The Rays keep stacking honors, and now Nick Martinez is the latest Tampa Bay arm headed to the All-Star Game.
Martinez has been named an American League injury replacement for Boston Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez, who will miss the game at Citizens Bank Park, the former home of the Philadelphia Phillies. The move gives Tampa Bay a fifth All-Star representative, adding to a group that already includes third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz, starter Drew Rasmussen and closer Bryan Baker.
Caminero is in the starting lineup and has already made history, becoming the first player in Rays history to start consecutive All-Star Games. Diaz will be available off the bench.
Martinez’s selection is a strong reward for a season that has gone far beyond what many expected when he signed with Tampa Bay. The veteran right-hander opened his Rays tenure by allowing two or fewer earned runs in each of his first 11 starts. That run ended on June 3, when the Detroit Tigers tagged him for six earned runs, the first time any opponent had scored more than two against him.
The rough patch didn’t last forever. Martinez then allowed at least three earned runs in four straight starts, but he has steadied himself over his last two outings, giving up one earned run in each against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros across 11 total innings.
Through 17 starts, Martinez is 7-2 with a 2.61 ERA over 100 innings. He has done it with command more than overpowering stuff, striking out 61 while walking 18. His 3.82 FIP suggests he’s still getting the job done even if the ERA climbs a bit.
Martinez has been a key part of a rotation that has also leaned on Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan, a group that has helped anchor Tampa Bay’s pitching staff in 2026.
Ceddanne Rafaela was also added to the AL roster as an injury replacement, taking the place of New York Yankees star Aaron Judge.
In Other News...
Red Sox Draft Buzz Suddenly Points To A Familiar First Round Dilemma
With the 2026 MLB Draft still ahead, the Red Sox are once again in that familiar spot where the board can tilt in a few different directions and the final answer is anything but obvious. Boston sits at No. 20 overall, and the latest round of mock drafts has kept the club in the mix for a range of players, from left-handed pitchers Hunter Dietz, Cole Carlon and Brody Bumila to bats like Bo Lowrance and Daniel Jackson.
What stands out is how many different profiles are still being attached to the pick, which says as much about the uncertainty around the class as it does about Bostons own priorities. Some evaluators see the Red Sox leaning toward pitching, others connect them to hitters, and a few names such as Taylor Rabe and Ace Reese have also surfaced, leaving the club with a decision that still feels very much open as draft day gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Snub Suddenly Has A Real Shot At All-Star Redemption
Ranger Suarez landing on the injured list during a recent series has suddenly reopened a door the Red Sox thought had already been shut for the summer. The All-Star picture looked settled when Suarez was selected and Sonny Gray was left on the outside looking in, even though Gray has put together the kind of season that usually gets a pitcher invited to the midsummer stage.
Grays case has only grown stronger as the year has gone on, and the timing of Suarezs injury now gives the league a reason to revisit the roster. For Boston, it adds another layer to an already familiar frustration: a pitcher who has done plenty to earn the honor may finally get the chance only because circumstances forced the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Have A Catching Prospect Fans Can't Ignore
Johanfran Garcia has turned his first Double-A season into something the Red Sox cant really overlook. The catcher, who has been in the organization since 2022, is hitting .299 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs in 52 games, a strong jump from the kind of offensive production he had shown in earlier seasons and a sign that his bat is starting to match the promise Boston has long seen in him.
What makes the run even more notable is that Garcia was sent straight to Portland out of spring training, so this is his first real test at the level and he has handled it with authority. For a system always searching for impact players behind the plate, his performance is starting to put him into the conversation for Bostons future plans, even if the next step still has to be earned. [Read more 🡒]