The Phillies are the hottest team in baseball, hotter than they’ve been all year, winners of nine straight for the first time since May of last season and just the second time in the Schwarber Era, which began in 2022.
We’ll call it the Schwarber Era because it was Kyle Schwarber’s 459-foot, two-run, walk-off Schwar-bomb that extended the winning streak Sunday afternoon, and because, with due respect to Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler, Schwarber is the soul of this ballclub.
Everybody always loves Schwarber. Not everybody loves these Phillies.
Maybe you don’t. Who can blame you? Whether it’s collapses against the Diamondbacks or Mets, or an inexplicable bunt or an unforgivable error against the Dodgers, these Phillies have a way of breaking your heart.
Once bitten, twice bitten, thrice bitten … goodbye?
Paul told the Galatians, “Be ye not faint of heart,” but the greatest apostle would be ashamed of Phillies fans today. Why?
Because these Phillies are for real.
They’re beating good teams by playing mature, sound baseball, and they’re doing it generally without the best efforts of their best players.
Nevertheless, they’re 16-5 in their last 21 games and a season-high 15 games over .500 going into Monday’s series opener in Seattle. They were 9½ games behind the Braves in the NL East when the streak began, but now they’re just three games out with 31 games to go, seven of them head-to-head with Atlanta. The Phils held the No. 2 wild-card slot, two games behind the Cubs, two ahead of the Padres, and four games ahead of the Diamondbacks, the first team out.
The Phillies on Monday began a nine-game, 10-day road trip three time zones west. They face the Mariners, then the Angels, two relatively poor American League teams, by the time they get to Arizona.
They swept Miami, St. Louis, and Minnesota, all teams with valid playoff aspirations, at least until they played the Phillies. That’s the biggest reason why you should learn to love again.
Here are four more.
The Phillies are winning despite middling performances of late from their aces, including Cristopher Sánchez.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
2: They’re streaking without good starts from the Big 3
During the streak, top three starters Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo all left the game while trailing after an ungainly outing. They surrendered a combined 10 earned runs in 17⅔ innings. The Phillies won anyway.
All three are healthy. They just faced decent offensive teams in the dregs of summer. The Mariners have scored the fewest runs in baseball. The Angels have the second-worst OPS. The next seven days should be a feast for the Big Three.
Luis Arraez is an unconventional but productive cleanup hitter for the Phillies.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
3: The Arraez Affect
Since three-time batting champ Luis Arraez, a deadline addition, joined the lineup Aug. 4, the Phillies have mimicked his approach. Their swings are more controlled. The hitters are more on balance.
The result: fewer home runs, but more hits.
They’ve hit nine homers in the nine wins, a rate of 1.0 per game. They’d hit 148 home runs in their first 123 games, a rate of 1.2 homers per game. Sometimes, less is more.
Since Arraez’s arrival and his insertion in the No. 4 spot, No. 3 hitter Bryce Harper has a .506 on-base percentage with 25 walks. No. 5 hitter Alec Bohm saved his season: He’s hitting .393 with a 1.015 OPS and 15 RBIs in 17 games. Bryson Stott, who bats sixth, is hitting .295 with 15 walks.
Bryson Stott has been great at third base since his move there following the Arraez trade.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
4: The defense got better
The Phillies chose to play Arraez at second base. This meant Stott had to move from second to third base, Bohm had to move from third to first base, and Harper had to move from first back to right field.
The unintended consequence: This is the best Phillies infield since 2011, when Placido Polanco won a Gold Glove at third base and Jimmy Rollins should have won it at shortstop. Granted, this is a low bar — Phillies infields have been atrocious for 15 years — but Stott, a shortstop by birth, already was an elite second baseman, and his play at third has been otherworldly. Bohm is an unnatural third baseman but a natural first baseman, unlike Harper, who is a very good outfielder. Arraez is a fine second baseman, and even Trea Turner looks better at shortstop.
Aaron Nola has been solid of late after a very slow start to his season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
5: Andrew Painter and Aaron Nola settled in
Andrew Painter, who is 23, spent all of 2025 in triple A coming back from elbow surgery that cost him all of 2023 and 2024. His big-league debut was March 31. He was inconsistent, and was sent back to triple A in mid-June.
We call this “normal.”
Aaron Nola, who is 33, threw more innings than anyone else from 2018-24. In 2025 he suffered his first significant injury since 2016, which cost him three months in the middle of the season. He struggled the first three months of this season.
Nola’s ERA in his last nine starts is 3.63. He’s had one bad start. He’s learned to lean on his knuckle-curve.
You know what happens when you get 3.6-ish ERAs from fourth and fifth starters? You win divisions, you win pennants, and you win back the hearts of your fans.
Love Hurts
I get it. It’s hard to love a team with a $300 million shortstop hitting .245; a team that had to release $20 million outfielder Nick Castellanos and $18 million starter Taijuan Walker; a team with a bullpen that is injured and ineffective and, with the exception of the closer, utterly maddening.
But in matters of the heart, there are no guarantees. You take a chance, you ride the thrill, and, as fate decides, your devotion is rewarded … or not.
“ ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
Lord Tennyson was English, and he died in 1892. His grandson, Lionel, became England’s cricket captain, and Tennyson simply wallowed in heartbreak: It took him 17 years to finish the elegy.
In a different time the poet properly known as Alfred, Lord Tennyson — a moderate conservative rashly bearded — surely would have been a baseball fan.
Given his predilection for misery, he probably would have followed the Phillies.
Edmundo Sosa walked up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon. The bases were loaded with two outs. The Phillies faced a four-run deficit against the Cardinals.
These aren’t circumstances that normally lead to success (let alone a six-run rally, en route to a 6-4 walk-off win). But Sosa wasn’t afraid. He looked to his teammate, Bryce Harper, standing on third base, 90 feet away.
Harper gave him a knowing glance. “Like, ‘Yes, you got this,’” Sosa recalled. Then the utility infielder turned toward the dugout. His teammates wore the same expression.
Momentum in the ballpark was starting to build. Kyle Schwarber could feel it from the moment Harper hit his line-drive double to lead off the inning.
Luis Arraez and Brandon Marsh recorded back-to-back flyouts, but J.T. Realmuto singled, and Justin Crawford walked to give the Phillies a chance for a victory.
Schwarber leaned over to Trea Turner, who was beside him, and joked that Sosa would “hit a grand slam somehow.” He didn’t do that. But the infielder did something nearly as good; roping a double to left field double that just stayed fair, to drive in all three runners.
Momentum continued to build; the infield dirt vibrated, the crowd began to rumble. Schwarber stood in the on-deck circle as Bryan De La Cruz worked a six-pitch at-bat against Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien, fouling off a two-strike pitch before taking two balls, then finding a hole up the middle for a game-tying single.
Then, it was Schwarber’s turn. He said he went up to the plate looking to pass it on Turner; instead, on a 2-2 count, the slugger launched a 459-foot home run to center field to give the Phillies their ninth straight win.
When Schwarber saw St. Louis’ center fielder turn around in resignation, he knew it was over. He flipped his bat, flipped his helmet, and started jogging around the bases.
“I think it was just more just shock, disbelief,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do there. I’m not trying to be disrespectful to them. But it was just a little bit of disbelief.”
Anyone watching in the moment wouldn’t begrudge his reaction. For eight innings, the Phillies offense looked lifeless, recording only four hits, with no runs off the Cardinals’ pitching staff. And St. Louis had brought in O’Brien, who led the National League with 33 saves, to start the ninth.
It seemed like the eight-game winning streak would come to an unceremonious, muted end, and a strong, scoreless showing from the bullpen would be squandered.
Instead, that streak is alive and well, as the Phillies head to the West Coast for a nine-game road trip. Since the Field of Dreams Game in Iowa, they’ve made up five games against the Cubs in the National League wild-card race, sitting in second place at 73-58, only a game-and-a-half behind Chicago.
Over that span, they’ve also made up seven games against the NL East-leading Braves, who led the Phillies by 2½ games going into their night game at Milwaukee.
“I feel like it’s a lot of really good baseball,” Schwarber said. “It’s a lot of complete baseball. It’s not like we’re out there just hitting homers and relying on that, I feel like there’s a lot of different things we’re doing well.
