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The All-Star Game is always one of the most exciting events on the Major League Baseball calendar, and 2026 is no exception.
Broadcast on FOX from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, with coverage before the game starts at 7 p.m., this year’s All-Star Game pits some of the best players in baseball against each other.
Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Burkhardt and Ken Rosenthal will provide pregame coverage and analysis, along with special guest Jon Bernthal, who will present a tribute to players who served in the armed forces, voiced by Morgan Freeman. There will also be a tribute to legendary NBA star Julius Erving, who played the vast majority of his career in Philadelphia.
Big stage, star players and lots of exciting young players getting their shot on a national platform. Here are some of the most interesting, exciting stories to follow.
Mike Trout
Trout made his final All-Star Game appearance in 2023 as the 34-year-old, soon to be 35, has battled injuries for most of the past few seasons. But a rejuvenated Trout has again proved to be back on top of his game in a mostly healthy first half. While he’s a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer, you never know how much longer he’ll be able to sustain his production as he ages, making any opportunity at the national level must-see television. Not to mention that the Los Angeles Angels, um, struggling to reach the postseason means the All-Star Game is the biggest showcase Trout has.
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Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels stands before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY on April 13, 2025. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
Young stars
Both the American team and the National League team will feature some of baseball’s brightest young players, some of whom will be making their first appearance on such a big stage.
Tampa Bay Rays star Junior Caminero will start in the outfield after a stellar first half that proved his 2025 season was no fluke. Playing the first half at just 22 years old, Caminero hit 28 home runs in his team’s first 94 games, putting him on pace for 48 over a full season with an outstanding 12.9% walk rate. Already, he’s been 24 runs more valuable on offense than the average hitter, and the national platform could help deservedly raise his profile.
Ben Rice of the New York Yankees starts at first base, and although he is often overshadowed by teammate Aaron Judge, he has quietly been one of the most productive hitters in baseball over the past two seasons. So far in 2026, he has been 66% better than league average offensively.
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The National League starting lineup features shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder Andy Pages. Abrams has been a bit of a throwback style player, hitting 20 home runs and stealing 15 bases in the first half with a .275 batting average. Another player who doesn’t get the attention he deserves thanks to playing in Washington, DC, Abrams is still only 25 and establishing himself as one of the most exciting young shortstops in baseball. Pages is similarly overshadowed thanks to playing in LA, but he has become a defensive force and has been the second most valuable offensive player in the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup. Not to mention that 2025 Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin, catcher for the Atlanta Braves, will start behind the plate.
Both teams have a deep bench of young players, with AL rookie Kevin McGonigle, surprising Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas, outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela and Japanese import Muetaka Murakami, who has hit 20 homers in just 60 games.
The National League has Sal Stewart, who is having an impressive season for the Cincinnati Reds, Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has turned his season around and looks to be headed for another 30-30 campaign with the Chicago Cubs, and James Wood, who is quickly becoming one of the most feared hitters in the sport with the Nationals.
The Philadelphia Phillies will host the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. ((Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images))
Fireballers
If there is one thing that has become very important across modern baseball, it is speed. And the All-Star Game will have plenty of that, especially with several pitchers who know they’ll be pitching in shortened stints.
Chase Burns, who averages nearly 98 mph on his fastball, has been outstanding for the Cincinnati Reds. Paul Skenes is making his second All-Star Game appearance as he establishes himself as a perennial Cy Young candidate. Jhoan Duran, the hometown closer in Philadelphia, will bring his 100+ mph sinker to the mound, as will dominant Padres closer Mason Miller.
Then there is Jacob Misiorowski. “The Miz” has been nearly unhittable thus far, with just a 1.62 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 111 innings. Not surprising given his fastball average over 100 mph even as a starter, and he set a new record this year for the fastest pitch thrown by a starting pitcher in the Statcast era.
On the AL side, Aroldis Chapman continues to sit in the high-90s even in his age-38 season, as do dominant Guardians closer Cade Smith and Blue Jays reliever Louis Varland.
Hometown favorite Christopher Sanchez starts for the NL, while Dylan Cease gets the ball for the AL.
