PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammates Brandon Marsh and Bryce Harper during the 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski answers questions during media day at the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia July 13, 2026. | Curt Hogg / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Team MVP
Paul Dietrich: Brice Turang
The correct answer here is Jacob Misiorowski but given that he’s going to get the Cy Young award below, I’ll choose a position player for variety’s sake. And while there are several important contributors among that group, the player most worthy of recognition here is also the one who leads the team in WAR: Brice Turang.
Though he has slumped at times (as all hitters do), Turang has still been excellent. He’s had a nice bounce back defensively after the metrics last season weren’t as kind as in previous years. He’s 15-for-18 in stolen base attempts. And the offense that miraculously appeared last summer has mostly sustained — Turang’s 126 OPS+ is right there amongst a cluster of Brewers for tops on the team behind the first-base platoon of Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn. He’s first on the team in games played and second in home runs. The combination of all of these things makes him the most valuable Brewer position player, and it’s not all that close. And it’s a joke that he isn’t an All-Star.
Harrison Freuck: Brice Turang
Turang has only gotten better from last season, when he exploded for 18 homers after displaying virtually no in-game power in his first two seasons. This year, he’s already posted 4.0 bWAR, putting him well on track to outpace his 5.5 mark from last year, and part of that is due to the return of his strong defensive metrics. It seems silly to go with anyone besides the fourth-year second baseman here.
Dave Gasper: Brice Turang
Turang has continued his progression into a star player this year with the power surge that began last year. He’s up to 14 homers already, just four shy of last year’s total and is close to being on pace for a 30-30 season. Turang is already up to a 4.0 bWAR. He’s an anchor in the heart of the lineup and he continues to provide stellar defense up the middle.
Jackson Heiden: Jake Bauers
Much like the real-life MVP, it typically goes to the best offensive player, and although that’s certainly not the case with this year’s Brewers, that’s what I’m going to do today. Jake “Light Tower Power” Bauers is taking home my midseason MVP honors. Through all of the ups and downs with this season’s offense so far, Bauers has been the most consistent. Bauers is currently having the best season of his career, with his batting average currently over 30 points higher than his second best, which came last year. Most impactfully, his long ball is what stands out to me, with his ability to come in through the clutch. Furthermore, his interview with the Baseball is Dead podcast makes this season that much more magical for him and fans alike.
There’s always a discussion about whether or not a pitcher should be a team MVP or not. When it comes to a starting pitcher, they only pitch once every five (or so) days, so they have a lower overall contribution to the team. However, even though he’s only pitched in 18 of the Brewers’ 96 games this season, Misiorowski has had the biggest contribution to this team. At 4.4 fWAR, his value not only is the best of any Brewer, it’s also the highest fWAR of any pitcher in the majors this season. He had a sub-1.00 ERA in both May and June, and the Brewers lost only two games he pitched in those months. Whenever he pitches, the Brewers’ chance to win the game increases significantly. There’s not a more valuable player on this team right now.
Adam Zimmer: Brice Turang
There are several Brewers with legitimate cases here. Jackson Chourio, Misiorowski, William Contreras, Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell, and even Aaron Ashby have all played valuable roles this season. Ultimately, though, Turang gets the nod. His 4.0 WAR entering the break is nearly double that of Milwaukee’s next-most valuable position player, a testament to just how impactful he’s been on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he’s hitting .266 with an .826 OPS, 14 home runs, and a 126 OPS+, while also totaling 10 Defensive Runs Saved. It’s hard to believe he wasn’t named an All-Star, but an extra week of rest and a little added motivation heading into the second half might not be the worst thing for Turang and the Brewers.
Cy Young
Paul Dietrich: Jacob Misiorowski
Jacob Misiorowski isn’t just the best pitcher on the Brewers — he’s the best pitcher in baseball this season, I think. Enough digital ink has been spilled (by me and others) that I don’t feel I need to spend a whole lot of time justifying this decision, but yeah, Miz is the best.
Harrison Freuck: Jacob Misiorowski
I don’t think there’s much more that I can say about Milwaukee’s ace — all I do now is talk about how good is Misiorowski is. Loads of strikeouts? Check. Low(er) walk numbers? Check. Best WHIP in baseball? Check. Enough said.
Dave Gasper: Jacob Misiorowski
Is there really any other candidate for this award? Aaron Ashby is making a push with his win total, but this is not the Cy Young voting of yesteryear. It’s Miz and it’s not close.
Jackson Heiden: Jacob Misiorowski
As I’m sure many people across baseball will determine, Miz is my Cy Young at this year’s halfway mark. Having only missed one start this season, Misiorowski has a 1.62 ERA with a league-leading 167 strikeouts. As of right now, he leads in two of the three categories needed to win the pitching crown, which was last done in 2024 by both Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale. Entering the second half, the arm fatigue is something to be concerned about, but the first half was one to remember, most notably his complete-game shutout where he faced the minimum under 100 pitches, striking out 15.
Jason Paczkowski: Jacob Misiorowski
While there is a discussion to be had around the team MVP, Misiorowski is a clear favorite for the team Cy Young award. Not only is he leading the majors in fWAR, he’s putting up incredible numbers in ERA (1.62), FIP (2.09), and strikeouts (167). He will easily break the 200-strikeout mark this season and has a chance to set the team record for strikeouts in a season. The biggest concern for him is the innings count, since he is already at 111 IP and is closing in on the 141 1/3 pitched last season. An additional 20% for innings would be around 170 IP, which he could hit in roughly 10 more starts in the second half. It will be something to watch, especially with the extra rest he’s getting during the All-Star break.
Adam Zimmer: Jacob Misiorowski
Misiorowski is the no-brainer pick here as the current odds-on favorite to win the actual Cy Young Award. Miz leads baseball with a 1.62 ERA and is the only qualified pitcher under 2.00. He also leads the league in WHIP (0.76), strikeouts (167), and is tied with Dylan Cease for the MLB lead in strikeouts per nine innings (13.5). Many expected the right-hander to take a step forward in his first full major league season, but I’d guess almost nobody expected him to become the most dominant pitcher in baseball. Milwaukee needed someone to step up in the wake of Freddy Peralta’s departure, and Misiorowski has done far more than that. He’s emerged not just as a legitimate front-of-the-rotation starter, but as one of the best pitchers in the game.
Newcomer
Paul Dietrich: Kyle Harrison
This is pretty obviously Kyle Harrison, who came to the Brewers (along with David Hamilton and Shane Drohan) when they traded Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler to the Red Sox in the offseason. All three of those players have contributed to the Red Sox turnaround over the last few weeks, so this trade looks a little bit less like the fleecing that it looked like a couple months ago, but Harrison has still been by far the best player in the trade and looks like he’ll be a staple of the Brewers’ rotation for several years to come. Let’s just get him healthy and to the end of the season.
