Category: Baseball

This week marks the All-Star break for more than just the major league teams. The minor league affiliates are off for the next few days as well, never mind that the leagues themselves don’t put on All-Star Games any more, like they used to. For a variety of reasons, there probably wouldn’t be all that many Orioles prospect All-Stars this year anyway.

These weekly updates focus on the team’s top prospects, particularly those on Camden Chat’s composite top 20 Orioles prospect list from before the season. They also include other guys who interest me who might develop into prospects over time. I do not tend to spend much time on non-prospect journeymen.

Here’s how things went this week:

Triple-A Norfolk Tides

• Last week’s results: 3-2 vs. Syracuse (Mets)
• Second half record: 5-11, last place (8 GB) in International League East

Norfolk combines a bottom-half pitching staff with a worst-in-the-league offense in terms of runs scored per game. No wonder this team is a brutal 33-58. The roster is largely a collection of journeyman guys who ostensibly exist as depth for the MLB roster except, if this is how they’re playing at Triple-A, they barely even count for that.

This is particularly relevant in the wake of the injury suffered by Blaze Alexander in the final game before the MLB break. Do the Orioles have an infielder they can bring up from the minors? Well, maybe. He’s the kind of no-longer-prospect I don’t usually talk about in these articles, but there is Christian Encarnacion-Strand, already on the 40-man roster and with most of his games this year played at third base. Encarnacion-Strand batted 5-15 across this week’s games, including two doubles and two homers. He’s OPSing .863 for Norfolk, though that does come with a suboptimal OBP (.309).

With Creed Willems on the injured list, there’s one actual prospect getting at-bats for Norfolk. That is Enrique Bradfield Jr., who continues to put up batting numbers that are fine as long as you ignore what his lack of power portends against MLB pitching. He had three hits and two walks in five games, including one triple, plus a stolen base, giving him 16 steals in 39 games. No question the guy is fast. Big question whether a .670 OPS at Norfolk is enough.

For the pitchers, Nestor German tossed seven shutout innings this week, while allowing just four hits and a walk. He sits at a 4.11 ERA for the season, which isn’t that exciting on its face, but it is .8 runs below the league average. That’s the equivalent of an MLB starting pitcher having a 3.41 ERA. German is at nearly a 10 K/9 and nearly a 3 K/BB. Don’t write him off just for his ERA starting with a 4.

Others of interest

• OF Heston Kjerstad – I always want him to be something. He batted 5-13 over four games played, giving him a .766 OPS in 45 games with the Tides. Probably not enough for another MLB look unless there are big league injuries.
• LHP Andrew Magno – Two runs allowed in 2.1 innings this week, not great, but the season ERA of 1.04 remains interesting. Sometimes people ask “Why isn’t this guy on the MLB team?” and probably one big answer is he’s walked 20 batters in 34.2 innings.

Tides season-to-date stats.

Double-A Chesapeake Baysox

• Last week’s results: 3-3 at Akron (Guardians)
• Second half record: 10-7, t-second place (3.5 GB) in Eastern League Southwest

The Double-A team is not quite as bad off as Norfolk: Their offense isn’t the worst in their league. They are a bit below average, same as their pitching staff. I had higher hopes for the team. As an Orioles fan, I’m used to disappointment. The only defense against that is not getting excited in the first place.

I’m obligated to lead with my guy Aron Estrada, even when the news is bad. The infielder had four hits in 22 at-bats this week, and drew only one walk, so that’s a .481 OPS over five games. The season line still isn’t bad for a 21-year-old at this level: .276/.317/.474. Fellow 21-year-old Thomas Sosa, an outfielder, fared better here, 6-22 including a homer, though he struck out seven times.

The Joseph Dzierwa excitement train did not run into too many problems this past week. He allowed a run over five innings in his lone start, a solo home run. Dzierwa also got a chance to pitch in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, retiring the only batter he pitched against. The week also featured an impressive eight shutout innings in a single start by Luis De León. If he was regularly firing off outings like that, he’d be a lot more exciting. Instead, 4.76 ERA in 70 innings. Love the 11.1 K/9.

Others of interest

• RHP Juaron Watts-Brown – Would I even mention him if he wasn’t a hyphenated Brown? Maybe not. Struck out eight batters in five innings this past week. The season ERA of 6.24 in 12 starts is less fun.
• C/1B Ethan Anderson – Hit the injured list with an ankle injury, a real shame since he’s rocked this year: .270/.369/.520 with 17 homers.

Baysox season-to-date stats.

High-A Frederick Keys

• Last week’s results: 3-2 vs. Jersey Shore (Phillies)
• Second half record: 11-9, t-second place (1.5 GB) in South Atlantic League North

The Keys had a guy in the Futures Game as well. That was Ike Irish. He batted twice and walked once. In three games with the Keys before heading to Philadelphia, last year’s first rounder had three hits, including a double, bringing him to an .843 OPS in 71 games.

Fellow first rounder Wehiwa Aloy took the lead in Irish’s temporary absence. Aloy’s six games over this past week saw him rack up nine hits, including two homers, giving him 13 for the season. The thing to watch with Aloy is the strikeouts. He added eight this week and has a 27.2% strikeout rate this year. It’s not Vance Honeycutt territory (he struck out ten times in 11 at-bats in three games) but it’s not what you want.

Among the starting pitchers, the best outing this week was thrown by Twine Palmer, acquired from the Astros last year. His handful of games with Delmarva after the trade last year were so bad, so to see him continuing to do well this year a level higher is nice. This week saw him strike out eight batters over six innings while allowing just a run on three hits and two walks. For the season, it’s a 3.56 ERA and 1.203 WHIP for Palmer.

Others of interest

• LHP Boston Bateman – Three runs allowed in five innings this week, less than ideal. Six strikeouts with only one walk allowed. Walk rates are my concern for him (4.6 BB/9 for the season), so if he can keep those down, I think he’ll be OK.
• LHP Caden Hunter – Last year’s sixth round pick allowed two runs in five innings; he’s got a 1.93 ERA in eight starts with Frederick. Again, watching the walk rate (also 4.6 BB/9)
• OF RJ Austin – 7-15 including a double and a homer, and he walked twice, and he stole eight bases to up his season total to 26. It’s a .259/.361/.414 line in 46 games for last year’s third rounder.

Keys season-to-date stats.

Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds

• Last week’s results: 2-4 vs. Kannapolis (White Sox)
• Second half record: 8-13, fifth place (3.5 GB) in Carolina League North

The lowest-level full-season Orioles affiliate is like Norfolk, except which thing is bad is flipped: They have the worst pitching staff in the league in terms of run prevention and they’re near the bottom in offense. It’s added up to a brutal record for this team as well, one that’s continuing into the second half.

On Friday night, one of the exciting young players on this team, infielder Jaiden Lo Re, left the game early after a collision on the bases. He was back in action on Sunday, reaching base all five times he came to the plate while driving in three runs. Lo Re has a .952 OPS in 27 games here. Fellow 19-year-old infielder DJ Layton’s week included 5-17 hitting with four walks and a pair of stolen bases; his .257/.402/.391 batting line in 75 games is also interesting for this level.

Others of interest

• RHP Christian Rodriguez – Seven shutout innings this past week, with five hits and a walk allowed. The Orioles picked him in the 10th round two years ago. He’s 24, old for this level. I think we’ll see some promotions once the draft picks start signing.

Shorebirds season-to-date stats.

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In last week’s minor league player of the week poll, you chose my guy Estrada as the winner, narrowly edging Rodriguez. Thanks for your support! Estrada is our ninth different winner of the weekly polls this season. Irish is the only guy to win twice. Other single week winners: Victor Figueroa, Payton Eeles, Braylin Tavera, Caden Hunter, Wehiwa Aloy, Jaiden Lo Re, and Joseph Dzierwa.

Will we add another repeat winner this week? The choice is yours.

Virginia baseball was far from perfect in Chris Pollard’s first season, but one thing nobody could dispute was their quality top end talent. Five Wahoos were selected by pro organizations in the 2026 MLB Draft last weekend.

A.J. Gracia did not have to wait long to hear his name called, as the Atlanta Braves picked the two-time all-ACC outfielder ninth overall. Gracia becomes the sixth all-time Cavalier to go in the top ten, and the first since Pavin Smith (7th to the Arizona Diamondbacks) and Adam Haseley (8th to the Philadelphia Phillies) in 2017. Some scouts have been skeptical of Gracia’s long-term outlook defensively, but his bat was too good to resist.

Welcome to #BravesCountry AJ! pic.twitter.com/kVWY2Jg5PX

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 11, 2026

Eric Becker was also selected on day one, joining fellow UVA alumni Andrew Abbott and Ethan O’Donnell in the Cincinnati Reds organization as a second round pick. Becker’s stock dropped slightly as a result of a “down” junior season in Charlottesville. Still, he finishes his college career with a .348 overall batting average and 1.048 OPS.

