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.”
You can take the baseball players off the field, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to stop sporting coordinated outfits.
The All-Star red carpet ran through Independence Mall on Tuesday before that night’s All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, and the stars were putting their stellar fashion skills on display, as fans saw a lot of coordinated outfits between families.
Here are some of the best looks from the All-Star red carpet:
Brandon Marsh
Sometimes the best outfits are less about the clothes and more about the overall look, and with a head of hair like Brandon Marsh’s, there’s little the clothes have to do.
Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh with dry hair? We didn’t know that was possible.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Marsh wore his signature locks notably dry and tied back with an all-black look from shirt to pants, jacket, and shoes.
But he wasn’t just bringing the fashion, he also was offering tips on haircare.
The Phillies outfielder shared his hair routine with MLB Network’s Kait Maniscalco, stating that he doesn’t do much beyond washing it once or twice a week, usually after day games, and then, of course, wetting it every inning.
“I just water it every inning just like you do the grass or the flowers,” Marsh said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (left) greets Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber and family on the red carpet.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Kyle Schwarber
Kyle Schwarber might hit bombs, but his son apparently slings webs and is the real superhero in the family.
The Schwarbers wore similar shades of blue as they walked the carpet. Schwarber’s two sons, Kade and Asher, wore matching blue suits and white shirts, while Kade struck a Spiderman pose in the family’s picture. Schwarber’s wife, Paige, who was credited with coordinating the family’s look, wore the same shade in her blue-and-orange patterned dress as she carried their 6-month-old daughter, who wore a cream tulle dress with flowers, down the carpet.
Monday night’s Home Run Derby runner-up matched his daughter in a cream suit while coordinating with his wife and sons in a pinstriped button- up in a different shade of blue. The family completed the look with white shoes; the boys and their father in sneakers, and Paige in white heels.
The first family of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Freemans, brought their charm to Philadelphia, also wearing coordinated family outfits but with an earth-tone theme.
All three sons, Charlie, Brandon, and Max, wore linen button-ups and pants in neutrals matching their father’s beige suit with a white shirt underneath.
Freeman’s best accessory, however, was newborn daughter London, whom he carried on the red carpet. The almost 3-month-old also matched the family in a beige outfit of her own, complete with a pink headband and bow. His wife, Chelsea, wore a green satin mid-length dress to tie the looks together.
Freddie Freeman takes the MLB All-Star red carpet with his wife, Chelsea, and their 4 children and says baseball means everything to them:
“I would have never met her without baseball either. It sent me to Orlando, Florida and I got to meet my wife.” pic.twitter.com/KzLuJuaavO
Paul Skenes and his girlfriend, former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, walked the carpet together in coordinated black-and-blue outfits.
The Pirates ace wore a blue suit with a subtle plaid pattern and black details at the collar. He tied it together with a blue tie, an American flag tie clasp, black sunglasses, and black patterned shoes which Skenes called his “alligator boots.”
Dunne said once Skenes said he was wearing blue and black, she found a dress to match. The gymnast turned actress and influencer wore a black halter-neck gown with blue waist detail and minimal jewelry to coordinate.
Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle made his All-Star red carpet debut in his hometown and walked the carpet with his parents.
The 21-year-old shortstop wore a green patterned suit with a blue button-up underneath. He completed the look with a matching blue pocket square, brown shoes, and sunglasses.
McGonigle didn’t specify whether the green was an ode to his hometown football team or his high school, Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast, but he did have his high school’s logo on the inside of his jacket, along with the All-Star Game logo and a Delco patch. He also shared what it means to walk his first red carpet in the city he grew up in.
“Growing up in Philly, being able to have this experience in my home city, it’s really special, and I’m sure I’m going to see some more people down the red carpet,” McGonigle told MLB Network’s Lauren Shehadi.
When Rafael Peña throws to Kyle Schwarber in the batting cage, he likes to challenge him. The Phillies designated hitter will get a steady stream of curveballs, changeups, and sliders.
He’ll also get some trash talk. Peña jokingly dares the slugger to scrape out a hit. These sessions are meant to prepare; not to please. “We really don’t do a lot of feel-good BP,” Schwarber said.
But when the DH was deciding whether to participate in the Home Run Derby, it was Peña who came to mind. The assistant hitting coach has thrown more batting practice to Schwarber than anyone in the organization (with the exception of Kevin Long, who coached him before he arrived in Philadelphia).
So, Schwarber asked him if he’d be his pitcher about 10 days ago while the Phillies were on the road. But Schwarber hadn’t announced that he was participating in the Home Run Derby. The coach assumed he was talking about cage work.
“He asked me what I was doing,” Peña said. “And I was like, ‘I’m going to be in Philly.’ And he was like, ‘Do you want to throw to me? Do you want to throw BP to me?’
“And I was kind of like, ‘What do you mean?’ And he was like, ‘Well, in the Derby.’ I throw BP to him all the time. I didn’t know if maybe he was going to stay late one of the days or something like that.”