A couple others to quickly shout out here: Cooper Pratt, by moving Joey Ortiz out of everyday shortstop duties and relieving Luis Rengifo of his duties, has looked good on defense and has held his own offensively. It has been a huge boon to the Brewers’ team defense, and Ortiz has even perked up with the bat. Also give it up for Drohan, who came over with Harrison, and has been a crucial part of the team in his first major league season.
Harrison Freuck: Kyle Harrison
Have to go with the guy with the same name as me, right? While Harrison hasn’t been quite as good the last month or so, he’s still been Milwaukee’s No. 2 starter this season. He has a solid 8-2 record with a 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts, putting him on pace to approach the 200-strikeout mark if he’s able to stay healthy after what is hopefully a short IL stint. The lefty also turns just 25 in a few weeks, meaning there’s still plenty of potential. Shoutout to Shane Drohan and Cooper Pratt.
Dave Gasper: Kyle Harrison
I debated going with Luis Rengifo here (kidding) but it’s clear Kyle Harrison is the best newcomer of the first half. Brandon Sproat has flashed signs, but Harrison hit the ground running. Through 17 starts, he has a 3.01 ERA. Even though he’s on the IL right now, it was a dominant first half.
Jackson Heiden: Kyle Harrison
So few teams are lucky to have a two-headed monster at the front of the rotation like the Brewers have found. Not many people were expecting to see what Kyle Harrison has provided for the Brewers this season, being a perfect replacement for Freddy Peralta. Though he has stumbled a little bit down the stretch, he has been a phenomenal No. 2 pitcher in the rotation. Entering the All-Star break, he is currently having the best season of his career and is on pace to break his inning workload by roughly mid-August, assuming he is healthy. Once again, for what feels like the millionth time, the Brewers’ pitching lab is working wonders.
Jason Paczkowski: Cooper Pratt
If we’re looking at total contribution over the season so far, the newcomer should be Kyle Harrison. However, I’m going to give a vote to Pratt. He is fixing one of the biggest weaknesses that this Brewers team has had so far. Since making his debut on June 16, he has already matched Joey Ortiz’s full season value (0.6 fWAR) and surpassed David Hamilton (0.3 fWAR) and Luis Rengifo (-0.7 fWAR). In addition, we’re already starting to see him adjust to major league pitching. Since the start of July, he’s batting .306/.422/.417 with a 138 wRC+. It may be early for him, but he’s already showing why the Brewers signed him to a long-term deal before he even played a game in the majors.
Adam Zimmer: Kyle Harrison
Like Misiorowski, I expected Harrison to be good. I just didn’t expect him to be this good. Through his first 17 starts with the Brewers, Harrison owns a 3.01 ERA and a 1.076 WHIP while giving Milwaukee exactly what it needed after acquiring him over the winter. Shane Drohan, David Hamilton, and Gary Sánchez have all made valuable contributions in their first seasons with the club, but Harrison has separated himself from the rest of the newcomers. He’s pitched like a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter, helping stabilize one of baseball’s youngest pitching staffs and playing a major role in the Brewers’ 100-win pace.
Team Grade
Paul Dietrich: A
I don’t see how you could give them anything else. The Brewers yet again traded away a franchise centerpiece and yet again came out of it as a better team. They have the second-best record in baseball in a season when essentially everyone thought they’d be worse. Yes, they scuffled into the break and yes, the Cubs are making a charge, but they’ve positioned themselves as well as they possibly could for the second half of the season.
Harrison Freuck: A
This was honestly kinda hard for me to decide on, because while there’s still room for improvement, the Brewers had such a great first half that it’s hard to complain. After the late April struggles, the team has really put things together since Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn returned in May, and Jacob Misiorowski has seemingly figured out at least some of the issues that plagued him last season. Milwaukee once again looks like the team to beat in the Central, and if it weren’t for the money machine of the Dodgers, I’d say they look like the team to beat in the NL, too.
Dave Gasper: A
At no point has it really felt like this team has fully hit their stride, yet they still have a franchise record for first-half wins and are in control in the NL Central. They lost Chourio and Vaughn for a month to start the season, they got nothing from the bottom three spots in the lineup for months, and they have not had Quinn Priester at all and missed other various starters throughout. Despite all that, being able to win that many games is an easy A grade. They haven’t fired on all cylinders, but you are what your record says you are, and the record says they had a great first half.
Jackson Heiden: A-
It feels almost cliché to give the Brewers an A- at the halfway mark. Despite having the second-best record in baseball and falling one win short of becoming the 21st team in baseball to hit 60 wins before the All-Star break, there are some glaring issues that will need to be addressed at the trade deadline if the Brewers want to make a run come October. The Brewers’ pitching staff has been the backbone, but with a roller coaster of injuries spread throughout, another arm wouldn’t hurt to help support the rotation. Offensively, despite seeing better production as of late from the left side of the infield, it’s still an area that could use some veteran leadership to really boost this lineup. Overall, the Brewers are in a great spot. In fact, the best spot they have ever been to this point in the season. Arms will get healthier, the bats will figure it out, and with a favorable stretch of schedule coming out of the break, it could be a good “get hot” time for the Crew.
Jason Paczkowski: A
A lot has gone right for the Brewers this season. Even though they did spend a few days in last place early in the season, they have never had a losing record this season. They’ve been in sole possession of first place since May 19 and have held a lead as large as 7.5 games. The young rotation has been a strength of the team, and the bullpen has also been as strong as last year. New additions to the position players are fixing some of the issues that the team has had so far. There are a few concerns as the team comes out of the All-Star break, with the rotation facing some injuries and the Brewers on a three-game losing streak. However, they’re still set up to finish the season strong.
Adam Zimmer: A
At the All-Star break, the Brewers have 59 wins, the second-best record in baseball, the Cy Young frontrunner, the best farm system in the sport, and a front office that keeps plugging holes with talented young players. Sure, you can point to the bullpen’s occasional struggles, the inconsistent production with runners in scoring position, or the lack of elite power, but none of that changes the bigger picture: the Brewers are winning games. They’re just a game and a half behind the Dodgers for the best record in the majors. If that doesn’t deserve an A, what does?
Florida Complex League Yankees:L, 8-13 at FCL Blue Jays
1B-3B Richard Matic 0-4, BB, 2 K SS George Lombard Jr. 1-1, HR, 2 BB, RBI — another rehab game, another homer PH-1B Diego Flores 0-1, BB CF Wilberson De Pena 3-4, 2B, HR, BB, 3 RBI, K, CS — 16th homer, continues to lay waste to Rookie ball (1.085 OPS in 51 games); also a new FCL record for single-season homers! DH Queni Pineda 0-4, BB, 2 K 3B-2B Leni Done 0-4, SB RF Jose Castro 2-3, BB, RBI, K, 2 SB LF Francisco Vilorio 1-4, RBI 2B-SS Dexters Peralta 0-2, 2 BB, GIDP, CS, picked off C Justin Capellan 1-3, 2B C Carlos Rondon 0-1, K
Danny Flatt 2.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 4 K, HR, WP (loss) Marco Manzano 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, WP Brian Hendry 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K Hueston Morrill 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 2 K — on a rehab assignment of his own, but yike Brian Arias 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, HR, HBP Stanly Alcantara 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, HBP
Solo homer to left field by George Lombard Jr. for the FCL Yankees on rehab.