“I feel like the defense is playing really well. Our pitching obviously is our pitching, our starters set the tone for us, they’re attacking the zone, they’re trusting the defense, getting their punch outs.
“And our offense just from top to bottom feels like they’re doing what they need to do with their plans, and staying aggressive to their plans, and whatever individual approach they need to have.”
One person who was not surprised was Cristopher Sánchez, who took in the six-run rally from the TV in the clubhouse. The left-handed starter said he felt good about his outing, but conceded that there were a few routine plays he could’ve made, which proved costly.
He allowed stolen bases to Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt, both of whom ended up scoring for runs.
“Usually I control the runners pretty well,” he said. “I was bothered a little bit because they took those two bases quite easily.”
Sánchez fanned seven Cardinals across 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits with no walks. It wasn’t as dominant as his other showings, but on Sunday afternoon, that didn’t seem to faze him.
“Incredible, incredible,” Sánchez said of his teammates’ come-from-behind effort. “But this is who we are. This is who we are.”
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Bryson Stott injury scare
In the bottom of the sixth, Bryson Stott took a foul ball off his right foot in the midst of his at-bat; the trainers visited him at home plate briefly. He remained in the game but was later removed in the eighth inning, with a right foot contusion. Arraez replaced him at second base.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said after the game that X-rays on Stott’s foot were negative and they’ll see how he feels tomorrow.
“I kind of expect him to be in there,” Mattingly said. “Honestly, a lot of the foot things, if it’s not a fracture, they bounce back decent. Not a lot of area to get swollen up in there. So I expect him to be able to play.”
Now, his cleats have a new colorway that has already hit retailers — for $140.
The low-top cleats have a camouflage base with highlighter-orange lining on the sock collar, along the top and bottom outlines of the cleat, and outlining his “BH” initials, black shoelaces, and with a cream-colored midsole to separate the camouflage base from the bright orange soleplate.
To pair with his new cleats, which Harper wore on July 20 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aug. 1 against the Baltimore Orioles, he wore black-and-orange Under Armour gloves and a camouflage sleeve on his right arm.
Bryce Harper’s new cleats have touches of orange and a camo design.Mitchell Leff
In a release, Under Armour says Harper’s new cleats are “inspired by Bryce’s tunnel-fit fashion as he’s often been seen rocking camo on the way to the ballpark, combined with his support for the University of Tennessee.”
Harper’s “All Lines Lead Home” cleats he released last month was part of a Yard Icon collection at Under Armour and released in five colorways representing Philly’s transit lines.
But he’s not the only Phillie with new cleats as Players’ Weekend gets underway.
Bryson Stott wore custom made “Toy Story” cleats on Friday night.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Animated kids movies come to life
Ahead of the Phillies’ Field of Dreams game against the Minnesota Twins in Dyersville, Iowa, Downingtown-based NXT LVL Customs produced an iconic design for Bryson Stott that featured late Phillies legends Harry Kalas, Tug McGraw, Roy Halladay, Darren Daulton, Robin Roberts, and Richie Ashburn emerging from a cornfield. After the game, Stott donated the cleats to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Now, NXT LVL Customs, which is run by father and son Ron and Ryan Stevens, has created custom cleats for more Phillies, including Stott, for Players’ Weekend, which allows players to wear custom gear, share personal stories, or otherwise express themselves.
Stott, for the second straight year, honored his daughter, Braxtyn, after last year’s Elmo-inspired Sesame Street footwear. This time, Stott will sport Nike Toy Story-themed cleats, with the left one rocking a Buzz Lightyear theme, and the right a Woody theme with “Braxtyn’s Story” written on it. He wore the cleats during Friday night’s game.
Stott also will have Toy Story-themed bats from King of Prussia-based Victus Sports. One of them features Jessie the cowgirl, and the other has a green alien from the movie.
The third baseman also had cleats made to honor his son, Jaxson. They’re royal blue, light blue, and white with star designs on the upper part; tiny illustrations of bears, trucks, and dinosaurs; and his son’s name on the back of the left cleat along with his birth date on back of the right cleat.
Cristopher Sánchez, Orion Kerkering, and Edmundo Sosa also received custom cleats from NXT LVL Customs.
Sánchez, who will pitch Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals, will be wearing Adidas cleats in the Phillies’ colors with the team’s pinstripe design on the heel counter, the numbers of his teammates across both cleats, a white Phillies bell logo near the midsole, and blue shoelaces.
Kerkering will be sporting Lilo and Stitch-inspired Adidas cleats, with the left cleat representing Lilo’s red dress with cream-colored flowers white laces, and a pink heel counter. The right cleat mimics Stitch with two-toned blue, Stitch’s face on the toe, and fuzzy light blue shoelaces.
And Sosa, like Stott, payed homage to his daughter, who loves tennis. The base of his New Balance cleat is colored fluorescent yellow with images of tennis balls, a white strap and heel counter, and his daughter’s name, “Naya,” written on the back of the left cleat.
Plenty of other custom bats are being unveiled this weekend. These include Brandon Marsh’s Victus bat that honors his sister, Erin, who won a gold medal in the heptathlon at this year’s USATF national championship, and Harper’s camouflage custom bat that’s also by Victus.
The rain was so heavy during the sixth inning that Derek Hill had to wipe raindrops from the brim of his helmet. Marlins pitcher John King had already asked for a new rosin bag for his slick fingers.
Even so, the elements didn’t really faze Hill much. The Phillies outfielder, fresh off the bench, punched an RBI single up the middle for his seventh pinch-hit of the season. It helped sustain a key two-run rally in the Phillies’ 6-5 win over Miami on Monday night.
Hill, who also drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth, said that past failures have prepared him for this role on the Phillies.
“I’ve been in this role for multiple teams and had ups and downs,” he said. “Just being able to kind of lean on the teammates here. We have an incredible amount of experience, and the coaching staff is incredible. So just being able to put all the pieces together and go out there and execute is pretty awesome to be able to come through.”
Starter Cristopher Sánchez became the first MLB pitcher to earn 16 wins this season, but it didn’t come easy. He allowed eight hits and walked three, but managed to limit the overall damage to just one run.
To do it, he had plenty of help. Trea Turner started off the first inning with a big play on a grounder from Esteury Ruiz, making the throw to first while in midair. J.T. Realmuto successfully challenged a ball call on Brian Navarreto in the third inning, flipping it into a strikeout. He also combined with Luis Arraez to catch Ruiz stealing second base.
In the fifth, after Sánchez allowed a pair of singles, the Phillies came inches away from turning a triple play. Bryson Stott fielded it, stepped on third, and fired to Arraez. Alec Bohm made a long stretch at first, but Heriberto Hernández beat Arraez’s throw by a step, and the Phillies settled for a double play.
“They’re a contact-oriented team,” Sánchez said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “I just went out there and took as many innings as I could and get as many scoreless innings as I could and zeros on the board.”
Through 26 starts this season, Sánchez has a 2.51 ERA. But opposing teams are also hitting .253 against him, up from .227 in 2025.
On Monday, his fastball velocity trended down a tick, though he did rear back for 96.1 mph, his hardest pitch of the night, in the sixth inning. Overall, interim manager Don Mattingly isn’t concerned about the traffic on the bases.
“I thought he was good. That was kind of what he does,” Mattingly said. “He gets some traffic and hangs in there, gets the ball on the ground.”
Justin Crawford celebrates his third inning lead-off double against the Marlins on Monday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Phillies offense struck first, and the rally started with the rookie. Justin Crawford tucked a double just inside the left field line to lead off the third inning, turning the lineup back over to Kyle Schwarber. He struck out on a pitch below the zone, but Turner cashed in Crawford with a single to left.
Bryce Harper drew a walk — extending his walk streak to eight consecutive games — before Arraez singled to score another. The Phillies threatened even more, loading the bases for Brandon Marsh, but he grounded into a force out to end it there.
After Sánchez escaped a few jams, a leadoff double came back to haunt him in the sixth when Griffin Conine lined a sinker into left field to get the Marlins on the board.