Kyle Schwarber electrified the Citizens Bank Park crowd in the Home Run Derby but came up just short of a title. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Peña agreed, and the two men got to work. On Saturday, when the Phillies were in Detroit, Peña, Schwarber, Long, and bullpen catcher Brad Flanders took a car service to Comerica Park.
They arrived hours before game time, and long before the rest of the team got there. Peña measured the exact distance from the plate that he’d be positioned in the Derby and set up behind an L screen.
Flanders, wearing the same bright red glove he’d later use on Monday night, bent into a crouch. Schwarber stepped up to the plate. Peña began firing pitches middle, middle-in.
The assistant hitting coach called it a “practice round.”
“We did 20 [pitches] and he hit 13 out of 20,” Peña recalled. “And then we did a 15 round and he hit nine out of 15.”
Long, who was watching from a few feet away, gave his stamp of approval.
“K-Long was just like, ‘Just feed it in there,’” Peña said. “‘You don’t need to go too crazy. Just feed it in there. Flandy has a big target, big red target.’”
It ended up being a harbinger of Schwarbombs to come. Two days later, with Peña behind the L-screen, the Phillies DH put on an epic performance in Citizens Bank Park, falling one home run short of winning the Home Run Derby.
Schwarber started slow — falling short in his first five tries — but gained momentum as the night went on. He finished his first round with 10 home runs, his semifinal round with nine, and his final round with 11.
He seemed like he was guaranteed a win, until Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker crushed 12 home runs a few minutes later (an especially impressive feat, given that the crowd was actively rooting for his demise).
Even though this wasn’t the result the Phillies wanted, for Peña, it was still a meaningful moment. The assistant hitting coach was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where his father, Rafael Sr., took him to his first baseball game at the age of 7.
Rafael Sr. was in the stands on Monday night. He had family and friends following along from the Dominican Republic. His daughters, Sophia and Isabella, were cheering him on from home in Oklahoma City.
Phillies assistant hitting coach Rafael Pena has a strong rapport with Schwarber, which was evident on Monday night. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
“They called me [today]. They’re like, ‘Hey Daddy, are you ready? Have you practiced?’” Peña said. “It’s fun.”
Peña said on Monday afternoon that if Schwarber hit like he did on Saturday, he’d have a good chance of winning it all. And his words proved prescient. Schwarber came incredibly close; Walker was down to his last swing.
But the baseball gods had other ideas, and Schwarber will have to wait another year, at least, for his next chance at the trophy. And if he calls, Peña will be ready.
“It’s special,” Peña said. “I’ve watched this since I was a little kid; every single Home Run Derby. So being a part of it is amazing.”
Leading in the final round of the Home Run Derby. His opponent down to one last swing. On the precipice of lifting his tired arms once more to hoist a trophy.
In 2018, it was Bryce Harper who smashed nine home runs in a row in an all-time Derby flourish to vanquish his future Phillies teammate.
So, guess what Schwarber was thinking about Monday night when the Cardinals’ Jordan Walker cut through the boos in sold-out Citizens Bank Park with back-to-back-to-back … to-back homers to walk off the hometown star, 12-11, in a cruel twist to a pulsating Derby final.
“Oh, trust me,” Schwarber said, “yeah, it was definitely popping in your head. Seeing Bryce do what he did in ‘18, and then, obviously what [Walker] was able to do, the run he just had, it’s impressive. I mean, you tip your cap, right?”
What else was there to do?
Schwarber went deep 10 times in 20 swings to survive the first round, unlike Harper, who hit only eight after making a climb-the-ropes, WWE-style entrance upon being introduced by famed 81-year-old ring announcer (and Philadelphian) Michael Buffer. But we’ll come back to that.
In the semifinals, Schwarber edged Willson Contreras, 9-8, with help from a partisan crowd that booed the Red Sox slugger each time he hit a ball over the fence and roared for every non-homer.
Phillies Bryce Harper climbs up the ropes of the boxing ring during his introduction at the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
It set up a showdown with Walker, a 24-year-old former top prospect who has 22 homers for the Cardinals, five fewer than in his first three major league seasons combined.
Schwarber went first and hit 11 balls out on 15 swings, all to the familiar right-field bleachers that he reaches so often during the season with his short left-handed stroke. With Phillies assistant hitting coach Rafael Peña throwing to him, he hit six homers on his first nine swings.
And when he needed a breather, Schwarber stepped out and urged on the 43,863 paying customers.
After 19 swings, Walker trailed 11-8. But the righty-swinging outfielder began peppering the left-field bleachers in bonus time — a 407-footer off the top of the wall here, a 413-foot laser there, a 450-foot missile to tie it up.
“The big one was that one where the ball hits the top of the wall there and snuck over,” Schwarber said. “I was like, oh, that one’s not good for us.”
Walker clinched it with one more mighty swing, shades of Harper in ‘18 and Schwarber in Atlanta last year, when he banged three homers on three swings in the first-ever swing off to decide an All-Star Game that was tied after nine innings.
The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber reacts as he finishes his turn in the finals of the Home Run Derby.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“That’s a pretty special thing that he was able to do,” Schwarber said, “to lock it in there for those swings and to get them over.”
Indeed, it was one swing from being one of the more memorable nights for the Phillies in their 22-year-old ballpark, which is hosting its first All-Star Game.
Buffer started the show by bellowing his catchphrase — “Let’s get ready to rumble!” — and introducing the Derby contestants, who met in a wrestling ring behind second base.
Harper took it from there.
The last player announced, “The Showman,” as he’s called by teammates, raised both arms to salute the crowd. Upon reaching the ring, he climbed up, shook the ropes, and shouted, “Let’s go!”
“I mean, Buff’s incredible,” Harper said. “He’s so Vegas, right? Being from Vegas, born and raised, they do a lot of fights out there. That’s a guy that I’ve seen a lot on TV. It was insane to see him announcing our names and to announce my name, as well.”
And climbing the ropes?
“I’ve always wanted to do that, too,” Harper said. “Watching wrestling growing up, Sting was one of my favorites. I liked Goldberg, too. I felt like Kevin Nash in that situation, a little bit of nWo. But that was pretty cool.”
Harper was the last player to hit, roughly one hour after the Derby began. He enlisted Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel to throw to him and appeared to get into a groove late in the first round, with six homers in the span of 11 swings.
On his fourth homer, Harper crushed a ball that seemed to disappear beyond the second deck before touching down on Ashburn Alley, estimated at 482 feet. He hit another homer over the batter’s eye in center field.
“I’ve done that in a game, though,” Harper said. “I hit one, what, 480 or something like that to right-center? So, that one felt pretty good. I just wanted to go out there and have some fun and enjoy the best I can.”
Down 3 homers in the @TMobile#HRDerby Finals Down to his final swing
Beyond that, Harper was a spectator. And he plans to only watch the Derby from now on. After being nudged into his third career Derby, the 33-year-old said he won’t compete in another.
“Yeah, I’m done,” he said. “I mean, it took a lot for me to do it this time. Once you get out there, obviously your adrenaline’s going and stuff. You want to have a chance to win it. But, yeah, I’m done. I’m going to hang it up from the Home Run Derby.”
Schwarber was reminded that next year’s All-Star Game will be held at Wrigley Field, where he began his career with the Cubs. He couldn’t possibly be a three-time runner-up, could he?
“Oh man, you’ve got to give me another year to think about that,” Schwarber said. “I’m just thinking about trying to make it home tonight and having a beer. But we’ll see what happens moving forward.”
Twenty years ago, Ryan Howard launched baseballs into the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh and won MLB’s annual Home Run Derby.
In some ways, it launched his career.
Howard was the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 2005. But his star turn at the 2006 Derby came in the midst of a season in which he won NL MVP and became the foremost power hitter in the sport for a six-year stretch.
As the All-Star Game returns to Philadelphia for the first time in 30 years, Howard sat down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss the Phillies’ first half, his expectations for a Home Run Derby in Citizens Bank Park, and more.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcaston Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Q: You played in three All-Star Games in your career. You were the Home Run Derby champ in 2006. When I say All-Star Game, what sticks out to you from your career?
A: When you say All-Star Game, it’s one of those things that when you’re younger, you always strive to want to be a part of. It’s kind of where, it’s the elite of the elite, if you will, and you’re always striving to try to make an All-Star team, and you’re always striving to try to win a championship. So to be able to participate on the All-Star teams and be recognized by the fans and your peers as one of the top players, in the middle of the season, is something that’s always such a great honor to have. And it means you’re doing something right. So you always want to continue to try to do something like that.
Ryan Howard won the 2006 Home Run Derby in Pittsburgh.ASSOCIATED PRESS
Q: How much are you looking forward to seeing what a Home Run Derby in Citizens Bank Park will look like?
A: I’m so excited to see what it’ll look like. This group of guys are just different. It’s a whole different level of strength, and these guys are bigger, stronger, faster. The ball just travels further, so I’m excited to see where the ball lands. Charlie [Manuel] always told Jimmy [Thome] and I that he saw Julio Franco hit a ball in batting practice that hit the bell. Now we’ve said that’s a little suspect, Charlie. There’s got to be like a 35 mph tailwind. He’s got to catch it and do the whole nine, but like it’ll be very interesting. I think somebody could potentially get close to trying to hit that bell, so I would love to see somebody hit a ball that goes up and hits that bell on the fly.
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber leads baseball with 32 home runs at the break.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
A: Kyle Schwarber is one of the preeminent sluggers of this generation, him and Aaron Judge, and certainly Shohei Ohtani. Is this the year that maybe Schwarber matches or tops your Phillies record 58 home runs in a season?