Game 1 — completion of July 9th game suspended in the third
CF Isaias Castillo 2-2, 2B RF Manuel Aguilar 1-2, 2 BB, K SS Stiven Marinez 1-4, BB, SB, HBP RF-CF Yostin Pena 3-5, 2 2B, BB, 4 RBI, SB — three run-scoring hits in four innings DH Juan Torres 3-5, 3 RBI, SB 1B Juan Martinez 1-3, K 1B John Rosillo 1-2, HR, 2 RBI — first pro homer C Cesar Lopez 0-2, 2 BB, K, SB, HBP, passed ball LF Kendry Diaz 0-5, K 3B Abrahan Pichardo 1-2, CS, throwing error 3B Adrian Feliz 0-2, BB, K, CS 2B Emmanuel Orozco 1-5, 2 K, SB
Jhosneyker Colina 1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K Dariel Chalas 1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 2 HBP Dalvin Taveras 1 IP, 2 H, 5 R (5 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, WP, HBP Angel Salazar 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 4 K, WP — DSL Rockies scored five in the eighth to come back Luis Rodriguez 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K (loss)
Game 2
SS Stiven Marinez 1-3, BB C Juan Martinez 2-3, BB, SB, throwing error CF Yostin Pena 3-4, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, K — launched go-ahead homer in the sixth; six hits and eight RBI in the doubleheader, pretty good! 2B Juan Torres 1-4, 2B, RBI, SB RF Manuel Aguilar 1-4, 2 K LF Eliezer Adames 0-2, BB, K DH Edgar Jimenez 0-3 1B Jose Peralta 0-2, BB 3B Emmanuel Orozco 0-2, BB, K, fielding error
Jhosneyker Colina 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, HR, HBP, fielding error — starting both ends of a doubleheader! wow! (yes I know he actually started the first one on July 9th) Varis Villarreal 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (win) Emanuel Vargas 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, WP (save)
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 6-8 (10) at DSL Colorado
2B Dariel Santana 2-5, 2B, 3B, K — scored on a fielder’s choice to briefly put Bombers ahead in 10th 3B Carlos Bello 0-3, BB, 2 K C Kenneth Melendez 1-5, K, SB, passed ball C Jesus Guerrero 0-0 RF David Carrera 3-4, BB, 2 RBI, SB, outfield assist DH Poly Ojeda 1-5, HR, 4 RBI — three-run blast in the eighth SS Germayhoni Beltre 0-4, BB, K, SB, CS 1B Stalen Ramirez 0-4, fielding error LF Sebastian Pinto 0-3, BB CF Alfiery Matos 0-4, K
Junior Tavera 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, HR Higor Requena 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, HR, HBP — allowed game-tying homer in the eighth Diego Carrillo 0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, HR (loss) — gave up walk-off three-run bomb in the 10th
Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts with family after being voted the 2026 MLB All-Star Game MVP (Arch Ward Trophy) at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Good morning all, and happy “Cody Bellinger is an All-Star Game MVP” Day!
Okay yes, it’s not really that big of a deal. Last night’s Midsummer Classic was kind of a grueling watch for even the most ardent of baseball fans, due in large part to bizarre production decisions by Fox Sports but also some downright anemic hitting. Belli was one of the few bright spots, driving in the first two runs of the game during the American League’s three-run first with a single (Ben Rice got the other ribbie). That was enough for MVP! Competition was not fierce, and this is of course an exhibition game award. But good for Cody.
We have two and a half days until we actually get Yankees baseball again, so we have to play The Waiting Game. In the meantime, we’ll still have plenty of material going live! So check that out as it comes across.
As for the daily question, rather than throwing another one out there, this morning I will simply tap the sign of our most recent SB Nation Reacts survey prompt. You can go there to log your answer if you haven’t already, or you can answer it at the bottom of this post and all the results will be combined (it’s the same code). We would love to get as many responses as possible, so let us know if you think the Yankees have a World Series in their future or what kind of playoff fate awaits them!
The comments may be repetitive from yesterday’s prompt, but so many of the regular comments here touch on the same general point—justifiably wondering about championship expectations in some form or another—that I don’t think it’s a big deal. Anyway, I’m feeling optimistic about the Yankees given the lighter American League field, but it does seem evident to me that work needs to be done on this roster over the next few weeks while the front office can still make trades, etc. And Aaron Judge and Max Fried making smooth returns from the IL is just so damn important. It’s just a matter of how close to their 2025 selves they can reasonably expect to get down the stretch as they shake off the rust and work through the aches and pains. I say at least a pennant if they can at least be 75-90 percent of those forms … but we’ll see.
Today on the site, Sam looks back at the biggest hits of the Yankees’ first half, Matt will celebrate the 134th birthday of a historic batting champion whose career briefly included the ol’ pinstripes, and Jeff will begin our individual player trade target series in advance of the deadline with a look at the biggest catch that could be on the market. Later, Jonathan will break down how the Yankees’ 2026 draft class should affect the system depth, and Scott will discuss Tyler Hardman’s award-winning recent series for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Today’s Matchup
Offday (Yankees will resume on Friday at home against the Dodgers at 7:05pm ET)
Instead, it was seemingly harmless two-run, first-inning single by a former MVP participating in his first All-Star Game in seven years whose hit proved to be worthy of the All-Star MVP award.
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger, who stood in front of his locker before the game reminiscing when he was the National League’s MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the age of 24, and six hours later Tuesday night was sitting behind a podium holding the MVP award after the American League’s 4-0 victory.
Bellinger is the fourth Yankee to win the All-Star MVP award, joining Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Giancarlo Stanton, and also the first in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year, LCS MVP, All-Star MVP and a World Series title.
“Pretty special,’’ Bellinger, 31, said. “My first few years in the big leagues, I was here two of my first three years. I was, like, 'Oh, I'll be here every year. It took a long time to get back.'
“It's hard to be an All-Star. You know, health, performance, it all has to come together. Honestly, this one I just really enjoyed it.’’
Really, Bellinger was one of the few hitters in the 96th All-Star Game to actually have a satisfying evening. There were a record 27 strikeouts, the most in a nine-inning All-Star Game, including 15 by the American League pitchers. There was only one extra-base hit the entire game, an eighth-inning homer by Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas, one of 26 first-time All-Stars.
