Cody Bellinger’s All-Star Game MVP Had His Yankees Teammate Ben Rice Beaming

Cody Bellinger is used to winning MVPs. But this one felt different. The Yankees outfielder, who first made an All-Star appearance back in 2019 as a Dodger, finally got back to the Midsummer Classic in 2026 — and he didn’t waste the trip. Bellinger put up two RBIs on a first-inning single off Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez, helping the American League shut out the NL 4-0 at Citizens Bank Park. He walked away with All-Star Game MVP honors, and his teammate Ben Rice couldn’t stop smiling about it.

Rice, a first-time All-Star himself, watched from the on-deck circle as Bellinger delivered. Then he drove Bellinger home with a single of his own to stretch the AL lead to 3-0. After the game, Rice was asked what it meant to see Bellinger finally get that moment.

“Absolutely, I was so so excited for him, especially seeing him driving those two runs early like from the on-deck circle. I was so fired up for him,” Rice said, via SNY Yankees. “I was just so happy for him and his family, him getting to walk the red carpet with his wife and his two kids, it was just awesome.”

The Bellinger bounce-back is real

It’s easy to forget Bellinger won NL MVP in 2019 with the Dodgers. Then injuries and inconsistency hit. He bounced to the Cubs, then to the Yankees in a 2024 trade that felt like a gamble. But Bellinger has quietly returned to form in pinstripes. His All-Star nod this year wasn’t a lifetime achievement award — he earned it. And Tuesday night was a reminder that when he’s locked in, he can still carry a lineup.

Rice, meanwhile, is having a breakout year of his own. The rookie catcher and first baseman earned his first All-Star selection by hitting .287 with 18 homers and solid defense. The Yankees have needed that kind of production, especially with injuries piling up in the first half. Rice and Bellinger have developed a legit chemistry, and it showed in Philadelphia.

What comes next for the Yankees

The All-Star break is over, and the Yankees have work to do. They sit behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings, and the second half starts now. Bellinger and Rice will be back in pinstripes this weekend. The pitching staff is rounding into shape. But the division is tight, and every game counts.

For one night though, it was all about the All-Star Game. Bellinger got his MVP moment. Rice got to watch it up close. And somewhere in the middle of a 4-0 win, two Yankees reminded everyone why the Midsummer Classic still matters.