A: He’s must-watch TV. You don’t want to miss his at-bat because of what he’s able to do with the swing of the bat — the ball comes off his bat different. It’s just so violent, and the swing is so … quick and it’s so violent off the bat that it’s so fun to watch. The ball he hit a few years ago in San Diego, people don’t do that. People don’t hit the ball like that, but Schwarber does. As far as the 58, it’s just a matter of him staying healthy and just continuing to stay consistent and do what he does. He got close last year [with 56]. Right now he’s at [32]. You just want him to stay healthy and be good for the stretch run, and he’s going to get those hot streaks where he’s dropping off like five, six, seven homers in a week, and again it’s like video game-type stuff.
But it’s fun to watch. I like to call it kind of like some blackout moments where you’re like, I don’t even know what’s going on, but I’m not going to fight it. And he gets in those zones where it’s just like it feels like every time the bat comes off your shoulder, damage will be done, and usually it winds up on the other side of the fence.
Q: Did you see this Phillies turnaround coming after the 9-19 start? How do you look at the first half they’ve had?
A: … There’s no level of panic because with the level of quality players on this team and what they’ve done in the years past … I feel like the Phillie franchise, even when I was playing, we’d always get out to slow starts in April. April is not a good month for the Phillies. And the thing is, you can’t win the division in April, but you could lose the division in April. And I think with the talent that this team possessed … you still had [Zack] Wheeler that was out. [Cristopher] Sánchez was doing his thing. It was just a matter of time because they had too much talent, too much veteran presence on this team to do what they were doing, and that’s what happens over the course of the season.
You’re going to have bad stretches, and you’re going to have good stretches. So, hopefully, for them, they got that bad stretch out of the way early, to where you have plenty of time to be able to make up for it, which is what they’ve been able to do and put themselves in a position to make the postseason.
And you just want to continue to try to say, OK, stay above .500 each month. With the caliber of guys that they have, the chemistry that they have, it’s not a surprise that they put themselves back in it. It’s what they do, and you would expect them to be able to go and be in the postseason and try to make a long run in the postseason.
Mastery Cramer Hill students Joshua Medina and Alyssa Negron were feeling confident about their chances in the MLB Players STEM League regional tournament last month at Drexel.
The two 14-year-olds were competing against 24 other middle schoolers in a board game in which players use statistics to draft teams and batting lineups. MLB Players STEM League is a baseball-inspired program created by the Major League Baseball Players Association’s Players Trust that integrates the real-world game into the classroom.
“The strategies that me and Alyssa had, nobody could take it and use it for themselves,” Medina said. “We felt [empowered] to win everything. And some of the competitors were my classmates, and they were cheering us on in the final game. It was very heartwarming.”
Medina and Negron finished with a 4-1 record to take home the title, win tickets to a Phillies game, and earn a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.
“These students are two of many incredible achievers who have done great and have learned from the game,” said Amy Hever, executive director of the Players Trust. “And they are going to be seen by many. We are excited about seeing how other students and other youth are like, ‘Wow, that could be me. I could have this opportunity and also get to play this really cool, fun game. Sign me up.’”
Although the STEM League led to an opportunity for the Negron family to attend the All-Star festivities, Alyssa’s father, Jonathan, is more proud of her growth in her first year competing.
“She’s been more open to trying new things than before,” Jonathan said. “She never really wanted to before, but this was her last year at Mastery, so I was like, ‘Hey, let’s try whatever you want. I got your back. We’ll get through it together.’ And she tried this out, and she said her math wasn’t that good. But, hey, they both came out together and got through it.”
Medina and Negron met players like Brandon Marsh on the field at the Phillies game against the New York Mets that they attended. Now, they’re looking forward to meeting even more All-Stars this weekend.
“It was really fun meeting the players,” Alyssa said. “Like, you hear about them all on TV. So to meet one in person was a good experience. I’m looking forward to meeting new players and spending time with everybody who is going. I want to meet Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani.”
Joshua Medina, 14, and Alyssa Negron, 14, met the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh ahead of a game against the New York Mets last month.Players Trust
Medina and Negron aren’t the only ones who will be treated to a behind-the-scenes All-Star experience. Through the Players Trust’s Players Exchange program, which teaches communication skills through insight from MLB players, 12-year-old Philadelphia native Isabella Gonzales will act as an interview correspondent during media day.
Players Trust also partnered with Kyle Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes, which supports first responders, military personnel, and their families, to bring the family of late Central Berks Regional Police Officer Kristen Yeager for a close-up of the All-Star action.
Yeager died in a crash as she was responding to an emergency call on May 29. She left behind three children: Tanner (9), Conner (8), and Carli (5) and her husband, Dustin.
“It’s amazing, you know, the people that do this stuff behind the scenes,” Dustin said. “You don’t necessarily know that it’s going on until there’s an unfortunate event. But in my case, it’s just amazing that there’s people out there willing to do that work and give you and others that experience when you’re at a loss. For the kids to have that experience to see the park, to get that distraction, to let them know there’s good out there even when bad things happen. There’s still people that do amazing things and help you out.”
This won’t be the first time the family experiences Citizens Bank Park. A few weeks after the incident, Schwarber met with the family on the field.