“It’s not really fair, I don’t know how those guys can even hit the way guys are throwing,’’ Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith said. “Everybody’s motion is completely unique. Then, there’s the different release points, arm angles. I wouldn’t say I feel sorry for them, but I don’t understand how they do what they do. It’s very impressive. It’s a hard line of work for sure.’’
While the game was rather dull, it was the city of Philadelphia that stole the show. They broke out an old-fashioned piece of Americana after the fourth inning with kids coming from the center-field gate on bicycles, camping out by the All-Stars on the field, some trading baseball cards, and others playing catch, like 14-year-old Noah with Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman.
“That was pretty cool, pretty fun,’’ said Freeman, who spoke to the team before the game along with Bryce Harper and Chris Sale, who had a combined 29 All-Star appearances. “I was telling them to appreciate the game, take a step back, and make sure you realize how special this is. So, make sure you take a step back and realize it’s not just you making it. It’s your parents, your friends, everyone who helped you along the way.’’
Bellinger, the son of former Yankees infielder Clay Bellinger, indeed heeded the advice, and watching the kids come out onto the field riding their bicycles, resurrecting memories for Bellinger growing up in Chandler, Arizona, and playing ball every day with all of the neighborhood kids.
“I think it was special,’’ Bellinger said. “We do play a kids' game. We're all little kids at heart playing this game, even though it's a challenging game. But ultimately, we all fell in love with the game at a young age. We're all still those little kids with big dreams. We're just out here playing a game, and it's always nice to have that perspective.
“It was a really good weekend.’’
One that almost turned into an utter nightmare for the Tampa Bay Rays. They watched their season flash before their eyes when All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero was hit by a pitch in the left hand on a 98-mph sinker by St. Louis Cardinals reliever Riley O’Brien in the third inning, writhing in pain, with his face planted in the dirt.
He got up, ran through the visiting dugout, into the clubhouse, and was escorted into the X-ray room at Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies’ team doctor. O’Brien, who was visibly shaken, later accompanied him.
While the Rays held their breath, said their prayers, and clutched their rosary beads, X-rays came back negative. Caminero walked out of the clubhouse in a cream-colored suit, a rubber protective sleeve on his pinkie finger, and a huge relief on his face.
“I feel good,’’ Caminero said. “Thank God that nothing’s broken and it was just more of a scare than anything. I was just scared. You’re thinking the worst, and I honestly thought something might have been broken.
“But look, thank you to God that everything’s fine. It’s just a little bit sore, but we’re all good.’’
And just like that, the Rays’ five-man All-Star contingent, along with a fan base that has watched their team take a surprising three-game lead over the Yankees at the All-Star break, could exhale.
“It was extreme panic,’’ said Rays closer Bryan Baker, who recorded the final out. “We were stressing. I can take a breath now.’’
Said Rays starter Nick Martinez, who was making his first All-Star appearance at the age of 36: “Super scary. That’s our guy. Obviously happy that he’s doing all right.’’
Really, the only one who might have been the most relieved was O’Brien, who also visited Caminero in the clubhouse and apologized for the errant pitch.
“I felt terrible about that,’’ O’Brien said. “Last thing I want to do in an All-Star Game is hit someone, and God forbid, hurt him. I went over there just wanted to check on him to make sure he was all right. He was very understanding and classy about it, and understood.’’
Said Caminero, who plans to play in both games of the Rays’ doubleheader Friday, July 17 against the Boston Red Sox: “I really appreciate the gesture. He came into the clubhouse and he took a few seconds to apologize. But I told him, “Look, it’s part of the game.’ He was really worried, but I told him that these things happen. We’re here to have fun. We’re here to enjoy the night.’’
Few enjoyed the festivities more than Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, who was born and raised in nearby Millville, N.J., and was treated to a thunderous ovation when he was introduced. The folks in Philly are notorious for booing the opposition, with the loudest boos of the night reserved for all of the rival players in the National League East, even including Mr. and Mrs. Met, the Mets' mascots, but they showed their love for Trout.
“This was one of the best All-Star experiences I ever had,’’ said Trout, who played in his first All-Star Game since 2019. “Just to be able to spend it with family, and a lot of friends, made it special. This was really cool.’’
And for the Phillies’ hometown contingent, like Kyle Schwarber, who leads baseball with 31 homers, it was the ultimate experience. It was his fourth All-Star Game, but easily the best time he’s had at the event, with the sellout crowds greeting him with thunderous ovations every time he stepped to the plate at the Home Run Derby and All-Star game.
“It’s definitely No. 1 for me,’’ he said. “It’s one that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life, and happy that my kids and family were able to be here and witness it. They did an unbelievable job to have a spectacle like this.’’
And, well, perhaps no one enjoyed it more than Bellinger, who’s a living, breathing testament to how difficult it is to make the All-Star Game. He hit eight homers with 38 RBI his first two months of the season, hitting .304 in May, but wounder up batting just .226 with three homers and 13 RBI in June and July.
“It’s just hard man,’’ Bellinger told USA TODAY Sports before the game. “You don’t get off to a hot start, and then you get like a decent May and have a good June, it’s too late. It just depends on your starts, and it’s hard to hit in April, it’s just cold.’’
Look no further than Hall of Famer Robin Yount, who produced 3,142 hits for the Milwaukee Brewers, but only made three All-Star Games in his career.
“That’s just crazy,’’ Bellinger says. “That just shows you how hard it is. And, the pitching today, man, you see it. It’s just unbelievable.’’
Yes, a night like Tuesday, when the best hitters in the world can step to the plate 69 times, produce just nine singles and a homer, with 23 hitters striking out at least once, and Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski becoming the first pitcher to strike out five batters in an All-Star Game since Pedro Martinez in 1999, you realize just how utterly dominant the pitching is in today’s game.
“Yeah, tell me about it,’’ Bellinger said. “Just unbelievable, isn’t it?’’
PHILADELPHIA — Bombs burst in the air, and one even landed in the seats at Citizens Bank Park.
Yet for almost the entirety of this 96th All-Star Game, all was quiet on the banks of the Delaware during the American League’s 4-0 throttling of their National League counterparts in the first Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia since 1996.
Major League Baseball and the City of Brotherly Love went all in on America 250 – from quills to bike rides to Hologram Ray Charles and Patti LaBelle, all of which seemed to go over pretty well.
The baseball?
That was a much quieter affair, as you’ll discover when we break down the winners and losers of this annual midseason meeting:
Winners
The American League
And boy, did they need it.
After the AL set baseball back a few decades with an utterly mediocre first half – just five teams are over .500, and they went 132-160 against the National League – AL and Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said before the All-Star Game that "the season is called a season for a reason. You see where it shakes out after 162, but there's definitely some strong teams in both leagues."
Well, after a 4-0 victory in which 11 AL pitchers held the NL to just three hits, maybe there’s a Junior Circuit renaissance around the corner.
Oh, one win in a truly meaningless exhibition doesn’t galvanize an entire league in any sense. It won’t make the Angels relevant, or the mound in Yolo County any more pleasant for Athletics pitchers.
But for a night the AL played crisp and nearly flawless baseball. Or perhaps, since the three-run first-inning rally was fueled by RBI hits from Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice, maybe just the Yankees are any good.
At any rate, the AL has won 11 of the past 13 All-Star Games. Perhaps they can dig out their first World Series win since 2023 come October.
The City of Philadelphia
All-Star Games can become glorified corporate spectacles. As the only pre-fixed date on the baseball calendar, the brands can roll deep, and the crowd seemingly consists of a never-ending stream of Capital One assistant vice presidents.
But the irrepressible Philly fan forced their way into the proceedings, filling up far too many seats for the MLB draft, bringing more bodies and energy to the Futures Game than recent memory and providing a full-throated roar in rooting for their homeboys in the Home Run Derby.
As so often happens, the crowd was a little tamer for Tuesday’s game, but the sea of Utley and Howard and Harper and Schmidt and Victorino and Morandini jerseys from Pattison to Reading Market was a feast for the eyes all week.
The AL Central
The longtime punching bag for the AL was showing off all its wares Tuesday night – to the extent a team can in a 4-0 snoozefest of a game.
Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas put a capper on the game with a 433-foot blast to left field in the eighth inning. Pitchers Parker Messick and Cade Smith (Cleveland Guardians), Michael Wacha (Kansas City Royals) and Joe Ryan (Minnesota Twins) combined for four nearly perfect relief innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks.
And Area Young Man Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers got a very nice ovation in pregame introductions, marking his territory for what appears to be many, many All-Star nods.
The great Cristopher Sanchez’s outing was just a few batters old when, his pitch count mounting, you stopped thinking about the three runs he was giving up to the AL and started to wonder when NL coach and Phillies manager Don Mattingly was going to overrule Dave Roberts and go out and yank Sanchez himself.
So it went most of the week for the hometown All-Stars, as Bryce Harper crashed out of the Home Run Derby after 20 swings and Kyle Schwarber fell one soul-crushing longball short – again – of taking home the trophy and related branded swag from a popular streaming company.
The game wasn’t much better, with Schwarber and Harper hitless in four at-bats, and Harper staging one of the worst ABS challenges we’ve seen this year (Hey, he’s a veteran future Hall of Famer in his home ballpark. He’s allowed). We’d be remiss to not mention Jesus Luzardo’s spotless relief inning along with Phillies closer Jhoan Duran living up to his elaborate light show by recording the final two outs, albeit in junk time.
Otherwise, Phillies fans might try to take solace in the notion that maybe the lads were saving their bullets for a three-way second-half fight in the NL East.
National League hitters
Bad enough they got shut out on just three hits, all singles. Yet in this All-Star Game, where you want everyone to play, everyone to eat, the lineup barely turned over.
Schwarber, batting leadoff, was limited to two at-bats, Harper one. Home Run Derby champ Jordan Walker, towering slugger James Wood, the dynamic Pete Crow-Armstrong?
All got one turn at bat, allowing virtually no chance to impact the game.
The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game
Speaking of which … what are we going to do about this?
Commissioner Rob Manfred began his annual midseason meeting with baseball media with the usual glowing remarks about the previous night’s Derby. Well, he was kind of lucky: Despite the hometown juice from Schwarber and Harper, the new format was inconsistent at best, with Walker saving the day with an almost mathematically impossible six homers in his final six swings.
That was cool. The rest was really mid, with hitters often mathematically eliminated halfway through their rounds.
As for the game? We’ve documented the many reasons why it was a dud on a night they boomed fireworks high in the Philly sky. So, what to do?
You can’t legislate velocity and nasty stuff out of the game – all of which gets nastier when the game’s greatest pitchers are limited to just one inning and can turn it loose. The result: one extra-base hit.
The innings moved so fast that the Fox broadcast could hardly get into its mic’d up set pieces before moving to several more minutes of commercials.
The game is cyclical. Perhaps this game will experience an uptick, too.
Jul 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates after the Padres beat the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
New York Post | Jon Heyman ($): While rumors will still swirl around landing Tarik Skubal, the Yankees seem to be prioritizing high-end relief help and a new catcher at the trade deadline. Heyman tells us that the Padres’ Mason Miller and Minnesota backstop Ryan Jeffers will be the club’s two biggest targets as we get closer to the deadline, and while both would likely help the team, the price for Miller especially will be steep. San Diego seems willing to shed payroll, but the dominant reliever is only going into his first year of arbitration this winter, and the prospect cost the Padres gave up a year ago may still be weighing on the minds of the front office.
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Cody Bellinger is an All-Star for the first time since his 2019 MVP campaign, and he is savoring every bit of the experience. You could build a case that Belli deserved the trip to the Midsummer Classic last year, but being an indispensable part of the Yankees this season and one of the game’s best defensive players made him an easy selection for Philadelphia. Now the only thing left is to mirror his first half performance as we turn into the dog days of summer.
As an added bonus, Bellinger became the fourth Yankee to win All-Star Game MVP, joining a quartet with Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Giancarlo Stanton (the most recent winner, in 2022). It was a mostly quietly affair in the Midsummer Classic, but Bellinger had the two-run single that put the American League on the board in the first inning against the normally pristine Cristopher Sánchez. Teammate Ben Rice followed with an RBI single of his own and the AL won, 4-0.
NJ.com | James Mertz: Carsten Sabathia III, the oldest son of the former Yankee great CC Sabathia, was drafted in the 20th round of this year’s MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, another of CC’s old teams. Carsten eschewed his father’s path to pitching, instead standing 6-foot-4 as a slugging first baseman for the University of Houston. He started out at Georgia Tech and also played a couple summers with the Yankees’ old Double-A affiliate, the Trenton Thunder, which is now a college wood-bat league team. It’ll be a long way to the majors from here, but congrats to the kid nevertheless.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: This doesn’t directly cover the Yankees — thankfully — but it’s one of my favorite recurring series of the year. Keeping your players above replacement level sounds easy, but every year teams leave runs, and therefore wins, on the table by having guys that can’t out-produce a hypothetical Quad-A’er. The Yankees don’t feature the worst right side of the infield, even if we’re all kinda disappointed in Jazz Chisholm Jr., and indeed being above replacement level is a good reason why they’re in a real division hunt.
Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) shakes hands with Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) after the second inning for the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
When you pitch a shutout, you’re gonna win.
Someone has to be on the opposite end of that, and playing the role of Tanner Bibee tonight was a group of 9 NL pitchers who gave up 4 runs. 4 runs too many.
10 men pitched for the AL, but we’re focusing only on Parker Messick and Cade Smith because they deserve it. The broadcast paid some attention to Smith, because he was undrafted and Bryce Harper marveled at his pitches while mic’d up, but they completely ignored Messick, who pitched a 1-2-3 inning. It took him just 10 pitches, which ruined their interview plans for that inning. But worry not, they found infinite more amounts of time for things that were not All-Stars Playing Baseball.
