The Rockies are still in last place but Hunter Goodman is going to the All-Star Game for a second straight year anyway
Jul 7, 2026, 5:25 PM
The Colorado Rockies have the worst ERA in baseball, just got voted the worst-reputation team in the sport by their own peers, and are sitting in the NL West cellar. And yet: Hunter Goodman is going back to the All-Star Game. Because even a last-place team gets to send its best player to the party — and Goodman has made it impossible to leave him home.
The 26-year-old catcher was named to the National League All-Star team Saturday for the second consecutive year, becoming the first Rockies player to earn back-to-back selections since Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story all did it in 2018-19. He’s only the second catcher in franchise history to make the team at all, joining Elias Díaz (2023). Goodman will serve as a reserve behind starter Drake Baldwin of the Braves at the 96th Midsummer Classic on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Entering Saturday, Goodman had 27 home runs through the team’s first 90 games — tied with Hall of Famer Larry Walker’s 2001 mark for the most by a Rockies hitter before the All-Star break. He’s second in all of baseball in homers behind only Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber, with a home run rate of one per 11.59 at-bats. He leads all catchers in home runs, total bases (172), runs scored (56), slugging (.550) and extra-base hits (41). He’s also tied for third in homers among primary catchers through 90 games in MLB history — with Mike Piazza — behind only Cal Raleigh and Johnny Bench.
The announcement came in a closed-door clubhouse moment before Saturday’s game against the Giants. Manager Warren Schaeffer had quietly invited Goodman’s father, Robert, to fly in and surprise his son. Robert had been throwing batting practice that afternoon, and walked in with Schaeffer to share the news. “Dad was here throwing BP and we invited him in,” Goodman said. “I wasn’t expecting him, so it was pretty cool.” Schaeffer summed it up simply: “You can’t say enough good things about Goody.”