Both teams played through rains that drifted through during the middle innings, but it wasn’t enough to stop play. Nor did it stifle the Phillies offense. Following Hill’s RBI single in the sixth, Schwarber sent a sacrifice fly to center. It wasn’t very deep, but the throw was off line and Realmuto made a perfect slide at the plate to score another run.
“It’s one of the times you just want to keep scoring,” Mattingly said. “You don’t want to let anybody back in, but they did. They kept coming tonight. Seemed like every time they they scored, though, we were able to answer back, which was huge.”
The Phillies caught a break in the seventh. With Jonathan Bowlan in to pitch for Sánchez, he gave up a bases-loaded hit to Javier Sanoja that was incorrectly called foul by first base umpire Shane Livensparger. The ruling was overturned by a Marlins challenge, and MLB replay officials determined that two runs scored, placing Otto Lopez on third and Sanoja on second.
Due to Lopez’s speed, it’s possible he would have also scored if the initial call had been fair. But instead, Bowlan battled back with a strikeout to preserve the Phillies’ lead at 4-3.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough was ejected for arguing the ruling.
“It’s tough to just give them the third run when you don’t see the play, but their guy does run good. Lopez runs good,” Mattingly said. “I wouldn’t have been shocked if they gave it to him. Glad they didn’t.”
Even though the pesky Marlins had narrowed the lead, the Phillies struck back again, scoring a run without recording a hit in the seventh. Bohm was hit by a pitch, Stott reached on a fielder’s choice error, and Realmuto and Hill drew back-to-back walks to force in a run. Realmuto was initially called out on strikes but used an ABS challenge to flip it to a walk.
And when the Marlins homered off Brooks Raley in the eighth, the Phillies had one more response in them. An RBI single from Bohm gave Jhoan Duran back a two-run cushion for the ninth.
The Phillies closer needed 33 pitches the night before to close out the series finale in Minnesota, but Mattingly checked in on him after he played catch Monday afternoon. Duran told Mattingly he was good to go.
“Kind of trust him, where he’s at,” Mattingly said. “If he says he’s not feeling great today, then he’s down. Simple as that. And then you kind of plan accordingly.”
By the time he jogged out to the mound, the skies had cleared. Duran conceded one run on two hits, but induced a pop out and groundout to pick up his 27th save.
“That’s what we’re going to have to do down the stretch here,” Mattingly said. “Any good team out there, they’re going to keep playing and keep figuring out ways to win games. Sometimes we’re going to have to score, sometimes we’re going to have to pitch. We’re going to have to catch it. So it is good that we’re finding some ways.”
ST. LOUIS — The Phillies could smell blood in the water.
Bryce Harper had just won a nine-pitch battle, fouling off four of them, to draw a third consecutive walk from Caleb Ferguson. The Cardinals reliever walked the bases loaded without recording an out in the eighth inning on Tuesday.
While St. Louis went back to its bullpen to bring in Ryne Stanek, cleanup hitter Luis Arraez and his vaunted batting average were lying in wait.
On paper, he was exactly the hitter you’d want for that situation. Arraez has the lowest strikeout rate in the majors. He is hitting .363 with runners in scoring position this season. The Phillies were trailing, 1-0, and a ball out of the infield would tie it. A hit could give them the lead.
“You know he’s going put it in play, and just who he is, he’s going to hit the ball hard somewhere,” said interim manager Don Mattingly.
But Arraez also happens to be in the midst of his longest hitless streak of the season. And while he did put the ball in play and he did hit it hard, it was a grounder directly at Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson. He combined with catcher Pedro Pagés to turn a deflating double play, getting a force out at the plate to prevent a run.
And suddenly, the momentum had completely shifted back to St. Louis. J.T. Realmuto flew out two pitches later to end the inning, and the Phillies had nothing to show for it. In what would become a 2-0 loss to the Cardinals, the missed opportunity loomed large.
Bryson Stott has taken his move to third base in stride.Joe Puetz
Arraez is 0-for-15 in his last three games. He declined to comment postgame through a team spokesperson.
“We had a few chances. Still like our at-bats,” Mattingly said. “You want to get a hit in there with guys on base and stuff, but still putting pressure on guys. Tonight, obviously, double plays hurt us.”
The infields on both sides were kept busy. The eighth-inning double play was one of four turned by the Cardinals, while the Phillies turned two. That included a key moment in the second inning, the only time the Cardinals had really threatened against starter Cristopher Sánchez.
Sánchez allowed back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners, and Blaze Jordan hit a chopper to Bryson Stott at third base. Stott charged in, fielded it, and threw across his body to second. It was in time to catch a speedy Masyn Winn, before Arraez’s subsequent throw to first ended the inning.
It was one of several strong plays from Stott, who has taken immediately to his new position after moving over from second base.
Sánchez scattered four singles and struck out seven. He retired the final seven Cardinals he faced, but after the sixth inning, Mattingly could tell the Missouri heat was affecting the lefty.
Trea Turner hits a single in the sixth inning, one of just five hits for the Phillies in their 2-0 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday.Joe Puetz
“I didn’t want to pull Cristopher to start with, but checking on him after the inning, he was done,” Mattingly said.
Sánchez’s pitch count was still in good shape at 89, but Mattingly made the call to bring in reliever Alex McFarlane for the seventh. Through a team interpreter, Sánchez said it was a “joint decision.”
“It was really uncomfortable today,” he said. “The weather was a little uncomfortable, but you can’t use that as an excuse. We have to perform out there every day. It doesn’t matter how it is, we just have to go out there on the field and try to put the team in the best position we can to win the games.”
McFarlane, recalled earlier on Tuesday, entered the game to face the heart of the Cardinals order. With the Phillies bullpen still depleted, he was one of a few arms available. He recorded his first major league strikeout after blowing a 100.5 mph fastball by Burleson. But the Cardinals capitalized on a walk, stolen base, and a single to finally break the stalemate against the rookie reliever, taking a 1-0 lead.
After the Phillies wasted their opportunity to strike back in the eighth, St. Louis doubled its advantage with a homer off lefty Tim Mayza.
Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages throws out Phillies’ Luis Arraez at first base in the eighth inning to complete a double play.Joe Puetz
The Phillies went down in order against Riley O’Brien in the ninth. In total, they left eight men on base, and were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Compounding their frustration was the fact that they made a lot of hard contact overall. Collectively, the Phillies clocked exit velocities harder than 95 mph 12 times, and only two of those fell for singles.
In the fifth inning, Alec Bohm was halfway through a home run trot before realizing that Pereira had pulled off a leaping catch right at the center field wall. According to StatCast, it would have been a homer in 17 out of 30 major league parks.
Justin Crawford tossed his helmet in frustration after hitting a 105.8 mph liner directly at right fielder Jordan Walker, which stranded a pair in the seventh inning.
“Feel like I was squaring the ball up a little bit, not just me personally, but for a lot of guys in here in our lineup,” Crawford said. “Just frustrating, but it’s part of it. Just got to continue to keep going, keep stacking at-bats, keep competing, and putting together good at-bats.”
The loss dropped the Phillies to a 64-57 record. After the Padres pulled off an 11-2 rout of the Brewers in San Diego on Tuesday night, they moved into a three-way tie with the Phillies and Diamondbacks for the final two wild-card spots.
The Phillies hold the tiebreaker over the Padres after sweeping the season series, but their playoff position has become vulnerable with 41 games remaining.
The opening bars of Ray Charles’ rendition of “America the Beautiful” swept through the stadium as a group of nine children pedaled across the outfield grass.
They ditched their bikes on the edge of the infield and dashed off to stand next to an All-Star as fireworks crisscrossed the night sky. The 2026 All-Star Game was briefly paused ahead of the fifth inning, while Citizens Bank Park paid homage to the iconic Fourth of July scene in the 1993 film TheSandlot.
Bryce Harper, a reserve who had not entered the game yet, emerged from the dugout to watch the night sky with a young girl by first base. Nearby, Freddie Freeman and a child started a game of catch. In the outfield, Brandon Marsh filmed a video for a little boy’s grandmother after he learned he was her favorite Phillie.
“That’s my favorite baseball movie growing up,” Marsh said. “When I hear that song, it almost just brings tears to my eyes. It just takes me back to being 5 years old watching that movie. It was special. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
For the six Phillies selected to participate in the game, the past two days had been filled with experiences like that. Moments that reminded them why they love the game of baseball and always had.
Not everything on the field went according to plan. In fact, many things didn’t. In the National League’s 4-0 loss, starter Cristopher Sánchez gave up three runs and needed 34 pitches to finish the first inning. None of Kyle Schwarber, Harper, nor Marsh recorded a hit. And as Jhoan Duran jogged to the mound with one out in the ninth, his entrance music was noticeably delayed. (He didn’t mind. “They may be nervous, too, like me. So it’s OK,” Duran said.)
Jesús Luzardo had the best performance of the six Phillies, with a six-pitch 1-2-3 fourth inning. But the results were secondary to sharing their All-Star experience with their families and their home fans.
“Doing it at home is what makes it so special,” Luzardo said. “My first one, doing it in front of a crowd that is obviously very passionate. When you’re on their side, they have your back no matter what. So I couldn’t be happier to do it here at home, and in front of a lot of family, as well.”
Atlanta starter Chris Sale joked with Marsh during the game that he would never be able to top having his first All-Star experience at his home ballpark.
Getting to meet and share a clubhouse with players on other teams also was a highlight of the experience for all six Phillies. Although Sale — along with anyone else with the Atlanta Braves on their chest — was resoundingly booed by the Citizens Bank Park crowd, he was popular inside the NL clubhouse. Luzardo, Duran, and Sánchez mentioned having conversations with him.
Sánchez also spoke with Pittsburgh star Paul Skenes and picked the brains of two Cy Young winners.
“Incredible experience,” he said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “Just an amazing experience overall, sharing the love with the fans and how joyful they are with us. And sharing the clubhouse with superstars, it’s just an amazing thing to do, learning from each one of them.”
Cristopher Sánchez got the start for the National League squad on Tuesday night.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Sánchez had dedicated his night to his father, who was unable to make the trip to Philadelphia from the Dominican Republic. After he was introduced in the bullpen to thunderous applause, the lefty put his hand over his heart and then saluted. He struck out Millville’s own Mike Trout to start the game, but then gave up three singles and two walks that led to three runs.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts moved to lift Sánchez after the Yankees’ Ben Rice singled to drive in the third run. But even in an exhibition, Sánchez is loath to leave runners on base. He signaled that he wanted to stay and struck out Riley Greene to end things on a higher note.
Regardless of the score, this night, being here at all, meant everything to Sánchez.
“Myself, coming from La Romana, back home in the Dominican Republic, coming from basically nothing, it means a lot,” Sánchez said. “It means a lot to me, this experience. It’s just a sign that we’ve been doing things the right way. It’s a sign of all that hard work paying off.”
Before the game, Roberts asked Harper, Freeman, and Sale to stand up and address the NL team. Harper’s message to the clubhouse, which included 17 first-time All-Stars, was to soak in every moment because it all goes by fast.
Phillies star Bryce Harper shakes hands with home plate umpire Alan Porter, a Hatboro-Horsham Class of 1995 alumnus, during the sixth inning.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
He was speaking from experience. A month and change after Harper signed with the Phillies in 2019, Philadelphia was announced as the site of the 2026 All-Star Game for the United States’ 250th birthday. At the time, that felt like eons away. But it went by in a blink of an eye.
“It seems like it was forever ago, but it went so quick,” Harper said. “Cherish the moment. Take it all in, because things go quick. And remember the good times that you had.”
Cristopher Sánchez‘s meteoric rise to the ranks of elite major league pitchers will now come with the stamp of an All-Star Game start.
Sánchez, the Phillies‘ ace lefty, was informed Sunday by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts that he’s the choice to start for the National League on Tuesday night in Citizens Bank Park, a league source confirmed before Roberts made it official.
“I smiled a lot,” Sánchez told reporters, through a team interpreter, after the Phillies wrapped up the first half in Detroit. “It’s reflection of all the hard work that I’ve been doing throughout the year, and I’m just extremely proud of myself right now.”
Sánchez, who will be opposed by Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease for the American League, is the first Phillies pitcher to start an All-Star Game since Roy Halladay in 2011. Curt Schilling, Steve Carlton, Curt Simmons, and Robin Roberts also started at least one All-Star Game as a Phillie.
“He deserves it,” Roberts told reporters in Los Angeles. “He’s a hometown ballplayer, and I think the city of Philly will enjoy watching and supporting him. He was very grateful. In a time where guys are not wanting to participate in the midsummer classic for the fans, this is a good thing that he’s that excited about pitching.”
Sánchez ranks second in the majors in innings (127⅓), third in strikeouts (144), and ninth in ERA (2.62). The 29-year-old is also second among pitchers in wins above replacement (4.0, according to Fangraphs).
But Sánchez’s chances of starting for the NL improved because neither ERA leader Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers nor Dodgers two-way unicorn Shohei Ohtani will pitch in the All-Star Game. Misiorowski was scheduled to start Sunday for Milwaukee and later scratched with arm fatigue, while Ohtani bowed out with an irritated left knee.
Cristopher Sanchez will join teammates Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber as starters for the National League.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Sánchez will join the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber in the NL’s lineup. Marsh was elected by fans to start in the outfield; Schwarber, chosen as a reserve on the players’ ballot, will replace Ohtani as the NL’s designated hitter.
A year ago, Sánchez was overlooked for the All-Star team, which rankled many of his teammates. There wasn’t any chance of that happening this year.
Not after Sánchez went 50⅔ innings without allowing a run, the longest streak ever by a lefty and fifth-longest all-time. He had a 1.80 ERA through 16 starts before stumbling in a five-run start at Washington and a career-worst nine-run start last Sunday in Kansas City.
This season, the Phillies’ frustration stems from the omission of Zack Wheeler, who lowered his ERA to 2.13 with six scoreless innings Sunday in Detroit but also missed the season’s first month while coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome.
Wheeler said it was “B.S.” that MLB didn’t name him as an All-Star and later replaced him on the NL roster. (Pitchers who start their team’s last game before the break don’t usually pitch in the All-Star Game on one day’s rest.) The league approached Wheeler on Friday about adding him as a replacement, but he said he declined “because they disrespected me.”
But Wheeler also declined to pitch — or even attend — the All-Star Game in 2024 in Texas and last year in Atlanta, his hometown.
“There’s certain circumstances where guys can’t play, they are injured. But this is an honor,” Roberts said. “It’s not only just an honor to be named it, but it’s an honor to participate and want to participate. Cristopher wants to, and I’m excited about naming him the starter in the All-Star Game.”
Sánchez is at his best at home. In his last 56 starts in Citizens Bank Park dating to 2024, he is 23-8 with a 2.21 ERA and 377 strikeouts in 354 innings. This year, he’s 7-1 with an 0.86 ERA in 11 home starts.
“I think it’s just fan support overall,” Sánchez said recently through a team interpreter, “and also knowing every inch of this stadium.”
After giving up two runs on 10 hits Saturday in Detroit, Sánchez said, “It would be awesome to start the All-Star Game at home. With the fans, it just would be an awesome thing. It’s another accomplishment and another goal, for sure, but it would be an awesome thing to do.”
It’s now a reality.
“Yeah, it’s just going to be crazy,” Sánchez said. “You guys know that Philly is the best environment in baseball that there is, so it’s just going to be really joyful and really crazy.”
Staff writer Lochlahn March contributed to this report.
DETROIT — As he crossed the infield to return to the Tigers dugout, Zach McKinstry took off his helmet and tipped it toward Derek Hill.
There wasn’t much else McKinstry could do. Not after watching Hill cover tons of ground in center field at a dead sprint. Without slowing down, without taking his eye off the ball, Hill left his feet and snagged the ball midair. The spectacular play robbed McKinstry of extra bases and the Tigers of a run.
Hill contributed on both sides of the ball in the Phillies’ 4-2 win over Detroit on Saturday night. Cristopher Sánchez gave up 10 hits but held the Tigers to two runs in his final audition for the starting job at Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
The decision will come down to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who is managing the National League squad. But Don Mattingly, who accepted an invitation to serve on Roberts’ staff, believes his lefty has earned it.
“Not my call, but I mean, obviously, Sánchy in Philly would be a great story,” Mattingly said. “And I don’t know everybody’s numbers and everything else and what they look into that, but I would think he would have a good shot at starting, especially being in Philly.”
Hill started in place of Justin Crawford, who was out with a sore left knee, and manufactured the Phillies’ first run. In the third inning, he reached on a throwing error from Delco native Kevin McGonigle, stole second base, and then stole third. It put him in position to score when Trea Turner hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Derek Hill made a leaping catch to take away a hit in the third inning.Lon Horwedel
Hill is very quick on his feet — he has a 98th percentile sprint speed — but it still marked the first time in his career that the outfielder had multiple stolen bases in a game, let alone an inning. He swiped another base in the fourth inning for good measure.
“Doesn’t mean much,” Hill said. “I just want to go out there and help my team win. I mean, whatever it takes, whether it’s three bags or a catch or getting a guy over with a bunt, it doesn’t matter to me. Just whatever it takes.”
The defensive play against McKinstry came in the bottom of the third, with a runner on first. Off the bat, Hill knew he had a chance. It helped that he has a lot of familiarity with Comerica Park and how the ball flies there. The Tigers drafted Hill in the first round in 2014, and he spent the first part of his career with the organization until he was designated for assignment in 2022.
“I knew it was going to hang up just a little, a little bit longer than other spots,” Hill said.
Brandon Marsh, playing in left field, assisted him by communicating how much distance he had until the wall.
“He’s a tremendous guy and a tremendous player,” Sánchez said of Hill, through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “Both with his offense and his defense, and even with his speed.”
The outfielder also delivered an RBI single in the fourth, contributing to a three-run rally against Tigers starter Casey Mize.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto’s batting average had dipped below .200 entering Saturday’s game after some extended struggles at the plate. But he showed some promising results with a big two-run double to the left field corner.
Bryce Harper snapped an 0-for-22 skid with a double in the first inning. He added a single in the fifth, but was thrown out trying to steal second.
Cristopher Sánchez pitched into the eighth inning and allowed 10 hits and two earned runs.Lon Horwedel
Four runs were a big enough cushion for Sánchez to earn his 11th win, even though he gave up a lot of contact. Of the Tigers’ 10 hits off the lefty, only one was for extra bases when Eduardo Valencia hit a solo homer in the fifth. Sánchez’s defense helped him out, too. In addition to Hill’s catch, the infield turned three double plays — one each in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
He struck out seven batters, six on his changeup.
“Bend, but don’t break today,” Mattingly said. “The pitch to Valencia, kind of left one up just a little bit. I think he’s probably just trying to sink him out there. Left it up a little bit, but still the guy hits the ball to right center. Pretty good swing.”
A day after his move to pull Aaron Nola after five innings and 84 pitches backfired, Mattingly let Sánchez begin the eighth with his pitch count at 97. Considering the struggles the Phillies bullpen has been experiencing lately — especially the left-handers — Mattingly hoped to get Sánchez through McGonigle, a lefty due up second in the inning.
Things did not go according to plan. Sánchez walked Matt Vierling to lead it off and then McGonigle got to him with a single. Sánchez wasn’t able to record an out, and Mattingly handed the ball to Jonathan Bowlan.
The right-hander hit the next batter to load the bases. Bowlan then forced Spencer Torkelson to ground into a double play that conceded a run, but helped him limit the damage. He walked the next batter before inducing another groundout to end the inning.
“Bowlan came in and kind of got it done for us,” Mattingly said. “Obviously sixth, seventh, and eighth [inning] double play balls are huge. With traffic, we’re able to get two outs out of those, keep those innings down.”
Bowlan passed the baton to closer Jhoan Duran, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save.
The next time Sánchez takes the ball, it will be at the All-Star Game on Tuesday. He doesn’t know yet if he will be given the opportunity to start it in front of the hometown crowd, but with a 2.62 ERA and 10.18 strikeouts per nine innings this year, Sánchez has made his case.
“It would be awesome to start the All-Star Game at home,” he said. “With the fans, it just would be an awesome thing. It’s another accomplishment and another goal, for sure.”
Citizens Bank Park will host the 96th All-Star Game on Tuesday, a showcase for the game’s best with a healthy contingent of Phillies.
After two phases of fan voting, Major League Baseball announced the starters on Saturday along with the reserves and pitchers. The remaining roster spots were determined through a players’ ballot and the commissioner’s office.
Let’s meet the cast of stars who were selected to play in South Philly (statistics through Sunday):
(Editor’s note: This story has been updated with roster moves since the initial All-Star announcement).
American League starters
First base: Ben Rice, Yankees
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .279/.372/.559, 29 HR, 68 RBIs
What to know: The 27-year-old Rice was beat out in fan voting for the starting spot at first base by Guerrero, but he had much better numbers than the Jays star. Rice’s .971 OPS is third in baseball.
Second base: Ernie Clement, Blue Jays
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .296/.318/.433, 8 HR, 32 RBIs
What to know: Clement was the top vote-getter in the AL for Phase 1, earning him a starting nod. It’s the latest achievement for an unlikely star, who has become a fan favorite in Toronto and delivered a record-setting postseason performance with 30 hits during the Jays’ run to the 2025 World Series.
All-Star stat: Clement is among the game’s toughest hitters to strike out with a 16% whiff rate, which is in the 90th percentile among MLB hitters.
Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .286/.355/.461, 13 HR, 39 RBIs, 30 SBs
What to know: A Team USA teammate of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in the World Baseball Classic in March, Witt Jr. is a five-tool player who is in the 99th percentile in sprint speed and is second in fielding range (outs above average). He’s averaged 23.6 home runs, 82.4 RBIs, 35.6 stolen bases, and an .840 OPS in his five major league seasons.
All-Star stat: Witt Jr. leads the American League with 4.9 WAR (Baseball Reference), which is fourth in baseball.
Third base: Junior Caminero, Rays
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: .279/.372/.555, 28 HR, 59 RBIs
What to know: The 23-year-old Caminero, who also competed in the Home Run Derby, is starting his second straight All-Star Game, but this is his first time being voted in. Nicknamed “La Máxima,” Caminero has a brother named Girardi, after former Phillies manager Joe Girardi, then the manager of the Yankees.
All-Star stat: Caminero has elite bat speed, averaging 79.9 mph, tops in baseball, and has a hard-hit rate of 51.8%, a career best and in the 93rd percentile in MLB.
Outfield: Riley Greene, Tigers
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .288/.380/.462, 13 HR, 45 RBI
What to know: One of three Tigers in the game, Greene, 25, is hitting for a higher average this season after batting .260 over the previous two seasons. But his power numbers are down for a guy who averaged 30 homers from 2024-25, and strikeouts remain an issue: He led the majors with 201 in 2025 and has 108 this season.
Outfield: Mike Trout, Angels
All-Star selections: 12th
2026 stats: .237/.390/.473, 18 HR, 39 RBIs
What to know: The three-time MVP’s 90.5 career WAR is tops among active players. After playing in 130 games last season — his most since 2019 — Trout has played in 78 of the Angels’ 97 games this season, but has been out since June 18 with a strained right hamstring. With the Angels going nowhere again, will the Millville native and rabid Eagles fan finally ask to be traded? That was a topic of conversation during All-Star festivities with the Phillies among the teams in the market for a right-handed hitter.
All-Star stat: A career .291 hitter, Trout is way down at .237, but his on-base percentage remains elite at .390. And with 18 home runs, he is on pace to surpass the 26 he hit last season, his most since his 40 in 2022.
Outfield: Cody Bellinger, Yankees
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .254/.345/.421, 11 HR, 51 RBIs
What to know: Bellinger has regained the elite plate discipline that was a staple of his game when he won NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2019. His 12.7% walk rate is in the 91st percentile and is way up from last season (8.7%).
All-Star stat: Bellinger has regained the elite plate discipline that was a staple of his game early in his career when he won NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2019. His 12.7% walk rate is in the 87th percentile and is way up from last season (8.7%).
Catcher: Shea Langeliers, Athletics
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .257/.324/.483, 21 HR, 46 RBIs
What to know: The 28-year-old Langeliers has already notched his fourth straight season with at least 20 home runs. Only Cal Raleigh (133) has more home runs among catchers since 2023 than Langeliers (103).
All-Star stat: Langeliers posted a career-best 3.9 oWAR (offensive wins above replacement) in 2025, second among catchers again only to Raleigh’s 4.1. Langeliers has a 2.4 oWAR in 2026, trailing only Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (3.0).
Designated hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Astros
All-Star selections: Fourth
2026 stats: .318/.426/.633, 31 HR, 70 RBIs
What to know: Alvarez, who won AL Rookie of the Year in 2019 and finished third in MVP voting in 2022, is having another big season, topping baseball in OPS, on-base percentage, and slugging.
All-Star stat: Alvarez’s expected slugging percentage, which measures a hitter’s quality of contact, is the best in MLB at .713, a career high.
National League starters
First base: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
All-Star selections: 10th
2026 stats: .290/.375/.487, 15 HR, 49 RBIs
What to know: Freeman, 36, has appeared in every All-Star Game from 2018 to 2026, the only player in baseball to do so. This will be his sixth start and third with the Dodgers.
All-Star stat: One of the best pure hitters in the game, Freeman’s expected weighted on-base average (which measures the quality of a hitter’s contact regardless of factors beyond their control like defensive player abilities and dimensions of the ballpark) of .383 is in the 96th percentile and is up 33 points from 2025.
Second base: Ozzie Albies, Braves
All-Star selections: Fourth
2026 stats: .267/.320/.439, 14 HR, 51 RBIs
What to know: Albies topped Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott in Phase 2 of the All-Star vote. After getting off to a hot start (.908 OPS, seven homers, 20 RBIs) in the first month of the season, Albies has a .682 OPS since May 1.
All-Star stat: Along with decent power and speed, Albies has been one of the toughest hitters to strike out this season. His strikeout percentage of 13.4% is in the 90th percentile in the game.
Shortstop: CJ Abrams, Nationals
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: .275/.352/.510, 20 HR, 67 RBIs
What to know: The speedy Abrams has improved his power metrics in his fourth full season with the Nationals. He has met his career high of 20 homers set in 2024 and surpassed his career high of RBIs.
All-Star stat: Abrams’ slugging percentage is up 77 points from last season, and his average exit velocity has risen to a career-best 89.9 mph, which puts him in the 61st percentile among major leaguers.
Third base: Max Muncy, Dodgers
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .259/.354/.488, 17 HR, 40 RBIs
What to know: Muncy beat out the Phillies’ Alec Bohm to become the first Dodger to start an All-Star Game at third base since Ron Cey in 1977.
All-Star stat: In addition to boosting his batting average and maintaining his power stroke, the 35-year-old Muncy is having his best defensive season at third base. His outs above average is in the 80th percentile of all major leaguers, by far the best of his career at third base.
Outfield: Brandon Marsh, Phillies
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .301/.339/.490, 15 HR, 46 RBIs
What to know: Marsh has broken through as an All-Star starter in his fourth full season with the Phillies, proving that he can hit enough against lefties to be an everyday player. A career .208 hitter against lefties entering this season, Marsh is batting .245 against southpaws in 2026.
All-Star stat: While Marsh is swinging at almost anything (his 37.7% chase rate is in the bottom 10% of the league and is the highest of his career), he is crushing pitches in the zone. He is among the best in the game with a 44.3% launch angle sweet spot rate (99th percentile).
Outfield: Juan Soto, Mets
All-Star selections: Fifth
2026 stats: .290/.405/.562, 21 HR, 51 RBIs
What to know: The Mets’ $765 million man is having an elite season even if his team has underwhelmed, sitting in last place in the NL East. He is third in baseball with a .405 on-base percentage and has more walks (55) than strikeouts (43). His walk-to-strikeout ratio is second in the National League to the Giants’ Luis Arraez.
All-Star stat: Soto, along with the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez and Nationals’ James Wood, is in the top three in baseball in two of the most comprehensive contact quality metrics, expected weighted on-base average and expected slugging.
Outfield: Andy Pages, Dodgers
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .270/.336/.471, 17 HR, 66 RBIs
What to know: The 25-year-old is fifth in the NL in RBIs, building off a 27-homer season in 2025 while playing elite defense in center field.
All-Star stat: Pages has cleaned up batting with runners in scoring position this season. He’s among the league leaders with a .349 batting average with runners in scoring position, driving in 53 of his 66 RBIs.
Catcher: Drake Baldwin, Braves
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .254/.335/.437, 15 HR, 46 RBIs
What to know: The National League Rookie of the Year in 2025 got off to a strong start to his second season, batting .303 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs through May 18, but an oblique strain in his right side sidelined him for almost a month. He’s struggled in his return, batting .154 in 24 games.
All-Star stat: Although Baldwin is still trying to regain his early-season stroke, he is hitting the ball with an elite combination of launch angle and exit velocity. His 15.3% barrel rate is in the 92nd percentile among major leaguers, and is up from 11% in his rookie season.
Designated hitter: Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
All-Star selections: Fourth
2026 stats: .254/.367/.560, 32 HR, 59 RBIs
What to know: Schwarber is back in the All-Star Game for a second straight season and third time as a Phillie. His 32 home runs lead the majors, and his .560 slugging percentage is sixth in baseball.
AL pitchers
Bryan Baker, Rays
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 1.73 ERA, 25 saves
What to know: Baker is tied for second in saves in his first season as the Rays’ closer, holding opponents to a .150 batting average.
Dylan Cease, Blue Jays
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 2.56 ERA, 148 Ks, 2.18 FIP
What to know: In his first season with the Jays after signing a $210 million deal, Cease leads the AL in strikeouts. He will start for the AL.
Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox
All-Star selections: Ninth
2026 stats: 2.20 ERA, 19 saves
What to know: The 38-year-old flame-throwing closer is still missing bats, with 36 strikeouts in 28⅔ innings, but his 29.8% whiff rate is his lowest in six seasons.
Jacob Latz, Rangers
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 1.61 ERA, 18 saves, 0.672 WHIP
What to know: After losing out for a spot in the rotation entering the season, Latz moved to the bullpen and thrived. He took over officially as closer in late April. Latz posted a 1.13 ERA with 11 saves in June to win AL Reliever of the Month.
Parker Messick, Guardians
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 2.73 ERA, 1.071 WHIP
What to know: Messick wasn’t even assured of a rotation spot entering the season, but the rookie has emerged as one of the best young pitchers in the game. Hitters are batting just .140 against his four-seam fastball.
Drew Rasmussen, Rays
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: 3.26 ERA, 0.946 WHIP
What to know: Rasmussen followed up an All-Star season in 2025 with an even better one in 2026. He is second in the AL in WHIP, and is in the 99th percentile in walk rate (4.3%).
Joe Ryan, Twins
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: 2.85 ERA, 1.051 WHIP
What to know: Ryan figures to be one of the more popular pitchers mentioned in trade deadline speculation. He has anchored the Twins’ rotation for a second straight All-Star season.
Cam Schlittler, Yankees
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 2.05 ERA, 205 ERA+
What to know: Schlittler’s four-seamer, which averages 97.7 mph, has held opponents to a .192 batting average and a 33.2% whiff rate. His strikeout percentage (29.2%) is in the 90th percentile.
Cade Smith, Guardians
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 2.84 ERA, 28 saves
What to know: Smith has led the majors in saves for much of the season, buoyed by a 34.8% strikeout rate, which is in the 98th percentile in the game.
Nick Martinez, P, Rays
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 8-2, 2.65 ERA
What to know: The 35-year-old Martinez, who played five years in Japan, is having a career season in Tampa. He ranks fifth in the AL in pitcher WAR (Baseball Reference). He replaces former Phillie Ranger Suárez, who is out of the game with a groin strain.
Louis Varland, Blue Jays
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 1.10 ERA, 19 saves, 12.3 SO/9
What to know: In his first season as closer, Varland has been dominant, striking out 67 in 49 innings.
Michael Wacha, Royals
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: 3.77 ERA, 1.190 WHIP
What to know: The 35-year-old starter, who last made the All-Star Game in 2015, has been a workhorse for the Royals, pitching a league-high 119⅓ innings in 19 starts.
