Murakami. Murakami just returned from the DL himself, missing more than a month from a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Even with him out for more than 30 games, he has 20 home runs and 41 rbi's. He joins fellow Pale Hose Miguel Vargas on the team.

2026 Topps Ceddanne Rafaela #101

Aaron Judge, also voted onto the AL team, has been on the DL for a good part of the season with a stress fracture in his first right rib. So it was well known that someone else will take his spot in the starting lineup. Fellow Yankee Cody Bellinger will take his place as a starter. His replacement is Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela. Rafaela, a Gold Glove winner last year, is hitting .283 through 87 games this season, with 8 home runs and 39 rbi's. He is now the fourth Red Sox player on the team, joining Aroldis Chapman, Ranger Suarez, and Willson Contreras. Although...

Suarez himself is now on the DL because a groin injury. Replacing him is emerging Rays ace Nick Martinez. In his ninth MLB campaign, Martinez comes into the break with a 7-2 record in 17 starts, an ERA of 2.61 and 61 K's in 100 innings of work. Now a first-time All-Star, he joins fellow pitchers Bryan Baker and Drew Rasmussen, along with Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz from the first place Rays going to Philadelphia.

In a surprising turn of events, it was announced that NL vote leader Shohei Ohtani will not be heading to Philly for the game. Nursing knee discomfort since the middle of June, he was scratched from his scheduled pitching start, even though he is still able to hit. But he will have his knee drained on Sunday, with will allow him to recover before his Dodgers face the Yankees to open the second half of the season. Replacing him in the starting lineup will be Kyle Schwarber of the hometown Phillies, and taking Schwarber's spot on the bench will be Cardinals' catcher/DH Iván Herrera. Herrera, hitting .249 with 11 home runs and 40 rbi's is having a good year for the Redbirds as they remain in the hunt for the NL Central crown. He now joins teammates Riley O'Brien and Jordan Walker onto the team.

So add Murakami's #503 card and Rafaela's #101 card to your all-star binder. Martinez and Herrera, unfortunately, don't have a card in the eponymous brand, so expect them to make their appearances in card form via the Update Series.

Will there be more roster updates? Stay tuned.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama