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The 2026 MLB All-Star Game arrived in Philadelphia with the feel of a 250th birthday party for the United States, complete with plenty of red, white and blue and a roster full of stars who had earned their stripes.
But Citizens Bank Park, long known as a hitter-friendly backdrop, produced fewer fireworks than expected as the American League shut out the National League 4-0 in the 96th Midsummer Classic.
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A general view of Citizens Bank Park during the 96th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first inning and set the tone for a dominant AL pitching performance as 10 relievers helped complete a three-hitter in Tuesday night’s shutout of the NL.
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single and Ben Rice followed with an RBI single in the first against Cristopher Sánchez of the host Philadelphia Phillies.
Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas added an eighth-inning home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski, who was pitching on his 26th birthday, for the only extra-base hit of the game. The AL won for the 18th time in 23 games and has an overall advantage of 49-45-2.
Singles by Juan Soto in the fourth, Pete Crow-Armstrong in the eighth and Otto Lopez in the ninth were the only hits by the NL, which failed to put a runner past first.
Pitchers combined for 27 strikeouts, 15 by AL hurlers.
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Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Diaz loses control of the bat in the fifth inning during the MLB All-Star Game between the American League and the National League on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Matt Rourke/AP)
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, last year’s hero in the first-ever swing-off tiebreaker, started for the NL. Schwarber replaced designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who skipped the showcase to undergo a knee procedure ahead of the second half of the season.
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber to bat during the third inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 14, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and two New York Yankees first basemen Ben Rice and Bellinger were given American League starting spots because of injuries.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero was hit on the outside of his left hand by a 97.6 mph sinker from the St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien in the third inning and immediately left the game. The 23-year-old, fourth in the major leagues with 28 home runs, was down for a few moments before emerging and running straight into the clubhouse. X-rays were negative.
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Players across the majors will have Wednesday off before the Phillies host the New York Mets on Thursday. Action in the rest of the league resumes on Friday.