The third ‘Hoo off the board was sixth-round selection Kyle Johnson, who will more than likely specialize as a pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Joe Tiroly, a seventh round selection by the San Diego Padres, and Tyler Kapa, the Miami Marlins’ 14th round pick, round out the list.

As far as committed high schoolers are concerned, call it a small victory for the UVA program. The only member of the 2026 recruiting class that will not make it to Grounds is, as expected, infielder Bo Lowrance, who went 40th overall to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Meanwhile, highly rated recruits such as RHP Wyatt Clatur, LHP Sean Loggie, and SS Will Yow (as confirmed earlier this offseason) all will join the Cavaliers roster for the 2027 season after going undrafted.

Grateful to have been part of Bo’s journey. The @Dodgers got a great player and a world class family! https://t.co/05TWxpC2p4

— Chris Pollard (@coachchris14) July 11, 2026

Catcher Jake Weatherspoon also did not hear his name called and may very well be returning next season. The JUCO transfer tallied ten multi-hit games and 13 extra base hits in 2026, slashing .272/.337/.429.

Elsewhere around the country, former Cavaliers pitchers Bryson Moore (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Evan Blanco (Athletics), as well as position players Henry Ford (Seattle Mariners) and Aidan Teel (Minnesota Twins) were all middle round draftees.

July 18 update
With a last flurry of bonus amounts via Baseball America and Future Sox, we now has a complete class of signings, as Draft Camp in Charlotte gets underway. Round 20 pick Connor Fennell will not be signing with the White Sox. The club apparently did push $643,200 past their bonus pool, meaning it will pay an additional 5% tax ($32,160) on that amount.

July 16 update
The White Sox have sent out a release, proclaiming their first 20 picks are all signed; Round 20 pick Connor Fennell is not among them. However, we don’t have bonus amounts for 18 of the 20 picks. The first 20 picks are updated as “signed” per the White Sox, but we will have to fill in bonus information as we get it.

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The 2026 MLB Draft is over, and the White Sox targeted outfielders and power bats.

This year’s signing deadline is July 22, although the White Sox are expected to ink at least 20 of their 21 picks. As you are probably aware, each pick in the draft is assigned a specific and unique value, and the sum of those values is the amount a team is allowed to spend on their draft selections.

For the first 10 rounds of the draft, every dollar spent counts against that total (the bonus pool). All picks after the 10th Round are assigned $150,000 as the signing bonus; players can be (and often are) signed for more or less than that — but anything more than $150,00 counts against the bonus pool.

HOWEVER, teams are allowed to overspend their bonus pool by up to 5%. If a team spends more than 105% of their bonus pool, stiff penalties are introduced: the loss of future draft picks. For this reason, under these rules no MLB team has ever exceeded that 5% overage.

There are various strategies employed to maximize pick value, which often ends up on the backs of college seniors with no leverage (i.e. cannot refuse to sign/return to school); the White Sox in fact have paid signing bonuses as little as $10,000 or perhaps $5,000 under such circumstances. The unused money is then poured into enticing one of the “money picks” (Nos. 1-10, but more likely in the first five rounds) to sign. Or, as was the case DJ Gladney in 2019, a “steal” in the lower 10s of the draft will have such savings steered to him to ensure signing/eschewing a college scholarship commitment.

Our tracker is below. Scroll right for additional details, and scroll all the way down for details on undrafted free agent signings.

2026 White Sox Draft Signing Tracker

Director of scouting Mike Shirley has indicated already that 20th Round pick Connor Fennell may not be signed, as he was chosen as insurance against another player refusing to agree to terms or not passing his physical. But with 21 picks, the White Sox will very likely ink at least 20 players out of this draft.

If a player doesn’t sign with the White Sox, the money slotted for their pick is lost; it cannot be used to sign other players in the draft class. The White Sox would, however, get a compensation pick in 2027 that is one slot lower. That is, if the White Sox failed to sign Cole Prosek, they would get the No. 42 pick in the 2027 draft. If a pick lower than the first two rounds doesn’t sign, the White Sox get a compensatory pick the next year at the end of the round; if third-rounder Joey Volchko doesn’t come to terms, the White Sox will get an extra pick at the end of 2027’s third round.

Undrafted free agents (UDFA)
Among the immediate batch of UDFAs this year, lefty starter Michael Sharman stands out. The Clemson lefty pitched much older than his college competition (he’s now 24) but in two major college seasons was fantastic. In 2026 he started 15 games with a 3.39 ERA — terrific enough, but also consider his 77 strikeouts, 11 walks and tiny 1.091 WHIP.

On paper, this cross-country road trip is where even the most optimistic Red Sox fans were supposed to reach a capitulation point. Despite a mostly successful 5-2 homestand to close out June against the Yankees and Nationals, reality and time were growling at the door in the form of an abysmal record and the aggressively approaching trade deadline.

The team was still 11 games under .500, and they were flying to California with no games at Fenway Park appearing on the schedule until July 17th. Suspensions for Willson Contreras and Nate Eaton were handed down and had to be served within days, and to make matters worse, Connelly Early just hit the IL, joining Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet, Trevor Story, Marcelo Mayer, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Johan Oviedo, Nick Sogard, Tristan Casas, and Kutter Crawford without a timeline. The final death blow of this woefully disappointing season felt imminent and inevitable — Probably in the form of some walk-off in LA while the clock appropriately struck midnight on the east coast. Barring a miracle, this thing was over, and colossal consequences were coming.

And yet, in quintessential baseball fashion, this is the exact moment the seas parted, and the ship turned. Because baseball, despite being its own galaxy of numbers that revolves around strict rules, trends, data, and deep statistical blueprints, will every once in a while take all that logic and math, and light it on fire.

There’s no way this lineup, down on power to start the year, down Roman Anthony and Trevor Story for half the season, and down Willson Contreras for half this road trip should’ve had enough ammunition to make it through any game, let alone nine straight wins and the best Red Sox road trip since 1977. But it did.

There’s no way this rotation, down 80 percent of the guys who made the first five starts of the season (Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Connelly Early and Brayan Bello) for a solid chunk of the trip, should have pieced together a collection of gems that would make a pirate blush. But it did.

There’s no way Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler — all three guys the Sox got back in the Kyle Harrison trade with Milwaukee — should have started making major, meaningful contributions on a nightly basis right when the team was at its most vulnerable, but they did.

There’s no way a room service, game ending double play ball should be the catalyst for the most improbable rally of the season, but it was.

And there’s no way plane problems should be a harbinger for a baseball team catching fire. And yet, here we are.

None of this makes sense, and that’s exactly why it’s so magical. We watch the 99 percent of the time to get the high off the one percent where everything goes haywire. In simplest terms, THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF!

As a proud nerd who spends hours looking at spreadsheets, tables, and trends, it’s the moments where sanity melts under a mushroom cloud of chaos that make life interesting, and in turn, baseball worth watching for weeks on end.

People complain life is monotonous and baseball is boring, and much of the time, they’re right ….. Until they’re absolutely not! Every once in a while, the daily box of possibilities bursts at its barriers and deals you an extreme, unexpected fate (good or bad) — And the next thing you know, you’re in a car accident, you receive a profoundly positive update after a cancer diagnosis, you’re meeting your soulmate for the first time, a tornado siren is blaring through your neighborhood, or the most disappointing baseball team you’ve ever watched is going on a road trip with a WooSox looking lineup and rescues the baseball summer that felt stolen three weeks ago.

It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s better that way.

If the Red Sox continue their heater into the second half and make a deep playoff run in the fall, the active roster will most certainly look a lot different than the group that just pulled the wagon from the cliff’s edge while traveling the Oregon Trail in reverse. (It has to if this front office is remotely serious about trying to take advantage of this historically weak American League.)

But while this group who just played their hearts out may not get October playing time, they could end up being the reason those opportunities exist at all, making their efforts an integral chapter in a much longer, more complex story.

Deep within the DNA of any successful baseball season are things like Tsung-Che Cheng’s three straight multi-hit games while playing solid defense at short, Patrick Sandoval returning to a Major League mound for the first time in two years while holding an explosive White Sox lineup to a single run, and Eduardo Rivera and Brayan Bello being great straight out of Worcester to help keep a long winning streak alive. They just don’t usually come piled on top of each other in such short order.

But for a week and a half, these delightful surprises fell like snowflakes in a ferocious February blizzard. Only here, they came in the blistering heat of summer, and turned a Red Sox road trip that was supposed to be a funeral, into a miraculous resurrection.

Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!

As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.

Triple-A Nashville Sounds

Current record: 53-38
Record this week: 3-3
This week’s opponent: @ Charlotte Knights
Next week’s opponent: vs. Norfolk Tides

Standout performances:
Luke Adams: 7-for-15, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
Tyler Black: 7-for-16, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K
Ethan Murray: 8-for-19, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Thomas Pannone: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

With Luis Lara and Cooper Pratt now in the big leagues, the Sounds are down to just one Top 100 prospect in Jett Williams, who appeared in only one game this week. Nashville still features Luke Adams and Jeferson Quero (7-for-24), both of whom continued to produce, but the promotions of Lara and Pratt have opened up more playing time for some of the organization’s less-heralded players — and they’ve taken advantage.