“We went down and met him, and he sat with the kids for a little bit and invited us to the Home Run Derby,” Dustin said. “I think it’s still hard for them to even grasp the whole situation like how good of a player he is, how lucky they are to be able to sit with him for half an hour and talk to him. They just asked questions like ‘How many home runs he hit?’ They were interested and happy to meet him.”
Dustin, who works at FirstEnergy Stadium, and his family typically attend Reading Fightin’ Phils games. But the 10,000-seat minor league park is dwarfed by the 42,901-seat Citizens Bank Park.
“It’s cool to see their eyes open up when you walk down there and see something that big on that scale,” Dustin said. “Having them be on the field again, that’s just a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the kids. Just looking forward to their reaction and even afterward, explaining to them how lucky they are to get this experience, even though it came from a tragedy.”
DETROIT — The Phillies haven’t had a Home Run Derby champion since 2006, when Ryan Howard blasted 23 total to take the crown.
This year, at Monday’s competition at Citizens Bank Park, they will have double the chance. Because for the first time in the 41-year history of the Derby, the Phillies have a pair of teammates competing against each other. Kyle Schwarber announced Friday that he would officially be joining Bryce Harper in the event.
“I just wanted to make sure pretty much getting through that series in Cincinnati, make sure everything was good healthwise, and everything’s been trending the right way. So that’s when we pretty much made a decision to do it,” Schwarber said.
Schwarber and Harper have competed in the same Derby before in 2018, although they were representing different teams. With Harper in his final year with the Nationals and Schwarber playing with the Cubs, the future teammates found themselves in the final round together in Washington D.C. Harper bashed 19 homers to narrowly best Schwarber’s 18.
Schwarber hopes that this year ends with another rematch.
“I think it would be awesome, especially in Philadelphia, where our fans obviously are going to get the opportunity to really show out what they’re capable of and what we’ve seen for years and years of just pure electricity,” he said. “So I think it would be a pretty cool ending there if that could happen. But we’ll see what happens.”
Schwarber hit his league-leading 32nd home run on Wednesday against the Reds, which broke Mike Schmidt’s franchise record for most before the All-Star break.
Bryce Harper said he didn’t really want to do the Derby again, but decided to participate for the fans.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The fact that Harper has already won the Derby made him reluctant to compete again, but he said that he wanted to do it for Phillies fans. He officially announced his participation on Thursday night.
“I wasn’t really looking forward to it, to tell you the truth,” Harper said. “I didn’t really want to do it, but being able to do it for the fans, and doing it at home kind of took me to the point where I wanted to do it.”
Another thing initially holding Harper back was not having someone to throw to him. In 2018, Harper’s father pitched to him, but he needed to find someone else this year since his father hasn’t thrown in a while. He settled on Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, who crossed paths with Harper as a coach on the U.S. World Baseball Classic team this year.
Ebel happened to play a role in Schwarber’s All-Star Game MVP-winning performance last year. While he didn’t participate in the 2025 Derby, Schwarber still launched the most memorable home runs of the week. In the first-ever “swing off” to break the ninth-inning tie between the National League and American League in the All-Star Game, Schwarber hit three homers on three swings with Ebel pitching to him.
Phillies assistant hitting coach Rafael Pena will pitch to Schwarber on Monday.
The format of the Derby will look different compared to the last time Harper and Schwarber participated in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Rather than rounds based on timers, each participant will have a set number of swings. In Round 1, the maximum is 20 swings, while Round 2 and the final round will have 15 swings each.
“The clock, I really liked. I know a lot of guys didn’t like it because they got tired or got worn down from it. I didn’t see it that way,” he said. “I think the clock on it kind of brings that theater part to it.”
He also presented an idea to MLB where in the bonus round, the players would be able to use aluminum bats to see how far they could hit. (The children who traditionally shag balls in the outfield during the Derby would have to be removed for that part, of course.) The league declined.
“Seeing a ball go way up into the third deck or over Ashburn Alley completely or off a scoreboard, I think would have got a lot of eyes on it in a way that they’ve never had, besides the steroid era,” Harper said. “People want to see that kind of homer, right? You want to see Sammy Sosa putting it through the windows in Milwaukee, and people putting it over the wall in Fenway, hitting the Citgo sign or whatever it was. I think fans want to see that, so I think it’d have been pretty cool to have that opportunity.”
But even if aluminum bats won’t be involved, the Derby this season will involve Harper and Schwarber competing against Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, and Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras.
As for who the hometown crowd will back?
“They’d root for both of us,” Schwarber said. “I think they’d definitely root for both of us. I think it’d be just a straight cheer factory, so it wouldn’t be anyone against anyone, so I think it’d be pretty cool.”
They were at a travel ball tournament in Marietta, Ga., 30 miles north of Atlanta. Schwarber played for a team from Ohio, and Harper for, well, who can remember? He was a travel ball star, competing for more than a dozen teams across the country, often against older kids.
“We all knew about him,” Schwarber said.