The worst pitcher of the night was Something O’Brien, for the NL. Not because he gave up a bunch of runs, but because he came up and in on Let’s Go Former Farmhand Junior Caminero and drilled his hand. X-rays were negative, so hopefully JC is out of the woods safe.
Unrelated Chart Time
Good Joke Time (since last week’s embedded joke to end a Wednesday post didn’t embed for some reason)
PHILADELPHIA — Cam Schlittler was not going to pitch Tuesday, but he traveled to the All-Star Game anyway because the event is about more than an exhibition.
It’s an opportunity for a 25-year-old, hard-throwing pitcher in his first full season in the majors to seek out a 43-year-old, hard-throwing pitcher in his last season in the majors.
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Schlittler met the retiring Justin Verlander at dinner Monday night, had a quick conversation and was planning to further pick his brain during warmups and during the game Tuesday, the two talking in the dugout during the 4-0 American League victory at Citizens Bank Park.
There are few pitchers like Schlittler, who almost exclusively throws three different kinds of fastballs, but Verlander and Schlittler share a unique ability — even in today’s game of flamethrowers — to throw hard.
When Verlander was breaking into the league, he was known for often increasing his velocity deeper into games, saving a reserve of gas for when he needed it.
That is the kind of ability that “great” pitchers have, Schlittler said, being able to “flip that switch when they want to throw harder.”
American League All-Star pitcher Cam Schlittler of the Yankees stands during announcements before the start of the July 14, 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia, won 4-0 by the American League. Charles Wenzelberg/New York PostJustin Verlander was all smiles while taking part in his last All-Star Game. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
That is the type of conversation Schlittler may have had in mind with Verlander.
“I wouldn’t say I can really control when I throw my hardest,” said Schlittler, whose average pitch — that’s pitch, not fastball — has been thrown at 95.9 mph this year. “I feel like I don’t know my body well enough to do that yet. I feel like I need more experience.”
X-rays on the left pinkie of Junior Caminero came back negative after the Rays star was drilled by a fastball from Cardinals righty Riley O’Brien in the fourth inning.
Caminero went down, remained down for several moments, then got up and made no motion toward first base, instead walking off the field, into the dugout and through the tunnel.
Juan Soto said he had a “great” time at the game, which included a fourth-inning single that was one of just three NL hits.
He also chatted at length with Yordan Álvarez before the game, having told reporters Monday that he wanted to pick the brain of the Astros slugger.
Juan Soto ripped a single during the Nationals League’s loss to the American League in the All-Star Game. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“It’s incredible to hear something from such a hitter and a guy that can hit that much,” Álvarez said Tuesday afternoon. “I think it’s going to be something interesting if we get to catch up.”
Asked Monday which hitter’s brain he wanted to pick, Juan Soto immediately told reporters, “Yordan Alvarez.”
“It’s incredible to hear something from such a hitter and a guy that can hit that much,” the Astros star, who said he’s talked with Soto in the past, said Tuesday through an interpreter. “I think it’s going to be something interesting if we get to catch up.”
Mike Trout walks to home plate in the fourth inning of the All-Star Game. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
Pete Crow-Armstrong was 9 years old, maybe 10. He can’t remember for sure. But he clearly remembers the scene: a journey from his San Fernando Valley home to Angel Stadium, for a game featuring Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees.
Jeter wasn’t an outfielder, though. Crow-Armstrong sat in right-center field, with a great view of an Angels’ phenom.
“I absolutely followed Mike Trout,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I would have followed him if he were in freaking Seattle.
“He was — he still is — the only one to ever really do what I’ve ever seen him do in my life.”
A decade and a half later, in an All-Star Game that was short on drama and long on tributes to Trout, the hometown hero and future Hall of Famer, Crow-Armstrong shared center field with Trout.
“That,” the Chicago Cubs’ star said, “is a cool nugget I’ll always keep with me.”
With a two-run single in the first inning from All-Star Game MVP and former Dodger Cody Bellinger giving the American League the only runs it would need, the AL shut out the National League on Tuesday, 4-0.
The three Dodgers in the NL starting lineup — Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Andy Pages — went hitless.
Freddie Freeman and Mike Trout embrace during the fourth inning. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
Justin Wrobleski, the lone Dodgers pitcher, gave up a home run to former Dodger Miguel Vargas but pitched two innings and struck out five, the most strikeouts in an All-Star Game since Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez struck out five in 1999 — and, before that, Fernando Valenzuela did it in 1986.
Trout went hitless in three at-bats. After he grounded out in his final at-bat, Freeman enveloped him in an impromptu bear hug.
“I love Freddie,” Trout said.
There was a fireworks show after the fourth inning, with kids riding bicycles onto the field a la “The Sandlot.” Trout offered swing tips to one of the kids. Freeman played catch with another.
“One of the cooler moments I’ve ever been a part of on the baseball field,” Freeman said. “It makes you feel like a kid again.”
Mike Trout signs autographs before the home run derby Monday. (Matt Rourke / AP)
Before the game, Freeman addressed his fellow NL All-Stars, followed by Bryce Harper and Chris Sale. Freeman channeled his inner Ferris Bueller, reminding his younger peers to stop and appreciate every moment.
“It’s going fast,” Freeman said. “There’s a lot going on. Make sure you take a step back.”
Trout savored every moment with friends and family, including his two sons, in the festivities. In an interview with MLB Network, his 2-year-old scampered off the stage. His 5-year-old, asked if he would be a better player than his dad, said yes.
“It’s special to be able to sit back and remember the special experiences when you were a kid,” Trout said. “It’s a full circle. Just trying to enjoy every minute of it.”
He got a nice ovation from the Philadelphia crowd, which he knew better than to take for granted. The crowd engaged in lively and targeted booing: mascots Mr. and Mrs. Met; the guy who beat the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber in the home run derby on Monday; a guy who played for the Houston Astros when they beat the Phillies in the World Series four years ago; anyone playing for the Dodgers or any of the Phillies’ NL East rivals.
Juan Soto, especially. But not Trout.
“It means a lot,” Trout said. “I know how Phillies fans are when an opposing player comes in here, and it’s usually boos.”
As he spoke with the media, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays walked by.
“I love you,” Caminero said.
Mike Trout bats in the first inning Tuesday. (Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)
Trout had just saluted a fellow All-Star, Detroit Tigers rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who like Trout grew up in the area, rooting for the Phillies. McGonigle was 6 when Trout made his major league debut.
“The way he plays the game, it’s like a young Trout out there, just with how hard he plays,” Trout said.
Trout turns 35 next month, far closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Justin Verlander is retiring at the end of the season, and Freeman said he hoped Trout’s accomplishments would not be lost amid the Verlander accolades at the All-Star Game.