Four Sounds hitters batted over .400 this week. One was Adams. The other three? Ethan Murray, Darrien Miller, and Tyler Black. None are currently considered to be among the Brewers’ top 30 prospects (though Black once was), but all three have played an important role in Nashville’s success. Murray is hitting .272 with a .712 OPS on the season, while Black owns a .781 OPS and has continued to show the on-base skills that earned him opportunities in the majors. Miller has only been in Triple-A for a few weeks after earning a promotion on June 27, but before leaving Biloxi he posted a .943 OPS with the Shuckers.

1st and aint going to be the last pic.twitter.com/Gz6BdtuGh9

— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) July 9, 2026

A lot of attention naturally goes to the organization’s biggest names, but weeks like this are a reminder that a healthy farm system needs more than just blue-chip prospects. Players like Murray, Miller, and Black may not generate the same headlines as guys like Lara and Pratt, but they’ve consistently produced, helped their clubs win games, and provided the kind of depth that allows top prospects to develop in competitive environments. Not every player has to become a star to play an important role in the organization’s success.

The offense carried the Sounds this week, but the pitching staff had a much tougher time. Only four pitchers logged more than three innings: Coleman Crow, Carlos Rodriguez, Gerson Garabito, and Thomas Pannone. Pannone was the lone bright spot, holding the Charlotte Knights to two earned runs over six innings. The other three, however, struggled.

Crow, who recently completed his rehab assignment and was optioned back to Triple-A, allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings. Rodriguez made two appearances as an opener, surrendering eight runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings, while Garabito was tagged for seven earned runs across five innings.

Tyson Hardin also turned in a solid outing, allowing one earned run on two hits over three innings while striking out three. His ERA is now down to 3.63 through his first 10 Triple-A starts.

Double-A Biloxi Shuckers

Current record: 46-37
Record this week: 3-3
This week’s opponent: @ Knoxville Smokies
Next week’s opponent: vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Standout performances:

Matthew Wood: 5-for-13, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K
Mike Boeve: 6-for-20, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K
Josh Adamczewski: 5-for-21, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K
Andrew Fischer: 5-for-21, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 10 K
Jaron DeBerry: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Braylon Owens: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Bishop Letson: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K

This part of the column is getting so predictable. Guess who this week’s standouts were? Yep: Josh Adamczewski, who had more hits than strikeouts yet again. Andrew Fischer, who racked up four extra-base hits, including another home run, despite striking out in nearly half of his at-bats. Mike Boeve hit .300 and walked more than he struck out. Rinse, repeat.

Adamczewski is now officially a top-100 prospect after MLB Pipeline updated its rankings. He wasn’t even a top-30 Brewers prospect at the start of last season. It’s been a meteoric rise for Milwaukee’s new No. 6 prospect, who has done nothing but hit since joining the organization. Frankly, the recognition from Pipeline feels overdue.

No baseball for a couple days.

Just wanted to show you guys a couple of #Brewers prospects (Andrew Fischer and Josh Adamczewski) who are absolutely MASHING in MiLB this year!

UNTOUCHABLE! https://t.co/ocPhzX3lZm

— Tommy Wortz (@TommyWortz) July 13, 2026

On the pitching side, Jaron DeBerry continues to impress. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since May 17—almost exactly two months ago. After that outing, his ERA sat north of six. Following this week’s seven-inning, two-hit, 11-strikeout gem, it’s all the way down to an even 4.00. Braylon Owens was excellent as well, allowing just one run on four hits over six innings.

Shuckers Pitchers w/ 10+ K in Back-to-Back Starts

– Jacob Misiorowski
– Bowden Francis
– JARON DeBERRY#ShuckYeah#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/FctHkGzHgG

— Biloxi Shuckers (@BiloxiShuckers) July 10, 2026

Good news: Bishop Letson allowed three runs while striking out six over 5⅓ innings. Bad news: he also walked four and surrendered eight hits. As soon as Logan Henderson graduates, Letson will become the Brewers’ top pitching prospect, but he’s taken a step back in his first full season at Double-A. He owns a 4.62 ERA and a 4.91 BB/9, and the command has been inconsistent. If he can tighten that up, the stuff is still good enough to make him a successful major league starter.

Jesús Made and Blake Burke both went 3-for-20 this week, which happens. It’s baseball. Check back next week.

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High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Current record: 46-33
Record this week: 3-3
This week’s opponent: vs. Beloit Sky Carp
Next week’s opponent: vs. Quad Cities River Bandits

Standout performances:

Luiyin Alastre: 5-for-11, 2 2B, 0 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Blayberg Diaz: 5-for-11, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K
Daniel Dickinson: 9-for-20, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 7 BB, 6 K
Tyler Rodriguez: 6-for-14, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 2 K
Braylon Payne: 4-for-11, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Wande Torres: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Ethan Dorchies: 9.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Daniel Corniel: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Garrett Hodges: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Tanner Perry: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Wisconsin’s top performer this week was Daniel Dickinson, who turned in arguably his best performance of the season. The 2025 sixth-round pick went 9-for-20 (.450) with two doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, and seven walks, good for a ridiculous 1.593 OPS. Dickinson got off to a slow start in his professional career, but he’s quietly raised his OPS to .786 through his first 225 at-bats and is beginning to look like the polished college bat the Brewers thought they were drafting.

Daniel Dickinson won the Midwest League Player of the Week award 🏅

Dickinson had a 1.593 OPS on the week, getting on base more than half of his PA and smacking 3 home runs and 2 doubles 🔥

He has played all of his 72 games in High-A Wisconsin his first full professional season… pic.twitter.com/1cXUQiSvUt

— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) July 13, 2026

Eric Bitonti struck out 10 times in 20 at-bats, but he also collected five hits — three of them home runs. Not bad. Some evaluators started to sour on Bitonti after his strikeout issues persisted this season, and while 109 strikeouts in 254 at-bats is still a glaring concern, he’s also hitting .264 with an .894 OPS and 15 home runs. Bitonti nearly fell out of the Brewers’ top 30 prospects before the latest rankings update, but he’s continuing to make adjustments at the plate. He’ll spend the rest of the season as a 20-year-old, so there’s no reason to rush the development of a player with this kind of raw power.

Bitonti is 20 years old still, he has 15 homers and an .896 OPS in High-A. He’s also been playing third base a lot more since Fischer went to Biloxi, and I still think that’s a position he can handle.

Don’t forget about him https://t.co/XqTqrb7x0y

— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) July 12, 2026

Braylon Payne continued his breakout campaign, going 4-for-11 with a home run and four RBI. At this point, he’s officially on promotion watch. Tyler Rodriguez also stayed hot, going 6-for-14 with seven walks against just two strikeouts. Through his first 11 games with Wisconsin, Rodriguez is hitting .368 with a .974 OPS. Listed as a shortstop, he’s spent this season exclusively in the outfield and at first base, making him another intriguing player to watch as he settles into High-A.

The pitching staff had plenty to celebrate this week as well. Wande Torres and Ethan Dorchies, both of whom have struggled at times this season, turned in their best outings of the year against Beloit. Torres tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while walking nobody and striking out eight. Dorchies was nearly as impressive across two starts, surrendering just two earned runs over 9⅓ innings while striking out 11. Daniel Corniel also contributed four solid innings of one-run ball, while Garrett Hodges and Tanner Perry each chipped in quality performances to help Wisconsin secure the series win.

Single-A Wilson Warbirds

Current record: 47-38
Record this week: 4-1
This week’s opponent: vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Next week’s opponent: @ Hickory Crawdads

Standout performances:

Juan Ortuno: 6-for-15, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K
Brady Ebel: 5-for-14, 3 2B, 1 RBI, 6 BB, 1 K
Alexander Frias: 6-for-18, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Filippo Di Turi: 4-for-13, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K
Pedro Ibarguen: 4-for-13, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
Jarrette Bonet: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Miqueas Mercedes: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Andrew Healy: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Enderson Mercado: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

Alexander Frias went 6-for-18 with a home run and eight RBIs, only striking out twice. After posting a .441 average in rookie ball, the 18-year-old is showing he belongs in full-season ball.

Alexander Frias hit a 2R HR, his second in Low-A pic.twitter.com/Kb3Wn31W22

— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) July 12, 2026

Brady Ebel, whose brother was drafted by the Brewers with the 25th pick in this weekend’s MLB Draft, notched three extra base hits and six walks while only striking out once. Juan Ortuño matched Ebel with six hits of his own while adding three doubles, four RBIs, and five walks, continuing a quietly productive season in Wilson. Filippo DiTuri and Pedro Ibarguen both also hit over .300 with four RBIs apiece.

The best performance of the week wasn’t any of those guys, but rather Jose Anderson. In true Jose Anderson form, Anderson had five hits this week, but four of them were home run — bringing him to 21, the most in the Carolina League.

Jose Anderson’s 2nd HR of the game and 20th of the season is a walk-off homer for Wilson

The strikeouts remain a big issue for him, but the power is definitely impressive pic.twitter.com/7yUtU67r6K

— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) July 11, 2026

Led by the usual suspects, the pitching staff also turned in another strong week. Jarrette Bonet was dominant, striking out seven over four scoreless innings while allowing just three hits. Miqueas Mercedes went six innings of one-run ball, striking out seven, and Andrew Healy limited Fayetteville to one run over five innings. Enderson Mercado allowed nine batters to reach base over just 4 2/3 innings, but managed to escape while only allowing two runs.

Player of the Week

I’m giving this one to the only Brewers prospect to hit four home runs this week. No, it’s not Andrew Fischer again.

José Anderson is one of the more fascinating prospects in the system. The power is impossible to ignore — he’s already up to 21 home runs on the season, and his .752 OPS is respectable — but the swing-and-miss remains a major hurdle. Anderson has struck out 125 times in 328 plate appearances, good for a staggering 38% strikeout rate. Despite his OPS, he’s hitting under .200. That’s simply not sustainable as he climbs the minor league ladder.

Still, the raw tools are intriguing. Power like Anderson’s doesn’t grow on trees, and if the Brewers can help him make enough contact and refine his approach at the plate, there’s a legitimate player in there. I’d love to see him put it all together and eventually tap into that power in Milwaukee.

Most HR in the minors by players under the age of 20

Jose Anderson (MIL, A) – 18 HR
Emil Morales (LAD, A+) – 17 HR
Braylon Payne (MIL, A+) – 16 HR
Nathan Flewelling (TB, A+) – 16 HR
Eduardo Tait (MIN, A+) – 15 HR
Ching-Hsien Ko (LAD, A) – 15 HR
Josiah Hartshorn (CHC, A+) – 15 HR

— Kirk Snyder (@dynastyinfo411) July 10, 2026

Play of the Week

Ethan Murray flashing the leather at second base (or in right field, I guess)

Are web gems still a thing?

Cause this is for sure one @SportsCenter#SCTop10@ESPNAssignDeskpic.twitter.com/1ocLY0kNnS

— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) July 11, 2026

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

How are you spending your four days off from Orioles baseball (assuming you hadn’t already bailed on Orioles baseball by, like, May)? Me, I’m going to take care of important things around the house, by which I mean catching up on TV. I’m still working my way through the Fallout season that ended in February, so there’s a hefty backlog.

Of course, there’s still baseball to enjoy if you’d like to do so. The MLB All-Star Game is tonight at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, airing on Fox at 8:00. It’ll be the usual fun showcase featuring the majors’ biggest stars, but unfortunately precious few Orioles. The Birds’ lone representative, Adley Rutschman, will be among the American League reserves, so we should see him come in midway through the game.

Rutschman is a deserving All-Star, but the fact that he’s the Orioles’ only one is kind of a bummer. I know this season hasn’t gone particularly well for the Birds, but it’s not as if they just have one good player. There are worse AL teams with more representatives. Fellow sub-.500 teams like the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Twins, and Tigers all have multiple All-Stars. Even the lowly Royals and Athletics have two apiece.

I’m a little surprised that Pete Alonso didn’t get selected to the team, especially after a fellow first baseman, the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz, bowed out with injury. The Polar Bear is already a five-time All-Star and is putting up another strong year in his Orioles debut. But I suppose the AL is stacked with first basemen even without Kurtz (and the fan-voted starter, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who also won’t be playing), as Boston’s Willson Contreras, the Yankees’ Ben Rice, and White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami are already on the roster. At the very least, I would’ve liked to see Alonso participate in the Home Run Derby, which he has won twice in his career (including a defeat of the Orioles’ Trey Mancini in 2021, which was annoying at the time).

Still, the 2026 Orioles’ fate won’t be decided by how many guys they’ve got playing in the All-Star Game. They’ve got 65 more games of baseball to play when the season resumes on Friday. And with a little momentum on their side after heading into the break on a four-game winning streak, they’re going to need to stay hot for pretty much the entire second half to stay in contention. So let’s hope that Adley enjoys his time at the Midsummer Classic, and that the rest of the team gets a nice breather and comes back ready to win a lot of games.

Links

Elite defense proving 3-time All-Star Rutschman is ‘still that guy’ – MLB.com

There aren’t normally a lot of stolen base attempts in the All-Star Game anyway, but I don’t think the National League will dare try it when Adley is behind the dish.

Orioles trade for Sanders, move Akin to 60-day IL (Raquet optioned) – School of Roch

The O’s acquired Cam Sanders, and before you ask, no, he’s not a third baseman, and he’s not even joining the major league roster. We’ll have to wait another couple days to find out who Blaze Alexander’s replacement will be.

Will O’s top pick Eric Booth Jr. need to make swing adjustments in pro ball? – Steve Melewski

Most likely, yes. Is the Orioles’ development staff capable of making it happen? To be determined.

Why didn’t Orioles pick left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas in draft? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Because you don’t draft for need. And even if you did, a high school pitcher wouldn’t exactly help the Orioles anytime soon.

Orioles’ Blaze Alexander responds to Royals regarding quick-pitch tactic that broke his hand – The Baltimore Banner

Alexander called out Lucas Erceg for quick-pitching him on the fateful HBP, and got in a dig on Vinnie Pasquantino for good measure. Blaze’s troll game is on point.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And there’s a good chance that you used to play for the Orioles, because a whopping nine players in O’s history were born on July 14. I would venture a guess that that’s more O’s birthdays than any other date on the calendar, but I’m not going to do the legwork of looking it up.

That lengthy birthday list includes three players currently active in the majors or minors: infielders Joey Ortiz (28) and Andrew Velazquez (32) and right-hander Isaac Mattson (31). It also includes the Orioles’ most recent Cy Young Award winner, right-hander Steve Stone (79). Other ex-Orioles born on July 14 include infielders Bernie Castro (47), Victor Rodríguez (65), and Billy Smith (73); outfielder Derrick May (58); and the late catcher Earl Williams (b. 1948, d. 2013).

On this date in 2012, the Orioles pulled off a wild win in a season full of them with an 8-6 walkoff against the Tigers at Camden Yards. After closer Jim Johnson blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth to allow Detroit to tie, the Tigers took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 11th, only for Adam Jones to deliver a two-out RBI single to tie it in the bottom half. The Orioles fell behind again in the 13th, but J.J Hardy promptly tied the score with a solo homer, and light-hitting backup catcher Taylor Teagarden — making his team debut — played the hero with a walkoff two-run blast. It was the Birds’ 10th consecutive extra-innings win, a streak that would eventually reach 16.

And on this day in 2019, the Orioles nearly became the victims of the first combined perfect game in MLB history, as two Rays pitchers — Ryne Stanek and Ryan Yarbrough — combined to retire the first 24 batters of the game. Hanser Alberto finally broke up the perfecto in the ninth with a leadoff single. The O’s lost, 4-1.

Random Orioles game of the day

On July 14, 1973, the Orioles beat the White Sox, 5-4, in Chicago. The O’s pounded out 12 hits, including three from DH Tommy Davis and a homer by Paul Blair. Earl Williams, on his 25th birthday, contributed two RBIs. Hall of Famer Jim Palmer worked eight strong innings for the win, but gave up three runs in the ninth before reliever Bob Reynolds escaped a bases-loaded jam on a game-ending double play.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Offday

Double-A Somerset Patriots: Offday

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Offday

Low-A Tampa Tarpons: Offday

Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 3-2 (7) vs. FCL Phillies

3B Richard Matic 0-4, 3 K
DH George Lombard Jr. 1-2, HR, RBI, BB, CS — first AB back was a dinger!
RF Wilberson De Pena 0-3, 2 K
C Queni Pineda 1-2, BB, passed ball
2B Leni Done 1-3, 3B, RBI, 2 K
CF Jose Castro 0-3, 2 K
LF Francisco Vilorio 0-3, 2 K
SS Dexters Peralta 0-3, 2 K
1B Justin Capellan 1-3

Anthony Mena 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Sunayro Martina 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K (win)

🚨George Lombard Jr CRUSHES 2nd pitch of his rehab for a solo shot!

106 MPH EV
397 Ft#RepBx#Yankeespic.twitter.com/K3hi9BcHKt

— YankeesFarm (@YankeesFarm) July 13, 2026

Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 2-1 (8) vs. DSL Miami

CF Isaias Castillo 2-4, SB, CS
SS Stiven Marinez 1-3, BB
RF Yostin Pena 0-1, 3 BB
2B Juan Torres 2-4, 2B, RBI, K
DH Juan Martinez 0-3, K
C Cesar Lopez 0-2, BB, K
1B Edgar Jimemez 0-3, K, fielding error
3B Adrian Feliz 1-2, BB, SB
LF Kendry Diaz 1-3, 2B

Hector Moreno 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Manny Penuelas 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K (win)

Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 16-10 at DSL Phillies — between this scoreline and the line for the DSL Yanks, the DSL is clearly a land of contrasts

2B Dariel Santana 1-4, RBI, BB
C Alessandro Rodriguez 0-2, RBI, BB, SF, throwing error
SS Carlos Bello 1-5, RBI, K, fielding error
DH Kenneth Melendez 1-3, 2B, 2 BB
RF David Carrera 0-1, 3 BB
1B Poly Ojeda 2-4, 2B, RBI, K, fielding error
3B Germayhoni Beltre 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB, two throwing errors
LF Sebastian Pinto 0-3, RBI, BB, K, SF
CF Alfiery Matos 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, K, SB, CS

Randy Angomas 0.1 IP, 3 H, 7 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 1 K (loss) — poor Randy has had a rough go of it, with 5+ runs allowed in five of seven starts
Breidy Adames 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Oscar Vasquez 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Mauricio Vargas 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Josue Silvestre 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Andre Avila 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Phillies News:

• Could the Phillies pull of a Tarik Skubal trade? Should they?
• Gage Wood could see time with the Philliesin 2026 as a late season bullpen piece
• The Phillies need a right-handed outfielder that can hit, Taylor Ward could be that missing piece
• If you didn’t have a chance to catch Brandon Marsh’s Media Day
• Shane Victorino’s team won the MLBx competition yesterday

MLB News:

• Uh oh, Ronald Acuna is about to begin rehab
• Trade Rumors from around the league

PHILADELPHIA — Cole Hamels stands behind the mound in the Philadelphia Phillies' home bullpen at Citizens Bank Park, watching Cristopher Sánchez throw during a between-starts session.

The 2008 World Series MVP isn't captivated by Sánchez's velocity. Instead, his eyes are drawn to his mechanics: Every pitch that leaves the left-hander's hand looks nearly identical – a trait that has helped turn him into one of the National League's top starting pitchers.

"If I didn’t see him give the pitch, I would think they’re the same because his mechanics look the exact same," Hamels tells USA TODAY Sports of what he sees with Sánchez. "His arm action and his release point are the same. You can see the spin and it looks identical.

"There’s slight variations (in his mechanics), but you can’t see that with the human eye."

MLB All-Star Game starting lineups: Mike Trout, Kyle Schwarber lead off

Sánchez is set to make his first All-Star Game start for the National League on Tuesday, July 14 at 8 p.m. ET in front of the hometown crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

Getting the nod from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts makes Sánchez the first Phillies pitcher to start the Midsummer Classic since Roy Halladay in 2011, serving as a culminating moment for the Dominican Republic native’s rise in the Phillies organization.

"Pretty special, really exciting, even more so than being here at home," Sánchez said on Monday at All-Star Media Day. "I'm just super excited so I can come here tomorrow and just take it all in and enjoy it overall. … It's a result of a lot of discipline and a lot of hard work that we put throughout the season."

Sánchez’s journey began as a 16-year-old in the Tampa Bay Rays system after he was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. He was traded to the Phillies in 2019 for then-Phillies prospect Curtis Mead after the Rays did not add him to their 40-man roster.

It took a few spot starts and trips up and down from Triple-A Lehigh Valley before Sánchez earned a spot in the rotation. He ultimately had a breakout season in 2024, when he went 11-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 181⅔ innings after going 3-5 in 18 starts with a 3.44 ERA the year prior.

Since then, Sánchez has emerged as one of baseball’s top pitchers, finishing as the NL Cy Young Award runner-up last season – a race in which he’s once again firmly entrenched.

"A lot of guys are so focused on velocity and swing-and-miss and striving for that swing-and-miss. I feel like he’s just trying to throw strikes," Hamels said. "He’s not trying to nibble and he’s not trying to shy away from bats and barrels. He’s out there throwing strikes, being consistent in the zone and allowing his pitches to work."

Cristopher Sánchez, 97mph Dot. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/aL77MunKtn

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 11, 2025

Sánchez is 11-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 144 strikeouts – third-most in the majors – in 127⅓ innings pitched this season.

Hamels said with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola anchoring down the rotation at the time, he believed it allowed Sánchez to just "be himself" and develop trust with his pitches as he gained more big-league experience and reps.

He also said he believes Sánchez being around Ranger Suárez – another left-handed, homegrown success for the Phillies, now with the Boston Red Sox – was just as beneficial. Suárez is not an overpowering arm but one that leans on command and pitch sequencing, something that Sánchez now mirrors.

"I really do think Sánchez watched that and realized, 'Wait a sec, I can do that too. I'm just going to do it with about four or five miles per hour more. Why would I overstress? Why do I try to overdo it?'" Hamels said. 

"I think that's really helped him stay within his mechanics and stay within his arm slot and trusting the fact that whenever he is behind in a count, he can get out of it because he's seen guys do it with a little bit lesser sort of stuff." 

A career high 13 strikeouts for Cristopher Sanchez! pic.twitter.com/c0XaMRK8KN

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 16, 2026

That approach carried over into Sánchez's pitch mix. Rather than having a large arsenal, he has largely relied on three pitches: sinker, changeup and slider. With this simple approach, Sánchez doesn’t necessarily need to show off his velocity. That instead allows him to just throw strikes and be consistent in the zone.

"He’s not trying to get too complicated," Hamels said of Sánchez’s minimum-arsenal approach. "Because of that, it allows him to stay more fluid and be able to repeat his delivery because he’s not having to add different arm angles or different sorts of breaking pitches.

"He really does keep it simple."

Sánchez’s usage of the sinker, his fastball pitch, is slightly down this season from last year. He’s thrown it 42.4% of the time, compared to 46% from last season. But it's still effective, which Hamels attributes to Sanchez’s lengthy 6-foot-6 frame and position on the left-hand side of the mound toward first base.

"It’s coming at such a sharp angle that a lot of hitters are looking for the sinker but you don’t know the vertical drop and what type of run that it’s going to have," Hamels said. "It has more run and drop than I think most guys' sinkers do from that angle."

His changeup – which Kansas City Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. called one of the best pitches in baseball – remains his bread-and-butter punch-out pitch, which Hamels believes is a byproduct of Sánchez recognizing hitters are OK with letting a changeup fool them in an at-bat – compared to letting a 90-plus-mph fastball blow by them.

"No one hits his combo," Roberts said on Monday during his news conference.

More Filthy Changeups from Cristopher Sanchez.

7Ks thru 4. pic.twitter.com/l7iFr4et5f

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 16, 2026

His whiff and chase rates are both up this season as well: He's in the 98th percentile of MLB pitchers with a 38.4% chase rate, while his whiff rate is in the 91st percentile (32.3%).

"Oh jeez. That's a sinker and a change that look exactly the same," Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. "… It's just not a fun at-bat."

Freeman added with a joke: "When we don't draw him in a three-game series, I'm OK with that,"

Earlier this season, Sánchez ran a streak of 50⅔ scoreless innings that spanned six starts, a streak that ranks fifth all-time and finished nine innings short of topping Orel Hershiser's all-time record of 59.

In the midst of his streak, Sánchez broke the Phillies' longest scoreless streak record, previously owned by Grover Cleveland Alexander for 115 years. His 50⅔ scoreless innings are the most by a left-handed pitcher in MLB history, as well.

"That was so impressive," Hamels said. "We’ve never seen anything like that in a long time. So to get as close up to Orel Hershiser’s record in this day and age, that’s very difficult to do."

SEVEN SHUTOUT INNINGS AGAIN CRISTOPHER SÁNCHEZ YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DtH6gVSL3t

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 27, 2026

Hamels said Sánchez still has some room to evolve, including building up his "bag of tricks" and different sequences for the postseason, something of which he has encouraged the southpaw to work on in the bullpens that he has sat in.

"It’s just learning tricks," Hamels said. "… There’s so much research now going into trying to beat you that you have to then have some certain surprises that you can feel confident doing."

In the meantime, Sánchez will continue to prepare for his All-Star Game start and the second half, where he is one of the leading Cy Young contenders alongside the Milwaukee Brewers’ Jacob Misorowski.

It's a race Hamels believes Sánchez can separate himself from — if he keeps it simple.

"He’s good with what he’s doing," Hamels said. "If he consistently just keeps putting up the numbers, people are recognizing it now. … That’s where the votes come."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Cristopher Sánchez has transformed into an All-Star Game starter and MLB ace

It's time for the main event of 2026 MLB All-Star Week.

For the 96th time, the National League and American League will square off in the MLB All-Star Game, which will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, as part of the ongoing America 250 celebration.

First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.

Stream MLB All-Star Game live with Fubo

Several of MLB's top players will be absent from Tuesday's game despite earning nods. That list includes Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who was scratched due to an ongoing left knee injury, and Milwaukee Brewers young pitching phenom Jacob Misiorowski, who is dealing with arm fatigue and will not pitch.

Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies will get the start for the NL, while Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays will start for the AL.

The NL won last year's Midsummer Classic 7-6 after Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-3 in the home run swing-off tiebreaker. It hasn't beaten the AL in back-to-back All-Star Games since winning three in a row from 2010 through 2012.

Here's what to know:

What TV channel is the MLB All-Star Game on today?

• TV channel: Fox
• Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo

Fox will broadcast Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game. Joe Davis and Hall of Famer John Smoltz will call the game from the booth at Citizens Bank Park, with Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci serving as field reporters.

Streaming options include the Fox Sports Go app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries Fox.

Stream MLB All-Star Game live with Fubo

MLB All-Star Game start time today

• Date: Tuesday, July 14
• Time: 8 p.m. ET

The first pitch for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.

MLB All-Star Game location

The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in Philadelphia. It is the fifth time that the Midsummer Classic has come to the 215, and the first since 1996.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What TV channel is MLB All-Star Game 2026 on tonight? Time, TV, streaming

In just two seasons, Jacob Misiorowski has taken Major League Baseball by storm.

The Milwaukee Brewers' 24-year-old pitching phenom is already one of baseball's most electric arms. With his 6-foot-7, 201-pound frame, he throws comfortably at 100 mph or faster on his pitches, and has even recorded 105.5 mph on a pitch against the Chicago Cubs on June 26, which is tied for the third fastest pitch in MLB history.

He is 10-4 this season and has struck out a video-game-like 167 hitters in his 18 starts in the first half, which is the most strikeouts for a pitcher before the All-Star break since Gerrit Cole (170) and Max Scherzer (181) in 2019.

If all that wasn't impressive enough, opponents are hitting just .148 against him in 2026.

Misiorowski, however, won't be pitching in Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, despite being named to the National League roster. So what gives?

Here's what to know about why Misiorowski won't be pitching in the 2026 Midsummer Classic:

REQUIRED READING: So ... how fast could Jacob Misiorowski actually throw? His answer.

Is Jacob Misiorowski pitching in the MLB All-Star Game?

No. Despite being named to his second consecutive All-Star Game, Misiorowski will not be pitching in Tuesday's game in Philadelphia.

Why is Jacob Misiorowski not pitching in the MLB All-Star Game?

Misiorowski remains ineligible for the All-Star Game despite the Brewers skipping his scheduled start on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he would have been opposed by Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who is also ineligible.

MLB rules state a pitcher who starts on the final Sunday of the first half is ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game two days later. Therefore, if Misiorowski had made his scheduled start on the final day before the All-Star break, he would have been ineligible for that reason. However, his ineligibility is strictly medically related, as Misiorowski is dealing with a small bout of fatigue, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.

"A little forearm stuff," Misiorowski said. "Nothing crazy. Just didn’t bounce back. A little quick on the days off between but nothing crazy. We also have this long break."

Added Brewers manager Pat Murphy: "He didn’t recover well. His arm doesn’t feel great. His body doesn’t feel great. There’s no imaging or any of that stuff going on. Just giving him a rest. We need some time away from throwing right now.

"He’s had a big load. We’re making that decision to give him a break. His throwing program today was a little clunky. We didn’t like what we saw and we’re going to hold him out."

Jacob Misiorowski stats

Misiorowski finished the first half of the season with a 10-4 record and a 1.62 ERA in 18 starts and 111 innings pitched. He leads all MLB pitchers with 167 strikeouts on the season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Jacob Misiorowski pitching in MLB All-Star Game? Why 'The Miz' is ineligible

PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander smirked.

He laughed.

Then, he sneered.

Verlander was almost in utter disbelief that someone could seriously ask him the question.

“Justin, have you ever been pulled out of a perfect game or no-hitter in your career?"

Are you kidding?

“No,’’ he said. “It was never even a conversation. No!"

How could someone ask?"

This is a man who has pitched for 22 years, won three Cy Young awards, two World Series championships, an MVP award, been selected to 10 All-Star teams, and will have his plaque mounted in Cooperstown in six years.

Do you actually believe that he would allow a manager to pull him out of a game when he has the opportunity to make history?

“It's very hard," Verlander said in disgust, “for me to watch."

There was not a single pitcher who ever had a perfect game through six innings who was ever pulled from a game from 1901-2015.

In the last 10 years, it occurred three times.

It happened twice in four days last week.

Verlander can’t comprehend it, but then again, he has difficulty understanding how people actually believe that wins are overrated for starting pitchers, knowing the impact of individual victories.

‘‘I know that wins is a stat that people kind of are poo-pooing now,’’ Verlander says, “but you look around. Starting pitchers definitely don't go as deep in the game. They don't throw as many pitches. And because of that, wins are coming way down.

“I think maybe on a given year or a given day, the win isn't a great stat. But over time, if you consistently win baseball games, you're doing all of the things that you want as a starting pitcher. You're going deep. You're limiting runs. You're giving your team a chance. And if they start winning more often than not, then you're doing a good job.

“So maybe short term, I get it, but macro view, I think wins tell you a much larger picture.’’

Verlander, who won at least 15 games in 12 seasons, pitching more than 200 innings 12 times, badly wanted to win 300 games before he retired. He knew he could be the last 300-game winner in baseball history. Now, even with 266 victories, he wonders if anyone will ever win 250 again.

He’ll fall short of 4,000 strikeouts, but with 3,554, it’s still the eighth-most all-time, with only two current pitchers within 1,000 strikeouts of him.

Verlander, 43, the oldest athlete in North American team sports, doesn’t want to sound like he’s Bob Feller, and that the game stinks compared to how it was when he broke in on July 4, 2005, but man, are times different.

He worries about the game, too, particularly with the potential of a lengthy lockout on the horizon threatening the integrity of the 2027 season.

“Obviously, I want the players to to get what they're deserved," Verlander says, “but I think you want the game to just be in a great place. That's it.

“But I'm really worried about it, to be frank, because the game is, in my opinion, in a really great place. Its viewership is doing great. The fan bases are responding. ..Ultimately, the game's in a good place, and I would hate to see that get disrupted and lose momentum that we have, and the opportunity that we have to continue to grow the sport.

“There are so many reasons why I think a real work stoppage in losing games would be detrimental."

Simply, if the system ain’t broke, Verlander claims, why fix it?

“This current system must be working OK if the game is as popular and rising as it is, right?" Verlander says. “I don't see any shortage of people wanting to buy a MLB team, so it must be a decent investment, right? You know, people are fighting for the chance to buy an MLB team, so it can't be that bad."

Then again, Verlander says, nothing is like it used to be upon his arrival. When he came up and made his first All-Star Game at the age of 24, he was too scared to say a peep in the American League clubhouse, intimidated by the sight of Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez, and not worrying about his brand or silly social media accounts.

Even today, he politely declines to talk about his future entrance into the Hall of Fame, or what cap he’d wear on his plaque.

When he came up and developed into one of the most dominant right-handed pitchers in the last 50 years, he never forgot to praise Nolan Ryan for being his all-time idol and the impact Kenny Rogers made on his career, even recommending the purchase of a designer bed to reduce his back woes.

“He just taught me how to be a professional," Verlander said. “He’d been in the game so long, and I just always admired the older players. Whenever I had a chance to speak to them, All-Star games or whatever, trying to absorb information, I would do it."

Well, here we are 20 years later, and Verlander is that man.

Verlander announced last week that he would retire after the season, and since the decision became official, Verlander has everyone from Bryce Harper and Mike Trout requesting autographed jerseys and balls, with others seeking advice.

“Looking forward to talking to him these next few days," Trout said. “He’s one of the toughest pitchers I ever faced. I was messing with him the other day when he said he’s retiring.

“I said, 'Bro, you threw me a slider, and I hit in in our bullpen. And the next 48 or 50 at-bats, I didn’t see one slider. And if he did, he bounced it.

“He’s just a competitor, one of the toughest I’ve ever faced. He’s going out strong.’’

This is why Verlander, who has made just one start this season, desperately wants to pitch again this year. He wants to step on that Comerica Park mound at least one more time. He still dreams of being on the mound in October, helping the Tigers win their first World Series since 1984.

“Look, it’s not like I'm sitting here saying like this is going to be it for the season," Verlander confidently says. “I wholeheartedly believe that I can come back and pitch, and hopefully pitch well on a team that has a chance to be in the playoffs. So, it's something I'm still working daily at.

“I got agonizingly close there. I made my like final rehab start, and then had my hamstring pop on me. You know, it's just like really frustrating. I'm trying to do everything I can and take the big picture.’’

He really didn’t want to retire, hoping to pitch until he’s 46 and he had those 300 wins, but his body simply wouldn’t cooperate. It was his hip that put him on the IL. Then, his hamstring.

“You know, I feel like I've been like plugging holes in a leaky boat," Verlander says. “I think the one thing I've done really well in my career is be objective about myself, and that's allowed me to adapt when I need to and be successful on the mound. I know what I need to do mechanically to be healthy and compete at this level, but my body's not letting me do that.’’

He also believes this might be the ideal time to leave, with the collective bargaining agreement expiring Dec. 1.

“Nobody knows what's going to happen at the beginning of next season,’’ Verlander says. “There's a lot of conversation about that. I just feel like it's the right time. And if I want to control my own destiny, which I do, I don't want to leave a game when I'm ready to go and not have the game force me out.’’