And once word circulated around the eight fields at the East Cobb Baseball Complex that Harper was somewhere on site, Schwarber and his teammates set off in search of the teenage baseball prodigy.
“I remember we were out, just walking around getting ready to go, and we heard and we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re running over there to go watch him play. Get on the fence,’” Schwarber recalled the other day. “It was fun. As a young kid, you’re like, ‘Oh, he’s on the cover of Sports Illustrated.’ So, it was really cool.”
Schwarber chuckled.
“It’s funny,” he said. “Look where we’re at now. We’re, what, 33? It’s a long time.”
Indeed, look at them now. Harper and Schwarber are not only in their fifth season as Phillies teammates. They’re also the main attractions as baseball gathers for Philly’s first All-Star Game in 30 years.
Harper, the face of the Phillies and among the most marketable players in the sport, announced Thursday on Instagram that he will enter the Home Run Derby for the first time since 2018, when he won it in his then-home ballpark in Washington.
Schwarber, the National League’s preeminent slugger and a consummate leader, a force with his personality as much as his Louisville Slugger, committed to the Derby on Friday, setting up a rematch from his runner-up finish to Harper eight years ago.
Harper hit for the cycle for the first time as a major leaguer, while Schwarber blasted three home runs, two in one inning. They were the second teammates to achieve those feats in the same game, joining Lou Gehrig (four homers) and Tony Lazzeri (cycle), Hall of Fame Yankees, in 1932.
And there’s more. Harper entered the weekend with 20 homers and 383 for his career, and was on pace to finish the season with 397; Schwarber was leading the majors with 32, giving him 372 overall and putting him on pace to finish with 395.
The last teammates to chase down 400 homers in the same season: Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltrán with the Yankees in 2016.
“I think it’s cool,” Schwarber said. “The fact of having milestones, one, you’re celebrating for yourself. But then also to have someone else doing the same thing as well, it’s impressive, especially for a player of his caliber.”
As their mutual milestone draws closer, and with the All-Star Game upon us, Harper and Schwarber talked recently about one another in separate conversations with The Inquirer.
Kyle Schwarber has 219 homers since he signed with the Phillies in 2022. Only the Yankees’ Aaron Judge has more in that span.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Harper on Schwarber
Nobody can top Harper’s view of the Schwarber Show.
“It’s a lot of fun to be on deck to watch him do what he does,” Harper said. “It’s impressive.”
Two things stand out most to Harper: the simplicity of Schwarber’s short, left-handed swing and how often he’s able to repeat it.
Harper is notorious for tinkering. When the hits aren’t falling, he alters his stance or switches batting gloves. Last month, the night he hit for the cycle, he dragged a 35-ounce bat — four ounces heavier than his usual model — to the plate.
“You know how I am: I change crap all the time, or I’m doing something different,” Harper said. “Him being able to repeat each swing, understanding what he needs to do on each pitch, is very impressive. I would say it’s one thing that I would be a little bit jealous about, just because he can repeat it so well.”
Schwarber is also the Benjamin Button of sluggers. He’s aging in reverse.
In his first seven major league seasons, from 2015 to 2021, Schwarber hit 153 homers and was 19% more productive than league average, based on OPS+. Since signing with the Phillies in 2022, he has hit 219 homers and is 35% more productive than league average. His OPS has improved each year since 2023, from .817 to .851, .928, and .945 through Wednesday.
“I think he’s just kind of bought into what he’s good at,” Harper said. “This isn’t anything bad, but I don’t know if he’s ever going to hit over .260, or whatever. But he’s bought into hitting homers and walking, and he’s very, very good at it. I mean, he’s on an elite level doing those things.”
The homers come with high strikeout totals. Schwarber led the majors in strikeouts in 2022 and ‘23 and is on pace for a career-high 238 whiffs this season.
Harper doesn’t mind the tradeoff.
“I kind of throw the strikeouts out the window,” Harper said. “It’s like hitting a ground ball to second, right? You’re still out. I’m glad that he doesn’t take that too much into consideration. He kind of just plays along with it, and it’s like, whatever. And then he goes up there, hits a homer.
“And it’s really cool to see his day-to-day work and why he does things. He’s bought into the DH role so well, and I think that’s helped him, too, over the years, not having to worry about defense. He’s just been able to maintain hitting. And it’s great for him because he can buy into what he’s good at.
“It just makes me laugh because he’s such a good dude. It couldn’t happen to a better person, right? I love watching him play. I love watching him hit. I love guys that hit homers, you know?”
But Schwarber’s career path hasn’t been linear.
Drafted fourth overall by the Cubs in 2014, he reached the majors within 12 months and blasted 16 homers in 69 games. He tore a knee ligament two games into the 2016 season and beat every projection to play in the Cubs’ hex-breaking World Series. He got demoted to triple A in 2017, averaged 31 homers per year from 2017-19 despite lingering doubts that he could handle left-handed pitching, and got nontendered after the 2020 season.