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Another swing-off?
The 2025 All-Star Game ended in a 6-6 tie, leading to a new type of tiebreaker: the swing-off. Three players, three swings, most home runs wins. And Phillies star Kyle Schwarber got the job done for the National League, going three-for-three. The format was widely praised for adding drama and deciding the outcome in a fast and exciting way. Will we see another one in 2026?
Even with the usual dropouts and injuries, unfortunately including Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, there is plenty of star power on the field at the All-Star Game. And the raucous crowd in Philadelphia will have plenty of reasons to cheer for hometown stars like Bryce Harper, Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Duran, Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo.
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper is introduced prior to the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (Matt Slocum/AP)
Here are the full starting lineups and reserves for both leagues:
EEL:
- Mike Trout – CF, LAA
- Yordan Alvarez – DH, HOU
- Shea Langeliers – C, ATH
- Junior Caminero – 3B, TB
- Bobby Witt Jr. – SS, KC
- Cody Bellinger — RF, NYY
- Ben Rice — 1B, NYY
- Riley Greene – LF, DET
- Ernie Clement — 2B, THURS
EN:
- Kyle Schwarber – DH, PHI
- Juan Soto – LF, NYM
- Freddie Freeman — 1B, LAD
- CJ Abrams – SS, WSH
- Max Muncy – 3B, LAD
- Ozzie Albies — 2B, ATL
- Brandon Marsh — RF, PHI
- Andy Pages — CF, LAD
- Drake Baldwin – C, ATL
AL reserves:
Catchers
- Dillon Dingler – C, DET
- Adley Rutschman – C, BAL
Infielders
- Travis Bazzana — INF, CLE
- Willson Contreras — INF, BIM
- Kevin McGonigle — INF, DET
- Miguel Vargas—INF, CWS
- Munetaka Murakami — INF, CWS
Outfield players
- Randy Arozarena – OF, SEA
- Ceddanne Rafaela — OF, BIM
- Tristan Peters—OF, CWS
Designated Hitter
NL Reserves:
Catchers
- William Contreras – C, MIL
- Hunter Goodman – C, COL
Infielders
- Luis Arraez — INF, SF
- Bryce Harper — INF, PHI
- Otto Lopez — INF, MIA
- Matt Olson — INF, ATL
- Sal Stewart — INF, CIN
Outfield players
- Corbin Carroll — OF, AZ
- Pete Crow-Armstrong — OF, CHC
- Jordan Walker — OF, STL
- James Wood — AF, WSH
Designated Hitter
- Iván Herrera — DH, STL
AL Pitchers:
- Dylan Cease – RHP, THURS
- Parker Messick — LHP, CLE
- Nick Martinez – RHP, TB
- Drew Rasmussen — RHP, TB
- Joe Ryan – RHP, MIN
- Cam Schlittler — RHP, NYY
- Ranger Suarez — LHP, BIM
- Michael Wacha – RHP, KC
Relief jug
- Bryan Baker — RHP, TB
- Aroldis Chapman — LHP, BIM
- Jacob Latz — LHP, TEX
- Cade Smith—RHP, CLE
- Louis Varland — RHP, THR
NL Pitchers:
Starting pitchers
- Braxton Ashcraft — RHP, PIT
- Chase Burns – RHP, CIN
- Jesús Luzardo — LHP, PHI
- Max Meyer — RHP, MIA
- Jacob Misiorowski — RHP, MIL
- Eduardo Rodriguez — LHP, AZ
- Chris Sale — LHP, ATL
- Christopher Sánchez — LHP, PHI
- Paul Skenes — RHP, PIT
- Logan Webb — RHP, SF
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto — RHP, LAD
- Justin Wrobleski — LHP, LAD
- Foster Griffin — LHP, WSH
Relief jug
- Jhoan Duran — RHP, PHI
- Raisel Iglesias — RHP, ATL
- Mason Miller – RHP, SD
- Riley O’Brien – RHP, STL
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game airs on Fox at 8 p.m. ET, with festivities starting at 7 p.m. ET.