Justin Verlander, P, Tigers
All-Star selections: 10
2026 stats: 12.27 ERA in one start
What to know: The 43-year-old Verlander, who announced on Wednesday that he will retire at the end of the season, was added to the AL team as a “Legend Pick” by commissioner Rob Manfred. On the 60-day injured list with hamstring and hip injuries, Verlander will not pitch in the game but will be honored during the All-Star festivities.
AL reserves
Dillon Dingler, C, Tigers
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .262/.323/.508, 19 HR, 60 RBI
What to know: Dingler’s .508 slugging percentage is second among catchers only to fellow All-Star Hunter Goodman. He is also a Gold Glove-caliber backstop with elite numbers for pitch framing, blocks above average, and pop time.
Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .253/.327/.436, 8 HR, 47 RBIs
What to know: Rutschman remains an elite defensive catcher, ranking in the 97th percentile in caught stealing above average. He also has an impressive 14.2% whiff rate, meaning he rarely swings and misses.
Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .238/.330/.389, 7 HR, 28 RBIs, 13 SB
What to know: The first overall pick of the 2024 draft, Bazzana, who’s from Australia, has impressed with his discipline at the plate and speed on the bases. His walk percentage (11.3%) and chase rate (26%) are near the 75th percentile in the majors, not bad for a 23-year-old rookie.
Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .283/.392/.420, 8 HR, 34 RBIs
What to know: An Aldan native and Bonner-Prendergast graduate, McGonigle, 21, has arrived as a rookie star for the Tigers. Most notable is his plate discipline: He has more walks than strikeouts and is in the 99th percentile in chase rate. That contributes to a .392 on-base percentage, good for ninth in the majors.
Miguel Vargas, INF, White Sox
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .245/.355/.493, 21 HR, 59 RBIs
What to know: Vargas has emerged as a power hitter with plate discipline in his fifth major league season. His barrel percentage has jumped to 15.4% from 9.4% in 2025. Meanwhile, he rarely chases (21.2% chase rate) and has a 13.7% walk rate, which ranks in the 93rd percentile in the majors.
Randy Arozarena, OF, Mariners
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .286/.380/.458, 11 HR, 45 RBIs
What to know: The Mariners’ lone representative, Arozarena is striking out less (21.6%, down from career 25.4%) and is about 40 points higher in batting average and on-base percentage in putting together a solid age-31 season.
Yandy Díaz, DH, Rays
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: .322/.398/.490, 13 HR, 55 RBIs
What to know: Díaz is having perhaps his best season of an underrated career, blending power with a disciplined approach at the plate. His 13.7% strikeout rate is in the 87th percentile in the majors.
Willson Contreras, 1B, Red Sox
All-Star selections: Fourth
2026 stats: .285/.379/.542, 20 HR, 61 RBIs
What to know: Contreras replaces Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the AL roster and joins his brother William in the All-Star Game. The 34-year-old is on pace for his best season in his first year in Boston with a career-high .921 OPS.
Ceddanne Rafaela, OF, Red Sox
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .281/.328/.433, 8 HR, 39 RBIs
What to know: Rafaela replaces Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who will miss the game with a rib injury. A Gold Glove winner last year, Rafaela’s 3.9 WAR (Baseball Reference) is fourth in MLB among position players. His defensive metrics are elite, highlighted by his outs above average (OAA), which ranks in the 99th percentile.
Munetaka Murakami, 1B, White Sox
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .232/.371/.540, 20 HR, 42 RBIs
What to know: The 26-year-old rookie from Japan is replacing Byron Buxton on the roster. He returned to the White Sox lineup on Friday after missing more than a month with a strained hamstring. Before the injury, he showed tremendous power, with an elite hard hit rate (59.2%) and walk rate (17.8%).
Tristan Peters, OF, White Sox
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .301/.354/.478, 6 HR, 36 RBIs
What to know: Peters replaces Nick Kurtz on the AL roster. A former Savannah Banana, Peters hit for the cycle this season and has proven to be a nice pickup for the White Sox, who acquired him from the Rays over the winter for cash.
NL pitchers
Chase Burns, Reds
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 11-1, 2.54 ERA
What to know: The second pick of the 2024 draft has blossomed in his first full season. His 31.7% whiff rate ranks in the 89th percentile, and his strikeout rate (28.6%) ranks in the 87th percentile.
Jhoan Duran, Phillies
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 1.38 ERA, 24 saves, 0.918 WHIP
What to know: Duran has given the Phillies everything they hoped for when they acquired him at the 2025 trade deadline. His success starts with his four-seamer, which averages 100.2 mph and has held opponents to a .129 batting average against it. His 39.7% strikeout rate is the best of his career.
Raisel Iglesias, Braves
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 2.23 ERA, 19 saves, 1.082 WHIP
What to know: This All-Star selection has been a long time coming for the 12-year veteran Iglesias, who is fourth in the NL in saves. A master of getting hitters to swing at pitches out of the zone, Iglesias, 36, is in the 99th percentile in chase rate (39.5%, a career high).
Jesús Luzardo, Phillies
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 3.51 ERA, 136 strikeouts
What to know: Luzardo replaced the Marlins’ Max Meyer to become the sixth Phillies All-Star. After a rough start to the season when he sported a 5.50 ERA in his first six starts, Luzardo has been a different pitcher since May 1, posting a 2.61 ERA in his last 13 starts.
Braxton Ashcraft, Pirates
All-Star appearances: First
2026 stats: 9-3, 3.49 ERA, 1.112 WHIP
What to know: The 26-year-old Ashcroft, who replaced the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski, has been a pleasant surprise for the Pirates this season. He’s allowed one run or fewer in nine of 19 starts. Opponents are batting .140 against his curveball, which has an elite 40.5% whiff rate.
Mason Miller has an 0.98 ERA this season.Gregory Bull
Mason Miller, Padres
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: 0.91 ERA, 25 saves, 0.782 WHIP
What to know: Miller might be the most intimidating closer in the game with a four-seamer that averages 101.3 mph. His slider is the deadliest put-away pitch in the game with a strikeout rate of 59.0%.
Riley O’Brien, Cardinals
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 3.43 ERA, 24 saves
What to know: The 31-year-old O’Brien, who replaced Pirates ace Paul Skenes, is tied for second in the NL with 24 saves. His success is driven by a devastating sweeper, which opponents are batting just .031 against and has led to a 47.9% whiff rate.
Eduardo Rodriguez, Diamondbacks
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: 8-3, 2.29 ERA
What to know: Another NL pitcher who had to wait awhile to make his first All-Star team, Rodriguez has been stellar for Arizona in his 11th season. He has given up one run or fewer in 11 of his 19 starts this season.
Chris Sale, Braves
All-Star selections: 10th
2026 stats: 9-6, 2.20 ERA
What to know: The 37-year-old Sale is still elite, relying on a four-seamer and slider almost 80% of the time. And he can still fool hitters with the best of them — his 35.4% chase rate is in the 92nd percentile of all pitchers.
Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: 11-4, 2.62 ERA, 5.76 SO/BB
What to know: The unlikely ascent from fringe minor leaguer to Cy Young candidate has continued this season and earned him the starting nod for the NL. Sánchez leads all pitchers with 5.7 WAR and didn’t allow a run for 50⅔ innings earlier this season, the most ever for a left-handed pitcher. It all starts with his changeup, against which hitters are batting .167 this season.
Logan Webb, Giants
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: 3.86 ERA, 1.156 WHIP
What to know: Webb, who led the NL in innings the past three years, got off to a rough start to the season. He had a 5.06 ERA in his first eight starts but has turned it around over his last eight with a 2.75 ERA.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: 9-6, 2.85 ERA, 0.913 WHIP
What to know: Last year’s postseason hero has been just as good as in 2025. In fact, he has lowered his WHIP. He’s also lowered his walk rate to an elite 5.9%, which puts him in the 86th percentile of pitchers.
NL reserves
William Contreras, C, Brewers
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .282/.344/.398, 9 HR, 53 RBIs
What to know: Contreras has been the most productive catcher offensively over the past four seasons. And he’s durable, averaging 149 games in his last three full seasons.