Harper believes Schwarber’s range of experiences contributes to his leadership by making him relatable to teammates at every stage of a career.
“I think that’s why everybody gravitates to Schwarbs so much,” Harper said. “Obviously he’s a great human being, great teammate. But he can be a superstar player; he can also be the guy that got hurt; he can also be the guy that gets [nontendered] and they think he’s the worst player in the league.”
Schwarber bounced from the Nationals to the Red Sox in 2021 and signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies the following spring. He has hit 46, 47, 38, and 56 homers over the last four years, a mid-career surge that reminds Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long of David Ortiz.
“Yeah, I agree,” Harper said. “Obviously the last couple of years have been incredible. And I just see him doing that again. I just don’t see it going anywhere. And I say that because the swing is so repeatable. I’m impressed by him every day.”
Bryce Harper is a nine-time All-Star in a 15-year major-league career.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Schwarber on Harper
It’s one thing to be 11 years old and tell your dad, “I’m gonna be the No. 1 pick.” Or to be 16 and labeled as “Baseball’s Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated. Or to leave high school after two years and enroll in junior college to play against older competition.
“But this guy,” Schwarber said, “has been able to be that kid and do even more in the game.”
As he predicted, Harper got drafted first overall in 2010, four months before his 18th birthday. At 19, he made his major league debut … and the All-Star team … and was crowned NL Rookie of the Year.
Harper has spent almost half his life in the majors. This is his 15th season; he won’t turn 34 until October.
“We’re always like, ‘What were you doing when [Harper] came up?’ ” Schwarber said. “He made his debut in ‘12, I think. I’m like, ‘Well, I was a sophomore in college.’ You know what I mean?”
There are times when Schwarber has to remind himself that he’s only six months younger than Harper.
“No one really knows what it’s like to have expectations at such a young age,” Schwarber said. “There have been people who, when you talk about younger kids and they go, ‘Man, this kid’s going to be a prodigy’ or whatever, and then it doesn’t work out. To have that at such a young age and to be able to be fulfilling it and more, it’s pretty hard to do. Right?
“Even I’m sure now there’s expectation for him. He’s handled it every single year the way he should. He goes out there and he produces, and he’s able to be the same guy on a daily basis, which is awesome.”
It’s Harper’s consistency that stands out to Schwarber.
With a strong first half, Harper quieted all the offseason chatter, fueled by Dave Dombrowski’s answer to a question last October, about whether he’s still “elite.” Was it ever really debatable? Harper has hit at least 20 homers in 10 of the last 11 full seasons. He’s a nine-time All-Star and two-time MVP. He’s eighth among active position players in wins above replacement, according to Fangraphs.
“To be able to do it on a year-in and year-out basis,” Schwarber said, “to be consistent on a year-to-year deal, that’s what makes the greats the greats.“
“Not to be like the nerdy kid, but the way his hips move, the way his hands are able to get to the slot, and the way he’s able to stay inside the ball and hit the ball to left-center for power and still be able to turn on a 98-mph fastball and pull it out to right field,” Schwarber said. “I’ve seen many times where he’s taken the 90-whatever mph fastball on the inside corner and taken it out to left-center field.
“I don’t do that. I wish I could. My body type is not his body type. I’m short and stocky. For him to be able to move the way he does, it’s controlled but also still fast. Those are like the really geeky things I think about. Those are the things that impress me.”
And so, their march to 400 homers continues, with an All-Star detour — and maybe even a Home Run Derby rematch — in their home ballpark this week.
“For the career that he’s had — and that he’s going to continue to have,” Schwarber said, “to be able to be in the same category in one thing with him, I think it would be pretty cool to celebrate together one day.”
CINCINNATI — Every year, Zack Wheeler has the same three goals.
Win the Cy Young Award, win the World Series, and make the All-Star Game. After returning from thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that has ended other pitchers’ careers, he didn’t diminish his own expectations.
And so it rankles the Phillies right-hander that one of those goals is officially out of reach this year due to factors out of his control.
Never mind that Wheeler posted a 2.28 ERA in his first 14 starts since returning from the surgery, including a dominant seven innings against the Reds on Tuesday night. Wheeler was not selected to his fourth All-Star Game through the player ballot, which was announced on Saturday. And because he is lined up to start for the Phillies on Sunday and is therefore ineligible to pitch two days later in the midsummer classic, he cannot be named a replacement like teammate Jesús Luzardo, who was one of three pitchers added to the team on Tuesday.
“It [ticks] me off, and it’s kind of B.S. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in there I wouldn’t be saying this, but I feel like I’ve earned it,” Wheeler said. “Just because I pitch on a certain day, I can’t pitch an All-Star Game, or even be there, or get the recognition for it. They could have did it a few different ways. I didn’t necessarily have to get chosen right away, but I feel like I was right there, so maybe they put me in and automatically just shoot me right back out and put somebody else in.
“There’s certain ways to do it, and you figure they would have a clue about it by now, how many All-Star games they’ve had, and I think it’s kind of just a B.S. rule that just because I pitch on a certain day, I get punished for it.”