“I know Justin’s been getting his flowers the last couple days, and rightfully so,” Freeman said. “Mike deserves it until he retires, because he’s one of the best players of all time.”
Verlander was all too happy to share the legacy of Trout in the AL clubhouse, and not just for the benefit of the twentysomethings in the room.
“He took the baseball world by storm,” Verlander said, “one of those generational talents that does everything — great outfielder, great baserunner, all the pop you would want. He was a complete player and generational talent for a reason.
“I always loved watching him play. I remember sitting there watching him hit a triple, and — I forget the teammate, but he was literally hitting me on the leg, like, watch him run, watch him run. He was, like, floating. He’s a once-in-a-generation guy for a reason.”
By his standards, Trout was unusually reflective after the game. He was the dominant player of the previous decade, but before Tuesday he had not taken an All-Star at-bat in this decade.
He grew up here, watching Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins play for the Phillies. Now he has youngsters like Crow-Amstrong and McGonigle telling him they grew up watching him.
“It makes you feel like you’ve done something,” Trout said. “For me, since day one, I’ve always played this game how I saw a lot of guys when I was young, watching Utley and JRo and Jeter. Play the game right. Play the game hard.
CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 11: Members of the Chicago Cubs celebrate after the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s Tuesday night of All-Star Week here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the heat. There’s no cover charge. We’ve still got a few tables available. The hostess can seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you if you could/did watch the Home Run Derby. I thought a lot of you would not have watched it because it was on Netflix and you didn’t subscribe, but the top answer was that 34 percent of you did have Netflix and didn’t watch the Home Run Derby anyways. Another 31 percent said that you didn’t have Netflix but would not have watched it even if you did. So almost two out of three of you just didn’t want to watch it.
On Tuesday nights I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I can take a quick jazz break for those of you interested.
Tonight we have a performance from the Jackie McLean Quintet at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986. Joining McLean on sax is Woody Shaw on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass and the drummer is Billy Higgins.
This is “Cool Struttin’”
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
Since it’s the All-Star Break, which is the traditional midway point of the baseball season even if it falls a little later than that these days, I thought I’d ask you to update your predictions for the Cubs this season.
As things stand now, the Cubs are 54-42, 12 games over .500. Personally, I think that’s pretty good considering all the injuries the Cubs have suffered to their pitching staff. A lot of you have compared this year’s Cubs team to the 1985 team that similarly suffered a ton of pitching injuries. That team went on a 13-game losing streak in June and never really snapped out of the funk. In contrast, this year’s Cubs team has gone 25-16 since they suffered a ten-game losing streak in May.
Of course, the problem is that while the Cubs suffered a cold spell in May, the Brewers got hot and went 19-7 in May and 17-10 in June. They’ve cooled off some in July and the Cubs have gotten within five games of the Brewers in the NL Central. But that’s still a lot to overcome in the second half. But the Cubs are in first place in the Wild Card standings, which brings with it a home series for Wild Card round. The Phillies are a half-game behind the Cubs and the Marlins are 2.5 games back of the Cubs and holding the third and final Wild Card spot. The Cardinals are 3.5 games behind the Cubs and are the first team out of the postseason in the National League.
Fangraphs gives the Cubs a 14.7 percent chance to win the Division and a 61.1 percent chance to get the Wild Card. That also gives them a 24.2 percent chance of missing the playoffs altogether.
But the computer models used by Fangraphs don’t account for any possible moves made at the deadline. Nor are they infalible.
So what’s your pick for how the Cubs are going to finish this year?
Thanks for stopping by. We’re always glad to see you. Tell your friends about us. Get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.
Miguel Vargas mashed a solo homer in his first All-Star appearance. | (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Whatever it is about the All-Star Game that puts a chokehold on the National League should be studied. Once again, the American League prevailed, shutting out the NL in Philadelphia, 4-0. If you had the NL being held to three hits on your bingo card, then congrats, you win, because the bats were borderline silent, and they never even had opportunities with runners in scoring position, leaving all five base runners stranded. The AL now has a 49-45 all-time record in the Midsummer Classic, which doesn’t sound so bad until you look at the most recent years.
Outside of the first inning, there wasn’t much offensive action from either side. The pitching, however, was extremely on point and easily highlighted why they were all named All-Stars. American League starting pitcher Dylan Cease looked as good as ever, striking out the side but losing a battle to Freddie Freeman and walking him for the lone blemish in his hitless outing. He used 24 pitches to get through the inning, mainly because the NL batters kept fouling pitches off, but Cease was able to buckle down and showcase his strikeout ability on the main stage, all while mic’d up.
The AL used 11 arms throughout the game, and the NL bats completely rode the struggle bus, only getting three hits the entire game while striking out a whopping 15 times. In fact, 10 of 11 AL pitchers recorded at least one strikeout, and Bryan Baker only tossed 1/3 of an inning in the ninth, so I think we can let him off the hook. Cease ended up with the win after his three-strikeout frame, and the next seven out of the bullpen earned a hold. On top of that, the AL defense was on point, and even though many fans were annoyed that Ernie Clement was voted in from the fans, he made the best play of the night in the field.
Juan Soto finally gave the NL its first hit in the bottom of the fourth off Joe Ryan, who struck out Freddie Freeman and CJ Abrams to end any potential threat. The bats were silent again for several more innings, until Pete Crow-Armstrong singled up the middle in the bottom of the eighth, but once again, nothing came from it.
In what was essentially garbage time in the bottom of the ninth, Baker entered to get the last out for the AL, but Otto Lopez came up to bat with two outs and ripped a base hit out to right before Baker forced a ground out to end the game. Lopez deserves a lot more recognition on the national level, however, as he’s been having a phenomenal year for the Marlins, and ranks fifth in WAR in all of baseball while holding the top batting average (.334). Think Luis Arraez, but with a bit more power while being an above-average fielder and stealing plenty of bases.
The AL All-Stars had a lot more success at the plate, though they were, too, a bit sporadic. The AL posted seven hits and went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position while leaving six on base, which is seven more opportunities than the NL had, so they’ll take what they could get tonight.
Unfortunately for hometown starter Cristopher Sánchez, he got off to a rocky start, allowing three of the four AL runs and taking the loss. Sánchez started off on a high note by striking out Mike Trout to begin the game, but things got a bit out of hand fairly quickly, and the AL nearly batted through the lineup. Yordan Alvarez flashed his dominance at the plate in his first at-bat, mashing the first hit of the game and later coming around to score. Sánchez had walked Shea Langeliers and Bobby Witt Jr. to load up the bases, but worked a ground out by Junior Caminero to get two outs.
All three runs scored with two outs, as both New York Yankees All-Stars drove back-to-back RBI singles to take a 3-0 lead. Cody Bellinger mashed a 101 mph, two-run single up the middle, and Ben Rice followed suit with an even harder ball (107 mph) hit up the middle to tack on one more. Belli’s two-run single held up throughout the game, even with the Miguel Vargas bomb, and he ended up being named the All-Star Game MVP.