Hunter Goodman, C, Rockies
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: .254/.324/.538, 27 HR, 51 RBIs
What to know: Goodman has developed into one of the best power-hitting catchers in the game over the past two seasons. He’s on his way to a second straight 30-homer season and ranks fifth in the NL in slugging percentage.
Luis Arraez, 2B, Giants
All-Star selections: Fourth
2026 stats: .330/.369/.460, 4 HR, 35 RBIs
What to know: The toughest guy to strike out in baseball, Arraez is a career. 318 hitter, and has led the league in hits twice in his career, and is second this season.
Bryce Harper, 1B, Phillies
All-Star selections: Ninth
2026 stats: .260/.365/.497, 20 HR, 57 RBI
What to know: After coming up short in the fan vote, Harper was “grateful” to be picked for the team by commissioner Rob Manfred. He’s certainly deserving of the spot with an OPS of .862 and his 12th 20-homer season while playing every game. After all, an All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park without the Showman wouldn’t seem like much of a show at all.
Otto Lopez, SS, Marlins
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .334/.368/.505, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 17 SB
What to know: Baseball’s batting leader also is tops in hits (127) and doubles (26) during what has been a career year for the 27-year-old.
Matt Olson, 1B, Braves
All-Star selections: Fourth
2026 stats: .267/.339/.534, 25 HR, 58 RBI
What to know: Olson, who has nine seasons of 20-plus home runs, is having a resurgent power season. His slugging percentage has surged to .534 this season after sitting at a combined .471 in 2024 and 2025. And more than half his batted balls are considered hard hit, putting him in the 93nd percentile among all hitters.
Sal Stewart, INF, Reds
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .256/.338/.474, 19 HR, 65 RBI
What to know: The 22-year-old is one of two rookies to represent the Reds at the All-Star Game, along with pitcher Chase Burns. Stewart, who has played mostly third and first base this season, is seventh in the NL in RBIs.
Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks
All-Star selections: Third
2026 stats: .252/.347/.478, 13 HR, 45 RBI
What to know: An All-Star for the third time in his four full seasons, the 25-year-old Carroll is having another strong season with an .825 OPS. The speedy outfielder again leads the majors in triples, a crown he was won for four straight seasons.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: .291/.386/.531, 21 HR, 53 RBI, 24 SB
What to know: Entering June, PCA was batting .231 with a .713 OPS and a 25.6% strikeout rate. Then June rolled around (along with a late-May switch to the leadoff spot), and he took off with an epic month. He posted a 1.249 OPS with 40 hits, 11 home runs and a .381 batting average to surge back into All-Star contention.
Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .294/.354/.532, 22 HR, 74 RBI
What to know: The 24-year-old Walker is having a breakout season for the surprising Cardinals, and is coming off winning a memorable Home Run Derby. It’s been fueled by elite bat speed (79.2 mph), which trails only Junior Caminero (79.9) as the best in the majors.
James Wood, OF, Nationals
All-Star selections: Second
2026 stats: .279/.410/.575, 28 HR, 64 RBI
What to know: The 23-year-old is having an exceptional offensive season. It’s a combination of solid contact and an elite ability to get on base — he is in the 99th percentile among hitters in hard hit and walk percentages. He’s also been durable, playing in every game this season.
Iván Herrera, DH, Cardinals
All-Star selections: First
2026 stats: .249/.381/.390, 11 HR, 40 RBIs
What to know: Herrera replaces Shohei Ohtani on the NL roster with the Dodgers star dealing with a left knee injury. Herrera’s .381 on-base percentage, boosted by a 12.1% walk rate, is eighth in the National League.
Cristopher Sánchez unleashed a first-pitch strike in the second inning and called for a trainer.
Uh-oh.
Three words the Phillies never want to see in the same sentence: “Cristopher Sánchez” and “trainer.” But there they were Tuesday night, and well, Citizens Bank Park held its collective breath.
Sánchez, it turned out, cut loose a changeup and scraped the top of his left thumb, the evidence of which was a blood stain between the red pinstripes on his white pants. He smiled, even chuckled with a few teammates, and a few dabs later, the ace lefty was firing again.
Crisis averted. Sánchez kept throwing his signature changeup without incident, allowing three hits in seven scoreless innings. And the Phillies cakewalked, 8-0, over the Pirates to move within 2½ games of the first-place Braves, who lost at home to the Cardinals.
Oh, and postgame fireworks went off as planned for the 41,710 paying customers.
Scrape? What scrape?
“Yeah, just a little scratch on the finger,” Sánchez said through a team interpreter. “It happens sometimes when I throw the changeup because of the touch with the finger. So, it’s no big deal.”
But that momentary pit-of-their-stomach feeling as assistant athletic trainer Christian Bermudez went out to see Sánchez underscores the precariousness of this entire thing.
Justin Crawford drove in the Phillies’ first two runs with a two-out single in the second inning Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Look, there isn’t any replacing Sánchez, whose next home start may come for the National League in the All-Star Game in two weeks. He sits atop the rotation with a 2.00 ERA, second in the majors behind only the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski (1.45).
But the Phillies lack the organizational pitching depth to cover for any of their starters if they miss even a turn or two. They already have back-of-the-rotation worries, with Aaron Nola’s 6.04 ERA and Andrew Painter’s return to triple A. The fifth-starter spot is occupied by Alan Rangel, who has twice been used behind an opener.
One injury, and it all comes down like a Jenga tower.
Surely, then, an anxious feeling came over interim manager Don Mattingly when Sánchez waved to the dugout.
“Yeah, a little bit,” Mattingly said. “Especially in the second [inning], right? You’re like, ‘Oh, not tonight.’ But once you get out there, you kind of see what it is. It’s not like a cut on a nail or anything like that where you feel like it’s going to keep getting extended. They did a nice job of stopping that.”
Justin Crawford gave Sánchez a 2-0 lead by cueing a two-out single inside the third-base line. It was up to Sánchez to keep it that way because the Phillies didn’t break things open until scoring three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Trea Turner, on his 33rd birthday, had an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Trea Turner, on his 33rd birthday, levied most of that damage, with an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth. Don’t look now, but he’s 19-for-55 (.345) over the last 13 games, a welcome sign for an offense that is looking for more production from the right side of the plate.
“Is he going yet?” Mattingly said, mimicking questions about when Turner will get going at the plate. “I don’t know if he’s going yet or not. But to see Trea get a big hit down the line and then the home run, it really extends that lead where it saves us [from using] an arm in the bullpen.”
Sánchez leaned on his changeup, as usual, but continued to spin more sliders. After throwing 26 in his last start, he mixed in 17 against the Pirates, six of which came in his first 19 pitches.
No matter what he throws, Sánchez owns the Pirates. Six weeks ago, he struck out 13, a career-high, in a six-hit shutout in Pittsburgh. This time, he didn’t give up a hit until Nick Gonzales punched a two-out single in the fourth inning.
Sánchez is lined up to pitch Monday in Kansas City and July 11 in Detroit, the closing arguments in his case to start three days later (it would be his bullpen day) in the All-Star Game.
As you may have heard, it will be held in South Philly.
“[It would be] another goal, another dream come true and more when you think about it in this beautiful city,” Sánchez said. “The fans deserve that and even more.”
Symbolically and strategically, Sánchez is a sensible choice to start for the NL. Misiorowski throws harder than any pitcher in history, with a fastball that’s been clocked at 105.5 mph. But Sánchez has allowed seven earned runs in 73 innings for a 0.86 ERA in 11 home starts. Since 2024, he has a 1.76 ERA in 280⅔ innings over 43 starts at home.
In his latest gem, he pitched out of one quasi jam, a two-on, two-out spot in the fourth inning, by striking out Endy Rodríguez on a signature changeup, and sidestepped a one-out double by Billy Cook in the fifth inning.
But even with a 100-degree heat wave rolling into town, it was no sweat compared to the Phillies’ dodging an injury to their ace. As Sánchez received a quick fix on the mound, Turner and other infielders looked on and laughed.
“They were just giving me a hard time and joking around on the mound,” Sánchez said. “You know, these guys are terrible.”
As long as the Phillies keep their pitchers healthy, the good times can keep rolling.