Kyle Schwarber (left) celebrates with Bryce Harper after hitting a two-run homer.Carolyn Kaster
Wheeler said he typically throws a bullpen session the second or third day after his start and informed his agent he would be willing to pitch an inning on July 14, but was told he is not allowed.
The Phillies had a similar snub last season. Cristopher Sánchez was passed over for an All-Star selection despite a 2.59 ERA in the first half, due to also pitching the final game before the break. The club activated the bonus clause in his contract for an All-Star selection, but Sánchez did not get league recognition.
“It just [stinks] that we have to deal with it,” said Kyle Schwarber, who is one of six Phillies on the National League roster. “We dealt with it last year, dealt with it this year now, and when someone who’s putting up the numbers deserves it, you want them to just get that nod.”
But even if Wheeler will not earn his third consecutive All-Star selection, he certainly put on an All-Star-caliber performance on Tuesday. He held the Reds to one run over seven innings as he pitched with some extra motivation.
Wheeler’s 14 strikeouts matched a career-high.
“I felt like that’s kind of a reminder,” he said, “for whoever needs to be reminded.”
Wheeler leaned on all six of his pitches to keep the Reds off-balance. He generated 20 swings and misses. Early in his outing, his sweeper was his main strikeout pitch. But by the third time through Cincinnati’s order, Wheeler started throwing his splitter more often late in counts as he tried to give hitters different looks.
“I think that’s the one thing with Zack that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “If a guy’s got a weakness, he can get there with different pitches. It’s either the backdoor sink, he can go four [seam] up, he’s got the sweeper, he’s got the split, so there’s weapons for all different styles of guys.”
Zack Wheeler generated swings and misses with all of his signature pitches against the Reds.Carolyn Kaster
Wheeler did not walk a batter. The solo homer he gave up to Eugenio Suárez to lead off the seventh was just the fourth hit and baserunner Wheeler had allowed all night. But he capped the inning — and his outing — by getting Tyler Stephenson to chase a splitter for his 14th strikeout.
“Definitely had some extra focus today. Looked really good in the bullpen,” said catcher J.T. Realmuto. “From start to finish, that was about as good as I’ve seen him.”
The Phillies’ offense provided all the cushion Wheeler needed against Reds lefty Andrew Abbott. In the third inning, Derek Hill started things off with a double, advanced to third on a single from Justin Crawford, and scored on an RBI groundout from Trea Turner.
Abbott then served up a 3-0 fastball over the middle of the plate to Schwarber.
The Ohio native doesn’t often swing in 3-0 counts. In fact, across the first 28 times Schwarber has gotten ahead 3-0 this season, he swung just once, which resulted in a foul tip. Three times, he was intentionally walked. The other 24 times, Schwarber took the 3-0 pitch.
But this time, Schwarber delivered a 408-foot home run to right field, his 31st of the season and 11th against a left-hander.
“I’m not very good at swinging 3-0, I don’t think my numbers are great at all. It’s just kind of always been a little thing for some reason,” Schwarber said. “Not many successful things happen for me there, which is a weird thing, but it just kind of was the spot, the situation.”
The Phillies tacked on another run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly from Edmundo Sosa.
After taking over for Wheeler, Orion Kerkering got into some trouble in the bottom of the frame, issuing back-to-back walks to bring the tying run to the plate. He nearly got out of it, inducing a ground ball to Alec Bohm for a potential inning-ending double play, but Elly De La Cruz was ruled safe at second while Sal Stewart was called out at first.
The Phillies challenged the safe call on De La Cruz, believing that he abandoned the base path by continuing toward the outfield rather than turning to third base immediately after the play. After a lengthy review, the call was upheld. Crew chief Alfonso Marquez told a pool reporter that abandoning of the base path is not challengeable, according to league rules.
Phillies infield coach Bobby Dickerson (right) was ejected by crew chief Alfonso Márquez (center) after their failed challenge of Elly De La Cruz abandoning the base path on a ground ball in the eighth inning.Carolyn Kaster
“In our minds, De La Cruz did not turn left toward third at all,” Mattingly said. “I asked for a rules check from that standpoint, to make sure they knew the rule. Because that’s what they explained to us, showed us video in spring training that you cannot continue running.”
Pitching coach Caleb Cotham and infield coach Bobby Dickerson were ejected after the ruling.
Following the delay, JJ Bleday battled Kerkering for a nine-pitch walk to load the bases and Mattingly brought in Jonathan Bowlan for Suárez. Bowlan made the disagreement moot by striking out Suárez with a slider in the dirt, stranding all three runners.
Jhoan Duran sidestepped a soft infield single to strike out the side in the ninth, picking up his 22nd save of the season.
In doing so, he also ensured that Wheeler earned his ninth win.
“I’m sure there’s a little bit of [an] extra thing in the back of his head where he wanted to go out there and have a really good night, and he did it,” Schwarber said. “And I’m happy that he’s on our side.”
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.