Now that he’s been sidelined since the first week of the season, selected to the All-Star Game by Commissioner Rob Manfred as one of his legend picks, it has allowed him time to reflect, knowing the end of a fabulous career and glorious era is ending.

“I think the game has changed a lot," Verlander says. “When I first came in, I think the average length of game wasn't long enough that the pitch clock was an issue. But I saw it evolve into games that were taking routinely three hours, 40 minutes, and the pitch clock has resolved that. That's been a great addition.

“I think the advent of analytics has positives and negatives. I have definitely benefited from it, but it it can become a crutch for people and organizations. ... That’s made a dramatic difference in the game."

And now, here he is, wondering where time has gone, while knowing his time is near.

“You know, it's such a blur while you're in it,’’ Verlander says, “and then you know you get towards the end and say, “Man, I wish I had enjoyed X, Y, and Z a little bit more. So, to have the opportunity to come back in this situation and really absorb it and know it's your last time, it's a really special feeling.

“I think it's cool for the game. Seeing some of the greats that I played against and admire for a long time. Just get the opportunity on a national stage to be sent off and be involved in the game again in a big way is a cool thing the commissioner did.’’

Now, for perhaps the final time on the national stage, Verlander has a chance to say good-bye, perhaps even getting an ovation to remember Tuesday night from the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park. He pitched in the American League all but two seasons but baseball fans know he played the right way, always respecting the game, with the game respecting him right back.

“It's hard for me to look back in hindsight and change anything," Verlander says. “I honestly believe that. I made some mistakes for sure, but that really is what led me to being where I am today, and I don't regret those things.

“I think I did a lot of things right."

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Justin Verlander is 'really worried' about MLB after he retires

PHILADELPHIA — They will flock to Citizens Bank Park from both sides of the Delaware River, a contingent from Millville, New Jersey, taking I-76 over the Walt Whitman Bridge, another coming from the other direction on the interstate, or simply on surface streets from the proud territory the locals simply call Delco.

Mike Trout has secured 20 tickets for friends and family and knows many more will flock to Philly, intent on seeing the surefire Hall of Famer in what he acknowledges might be his goodbye to the All-Star Game.

Kevin McGonigle didn’t put a number on his ticket count, the Detroit Tigers’ outstanding rookie simply describing the entry fee to his inner circle for this, the first of what the baseball industry expects will be many Midsummer Classics for him.

“I want everyone here that helped me get here. I wouldn’t be in this seat without them,’ McGonigle said one day before the Tuesday, July 14 All-Star Game.

“I think they should take the whole experience in with me.”

This Brotherly Love All-Star Game will mark both joyful beginnings and wistful remembrances, the circle of baseball life connecting a first-time Tiger and a long-time Angel playing in his 12th, yet humbled by injury and the feeling of athletic mortality.

“I never take anything for granted in this game. You never know when your last game is, or when an injury can pop up,” says Trout, the three-time MVP with 422 career home runs yet with three seasons of 82 or fewer games played in his last five.

“Especially these last few years, it’s been tough for me. But I’m just excited. I’m honored to put on the jersey every day.”

It is also an ode to the Philly guy, a specimen typically brash and unyielding, their fandom for the Phillies and Eagles and Sixers and Flyers often crass, occasionally cruel.

Trout, he of the $427 million contract, has sat in the finest seats at Lincoln Financial Field for Eagles games, his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame hard to miss in the end zone viewing area.

McGonigle? Heck, just four years ago, he was that Philly bro in the stands at the World Series in Citizens Bank Park, heartily heckling the Houston Astros alongside his high school buddies.

This week, he is American League teammates with one of those Astros – slugger Yordan Alvarez.

In their All-Star journeys, Trout, 34, and McGonigle, 21, each show how quickly life can come at you.

The ties that grind

The top prospects and showcase ponies of the modern era are usually bred in the Sun Belt, where high school ball starts in February, rainouts are infrequent and exposure is high.

This was not the life Trout and McGonigle lived.

An area scout had to convince the Angels to spend the 25th pick on Trout in 2009. McGonigle played tons of ball growing up, of course, but he says it was the buddies around him, not the reps, that made him who he is.

Trout has noticed the shared traits.

“He’s a stud,” says Trout of McGonigle. “I think being from the East Coast, we’re not playing year-round like the guys in Florida and Texas. I think that has something to do with it.

“You look at high schools, now they’re playing a lot of games. I just found out there’s kids in California that don’t even really go to school. They’re just home schooled and straight play baseball.

“That’s extreme to me. I went to class every day. After school day, had lunch and played games. It was a lot different.”

McGonigle comes from an almost entirely different baseball generation. But he can relate.

When he landed in Philly on Sunday after the Tigers finished the first half in Detroit, he was picked up at the airport by a friend and headed straight to Michael Anderson’s house.

McGonigle and Anderson are thick as thieves, and this was a big weekend. Not only was McGonigle arriving a conquering hero, but Anderson, who went on to play baseball at Penn State, was drafted that day, fifth round, Texas Rangers.

“I gave him a big hug,” says McGonigle. “He’s a big part of why I’m here today, the way we pushed ourselves growing up. To see him get drafted after everything he’s been through, is truly an inspiration to me.

“Hanging out and getting better with him was the biggest thing, growing up.”

It wasn’t just structured ball, but silly competitions: Whiffle ball, bike rides, or simply racing each other back to the car on the frequent occasions Anderson’s mother, Ellen – “She’s like a second mom to me,” says McGonigle – gave him a lift to a baseball game.

Now the dream is to “share a field one day” in the big leagues, says McGonigle.

They’re all part of the fabric that makes up Delaware County, a land just west of Philly proper that’s taken on a sense of place and pride all its own.

Former Phillie Mickey Morandini cuts promo adds for Delco, whose credo is that it’s “not just a location, it’s a lifestyle.” One of its unincorporated communities is Wawa, the actual home of the gas and convenience store synonymous with Philly.

The Delco flag can be spotted on tents and easy-ups dotting the Jersey shore; one ambitious tattoo artist, Roddie Cooper, once hoisted the flag in triumph at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, saying he had to “rep Delco for the rest of the world.”

Bryce Harper can relate. He and many Phillies have a T-shirt with the words “Clearwooder” on them, or how a Delco accent might pronounce the name of their Florida spring training site.

Harper’s a Philly guy going on seven seasons now and appreciates where the region's favorite sons came from.

“McGonigle,” says Harper, “has had a great career thus far. I said it the other day: I wish he was a Phillie just because he was from here and everything else. But he’s an amazing player.

“The other day, I asked him, ‘Where were you at in (the) ’22 (World Series)? You were in high school, still?’

"He said 'yeah, we were up in the stands yelling at all the other people for you.'"

It is something of a rite of passage. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, also a first-time All-Star, hails from Lancaster County, about 75 miles away, earning him the “Big Amish” nickname from teammates. But he considers himself a Philly bro, growing up going to a bevy of Phillies games, the most memorable a 2008 NL Division Series battle against Milwaukee.

“I was young,” says Kurtz, who was 5 years old at the time. “CC Sabathia was pitching against the Phillies, and the whole crowd was chanting, ‘CC sucks!’ and I started chanting it.

“And my dad said, ‘This is a bad word.’ That’s a moment I’ve come to remember right away.”

Now 6-5 and 240 pounds, Kurtz was a baseball prodigy, on the Team USA pipeline as a youngster and he eventually attended boarding school in Tennessee to get more ball in. But he knows the kind of player it takes to get out of Philly and its surrounding environs.

“You gotta be grindy,” he says. “There’s bad weather, you don’t know what you’re getting that day. It’s kind of part of who we are growing up here.

“It’s not a clean, nice city. It’s gritty and grindy and that’s the reasons you love it.”

McGonigle attended a parochial school in Delaware County, playing in a league where there was “a lot of trash talking, a lot of stuff like that, but that’s what made it fun.”

With 99 hits in 93 games for the Tigers, along with an .812 OPS and an absurd 4.7 WAR, McGonigle, an infielder, can work out with whomever and wherever he wants. Yet for now, he still stays on his grind in the area, and believes there’s something in the, um, wooder where he grew up.

“I think the East Coast guys, with the winter, being stuck inside training – I think it helped me,” he says. “It gave me a little more edge to get better, surrounding myself with the right group of guys from this area – Delaware County area. Blue collar as everyone knows.

“It took me a lot to get to where I am today. And Delco helped me a lot.”

An appointment at the Bank

Trout grew up on the Jersey side of things, coached by his dad Jeff, a minor leaguer from Millville who raised his family there. While Harper was the anointed superstar from the time he was 16, Trout was a bolt out of the Mid-Atlantic, debuting at 19 like Harper.

They played in their first All-Star Games in 2012, several children and a few baseball lifetimes ago.

“I love Mike, man. We played Fall League together, became friends. It’s great to see him back and healthy,” says Harper of Trout, who has avoided serious injury but recovered from a hamstring hiccup to make the AL squad. “We all pull for him in the league, because we know how talented he is, and how good he is.

