Jim Bowden projects James Wood over Corbin Carroll as RF starter in 2026 MLB All-Star Game

With the 2026 MLB All-Star Game a little over a month away, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden is giving Washington Nationals’ James Wood the edge over Arizona Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll to start in right field in his early predictions.

Bowden listed Carroll as the second right fielder to make it to Philadelphia from the National League and fellow Diamondback Eduardo Rodriguez to make the midseason classic as the final starting pitcher from the NL.

The national writer predicted Wood to start in right field and St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker to round out the group.

Wood made his first All-Star Game last year, and he’s improved his numbers in 2026. The Nationals’ young star is hitting .265 with a .936 OPS and leads the NL with a 165 OPS+.

Wood has played in every game this season, has a 2.7 WAR and leads the NL in walks (55).

Carroll has made the All-Star Game in two of the last three seasons and is on pace to set career-highs in multiple offensive categories.

The Diamondbacks’ star is hitting .285 with a .928 OPS and leads the MLB for a fourth straight season in triples (eight).

Carroll’s OPS+ sits at 157, he’s missed just four games this season and has a WAR of 2.8.

Wood does have the edge over Carroll in wRC+, which measures how many runs a player creates, at 160 compared to 155. Both players are more than qualified to be in the midseason classic this season; it’s just a matter of which one gets the starting nod.

As for Rodriguez, the Diamondbacks’ starter was Bowden’s final starting pitcher from the NL to make the cut.

The veteran pitcher, after struggling the last two year (5.03 ERA), has been lights out through his first 13 starts in 2026.

The D-backs starter boasts a 2.52 ERA across 78.2 innings pitched.

The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will be July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and fan voting is now open.

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