“So anytime he’s able to get on a national stage – he’ll probably go deep tomorrow, I’d imagine, because that’s who he is – and it’s a lot of fun to see a guy like that be able to do it in his hometown of Philly.”

McGonigle was 8 years old when Trout made his first All-Star Game. This week, they will share a clubhouse, and McGonigle has not forgotten the example Trout long ago provided.

“Seeing that inspired me to get better each day,” says McGonigle. “The work ethic he puts in and being from this area is really cool.”

He has already passed the torch in some ways. During Trout’s early, electric years with the Angels, fans from Millville and surrounding areas would invade nearby ballparks, largely Baltimore’s Camden Yards and Citizens Bank for the rare Angels appearance in Philadelphia.

The Trout 27s would be impossible to miss.

Now, it is McGonigle’s No. 7 that could be seen in the seats of Camden Yards or on the streets and nearby pubs surrounding the stadium. Life goes on.

Trout said scoring 20 All-Star tickets is “a lot,” given that other players will almost certainly use their allotment. In a sense, it’s fortuitous this date in Philly and Trout’s health and performance – he has 18 homers and an .863 OPS – aligned.

“I know a lot of people that are coming,” he said. “It’s been on the calendar a while.”

Not so much for McGonigle. He debuted with three hits on Opening Day and has only turbocharged his rookie season since. Suddenly, the hometown All-Star Game was on the horizon and then an almost certainty.

Now, the kid who idolized Chase Utley will take to his infield grass, surrounded by the greatest players in the world, a group he now counts as peers.

“First game in the Bank is gonna be an All-Star Game?” he asks.

“Surreal, man.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Generations apart, All-Stars Mike Trout, Kevin McGonigle epitomize Philly

PHILADELPHIA — For many power hitters, aging often brings a decline in their swing.

For Kyle Schwarber, it has brought the exact opposite: improvement.

Since joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022 as a free agent, Schwarber has refined his swing and produced some of the best numbers of his career, cementing his place among baseball's premier power threats.

"I hope so," Schwarber told USA TODAY Sports on Monday at Citizens Bank Park ahead of the MLB Home Run Derby when asked if he’s beating Father Time with his swing. 

So what’s been the key to success for Schwarber, who was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs after the 2020 season before reviving his career with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox, and ultimately finding sustained success in Philadelphia?

He mentioned adapting his swing as baseball continues to adapt itself as a game, as well as trying to "stay the same guy every year" by sticking to his routines, which begins with hitting off the tee.

"Being able to address different things and feeling that if you can look at your season from top to bottom at the end of the year and try to address things that you need to get better at and not just be okay with it," Schwarber said. "... The game's changed from 2015 when I first came in to where it's at now."

Schwarber has hit 219 homers in five seasons with Philadelphia, second only to Aaron Judge's 227 during that span. He sits 16 shy of Babe Ruth's MLB record for most home runs in a player's first five seasons with a team, with only Mark McGwire's 220 with the St. Louis Cardinals in between Schwarber and Ruth. 

"You can go back 20 years, you can go back to Babe Ruth, what he is doing now is unbelievable," former Phillies shortstop and manager Larry Bowa told USA TODAY Sports back in May.

To further underscore Schwarber’s dominance with the Phillies, he hit just 153 homers across his first seven MLB seasons. He’s already launched 66 more in less time in Philadelphia, as he has reached at least 45 home runs in three of his four seasons.

"Think it helps to take the glove away from him and all he has to do is carry his bat. We joke with him about that a lot," Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper joked Monday about Schwarber’s transition from the team’s left fielder in 2022 to a full-time designated hitter in recent seasons.

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly didn’t necessarily agree with Harper’s assessment and the notion being an everyday DH has made hitting easier for him. 

"You still have to be able to hit,” Mattingly said on Monday. "DHs are better, it seems, when they get older because now they know they're swinging, they know what they do, they know how to get ready."

Schwarber credits that success to working with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long, who helped revitalize his career in Washington in 2021, and the assistant coaches he’s had at both stops. 

"They do such a great job of making sure that I just stay with what I need to do and keep me on track," said Schwarber, who added that Long and his staff have also helped him avoid wanting to "go reach" and make mechanical changes during inevitable slumps.

Schwarber crushed left-handed pitching and fastballs last season. He hit 23 home runs against southpaws in 2025, which were the most in a single season by a left-handed hitter against left-handed pitching in MLB history. So far this season, Schwarber has hit 11 home runs against southpaws. 

He finished with a career-high and National League-leading 56 home runs in 2025, which was two shy of tying Ryan Howard’s record for the single most home runs in a season among Phillies hitters.

The former Indiana Hoosier is already on pace to outplay the five-year, $150 million contract he received from the Phillies in free agency this offseason — and has done so at a historic rate.

"Glad we didn't let him walk after last year because he is one of the best power bats in the game," Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola told USA TODAY Sports in May. "... When he comes up, you know you could possibly see something special, which has been a privilege to see over the years since he came over here in 2022."

Catalyzed by a stretch during which he hit nine home runs in eight games, Schwarber reached 20 home runs in the Phillies' first 45 games, making him the first player since 2006 to reach that feat — and only the 10th in MLB history. That stretch had him on pace for 72 homers. 

He has 32 home runs at the All-Star break, which leads the majors. He hit the 30 home run mark in just 80 games, which set a new franchise record as he did it two games quicker than when Jim Thome reached the mark in 2004.

"It's almost indescribable to do what he's doing. They can throw balls down in the middle, you still have to hit him. He's one of those power hitters that might strike out three times, and the fourth time he's hit one in the upper deck,” Bowa said.

"He's that prolific of a home run hitter."

Another key statistic in Schwarber’s success has been his ability to barrel baseballs, a statistical metric for batted balls with an optimal combination of exit velocity and launch angle on Baseball Savant.

His barrel rate last season was a career-best 20.8% barrel rate, just the second time he’s exceeded 20% in a season, according to MLB.com. He’s at 19.6% this season, which is good for the 98th percentile amongst MLB hitters.

While the Phillies certainly appreciate the homers that Schwarber provides, Mattingly said he values Schwarber’s team-first approach at the plate. Schwarber recorded a team-leading 59 RBIs in the first half to go along with a .254 batting average, which is third best on the team. He is tied for third with Harper for hits with 89. 

"What I really like is that Schwarbs is really all about the team and us winning, and I think when you stay in that mode of doing something to help your team win," Mattingly told USA TODAY Sports last month in a separate interview. "From a leadership position guy, that's huge because then everybody's in that mode."

Schwarber nearly made more history on Monday in the MLB Home Run Derby, as he came one home run short of becoming the fourth player to win the event in his home ballpark, eventually losing to the Cardinals' Jordan Walker.

He’ll now look to lead the National League to a second straight All-Star Game win on Tuesday, July 14 at 8 p.m. ET at The Bank, where he’ll be hitting leadoff after moving into the lineup following Shohei Ohtani’s scratch from the lineup.

"It's an honor to be here," Schwarber said. "It's definitely an honor for it to be here in Philadelphia to represent your organization and to go out there and throw on this great spectacle."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Kyle Schwarber beating Father Time with his evolving power swing? 'I hope so'

PHILADELPHIA — It's time for the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Managers Dave Roberts and John Schneider unveiled their starting lineups on Monday, July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with the hometown pick, Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, getting the ball for the National League while Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease will start for the American League.

First pitch for the 2026 Midsummer Classic is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.

MORE: Bryce Harper says Home Run Derby will be his last 'no matter what'

Sanchez, the runner-up in the NL Cy Young race last season, is the first Phillies pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roy Halladay did so in 2011. The 6-foot-6 left-hander ended the first half with an 11-4 record and a 2.62 ERA with 144 strikeouts in an MLB-leading 20 starts.

Cease, who was one of the Blue Jays' big free agent additions this past offseason, finished the first half on a rather high note, as he struck out 11 hitters and came three outs shy of the second no-hitter of his career.

Millville, New Jersey, native Mike Trout will hit leadoff for the American League. It'll be the first All-Star Game that Trout will be appearing in since 2019 despite earning selections in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as he was removed from the roster due to injuries in each of those three seasons.

Shohei Ohtani, who received the most votes from the fans, will hit leadoff for the National League in his sixth All-Star Game. The Phillies will have two hitters in the starting lineup in front of the home crowd, with Schwarber and Brandon Marsh, who is making his first All-Star Game appearance and starting in right field.

Here's a look at the full starting lineups:

MLB All-Star Game starting lineups

American League

Starting pitcher: Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease

1. CF Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
2. DH Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
3. C, Shea Langeliers, Athletics
4. 3B Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
5. SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
6. RF Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
7. 1B Ben Rice, New York Yankees
8. LF Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers
9. 2B Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays

National League

Starting pitcher: Philadelphia Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez

• DH Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
• LF Juan Soto, New York Mets
• 1B Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
• SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
• 3B Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
• 2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
• RF Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies
• CF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers
• C Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star game starting lineups: Sanchez and Cease pitch, batting order