The AL bats quieted down for several innings, sprinkling a few hits throughout the game, but the NL bullpen was fairly solid as well. Riley O’Brien took over in the third, and a pitch got away from him and hit Junior Caminero in the hand in his second at-bat, forcing him to leave the game with Miguel Vargas taking over for him the rest of the way. Thankfully, it sounds like X-rays were negative on Junior’s hand, and he still expects to start the next series beginning Friday.
Miguel was the first of the White Sox to enter the game, and he smoked a 104.3 mph line out to his buddy Andy Pages out in center in his first at-bat, but he still found a good pitch to hit and was seeing the ball as well as he usually does. And he displayed that in his next at-bat, absolutely demolishing a 433-foot solo shot into the second deck out in left field to add an insurance run for the AL, 4-0. Vargas’ long ball was the lone extra-base hit of the entire game, and it just happened to be off of his old Dodgers teammate Justin Wrobleski. It sure was a beauty.
Tristan Peters was the next sub for the South Siders, entering the game to play right field for Bellinger in the bottom of the sixth, and caught a fly ball from William Contreras shortly after entering the game. Munetaka Murakami also eventually came into the game in the bottom of the seventh to play first, and both he and Peters each got one at-bat, and sadly struck out. I appreciated Peters using a challenge because why not, but he didn’t win this one. Mune was dealt a rough hand in having to face Mason Miller, and he, too, struck out on a 102 mph fastball. We’ll take 1-for-4 with a bomb, though, so thank you, Miguel, for picking up your teammates. Strikeouts or not, it was awesome to see these guys on this stage and that the White Sox are relevant and playing meaningful baseball again.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws in the eighth inning during the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA –– Earlier this season, it was Hall of Fame pitcher and current TBS broadcaster Pedro Martínez who gave Justin Wrobleski the nickname “The Shark.”
On Tuesday night, Wrobleski epitomized the moniker by doing something no one had accomplished since Martínez himself more than a quarter-century earlier.
In a two-inning relief appearance in Major League Baseball’s 96th All-Star Game, Wrobleski turned in one of the best individual showings in the National League’s eventual 4-0 loss at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws in the eighth inning during the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Matt Rourke
He struck out the side in the top of the seventh, punctuating a dominant 12-pitch inning by blowing a 97-mph fastball past Rays slugger Yandy Díaz.
Then, after returning to the mound in the eighth, Wrobleski bounced back from a solo home run to Miguel Vargas — his former minor league teammate in the Dodgers farm system — by registering two more punchouts to make some Midsummer Classic history.
Not since Martínez in 1999 had a pitcher struck out five batters in an All-Star Game (the all-time record is six).
Among Dodgers pitchers in the event’s history, Wrobleski tied Fernando Valenzuela (1986) and Don Drysdale (1959) for the most in franchise history.
When informed of his feat postgame, Wrobleski flashed a smile and took a second to let it register.
“Feels pretty cool,” he said.
But then, before indulging any further in his performance, he cracked a self-deprecating chuckle to point out its one flaw.
“Except for [that] I gave up a home run,” he said. “That’s what’s on my mind right now.”
Indeed, the homer was memorable, with Vargas going down to get a low slider and blasting it to the second deck in left field for an insurance-adding solo shot.
“I’m super happy for him, and he’s having an awesome year,” Wrobleski said of his former teammate. “That was cool to see. It just sucks that he hit it off of me.”
Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies speaks with Justin Wrobleski of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
Still, Wrobleski’s outing will go down as another highlight moment in his own breakout season, as well –– coming on a night made all the more meaningful by coinciding with his 26th birthday.
“I’m super blessed and lucky to have the chance to do this,” Wrobleski said. “There’s not many guys in history that have had that chance. So pretty cool to play on my birthday. My family’s here. Got to talk to them all day. And yeah, it was super fun.”
This time last year, the left-hander was in the minor leagues, overhauling his pitch arsenal after a rocky start to the season. By October, he had worked his way into a roster spot in the bullpen and pitched important innings in the World Series, but still entered the winter seemingly squeezed out of the Dodgers’ 2026 rotation plans.
Since getting a shot to start early in the season, however, the former 11th-round draft pick has emerged as one of the game’s most productive pitchers, going 10-2 in the first half of the campaign with a 2.69 ERA that ranked seventh in the National League.
“Even when it doesn’t look like it’s been something that’s possible, or hasn’t looked like this dream is going to work out, I’ve always had the belief that God’s given me the talent, and I have the ability to be able to do all this stuff. And it’s great to –– not fulfill that –– but prove that I can be really good at the major league level.”
Justin Wrobleski of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the seventh inning. Getty Images
Ironically, the only thing Wrobleski had been missing for most of this year was the ability to put hitters away with two strikes. Over his first 86 ⅓ innings, he recorded only 53 strikeouts. His reliance on soft contact had, to some, made his success feel unsustainable.
In recent weeks, however, Wrobleski has found added life on his fastball, more bite on his secondary stuff and a renewed confidence in his ability to do more than just limit damage.
He struck out 11 batters in a June 30 start against the Athletics and nine more against the Rockies last week to help him earn a last-second All-Star selection as a replacement on the NL roster.
Then came Tuesday, when he showcased his continued development on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
“I’ve been kind of learning and continuing to grow and figure out how to strike guys out and where I can go for a miss,” said Wrobleski, who got two of Tuesday’s Ks on high heaters and the other three on sweepers both in and out of the zone.
“Obviously, in a situation like this, guys are gonna swing a little bit more. But yeah, I made some good pitches today, I got some strikeouts and hopefully can build off that in the second half.”
Wrobleski’s season has gone so well that he has even allowed himself to lean into “The Shark” nickname — something he seemed initially hesitant about after it was bestowed by Martínez in a social media post in June.
I was impressed with Justin Wrobleski. He was like a shark out there! After tonight he’s now “the Shark”
DSL All-Star Sebastian Romero continues to swing a hot bat. | (Sebastian Romero/Instagram)
Three members of the DSL White Sox squad have been named to the 2026 DSL All-Star Game: Ronald Cardoza (C), Yordany Marte (RHP), and Sebastian Romero (OF). Cardoza is hitting .316/.426/.607 with a 1.033 OPS while Romero owns a slash line of .289/.391/.608 with a .999 OPS. Marte is 0-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. The three players will represent Chicago’s rookie affiliate at the game on Sunday, July 19.
ACL Angels 9, ACL White Sox 1 Not much to write home about in this one. The ACL White Sox (15-38) didn’t muster a run until the fifth, when Osniel Castillo laced a leadoff triple and rehabbing Billy Carlson followed with an RBI single to center. The Sox tacked on one more in the seventh while trailing 9-1 as Adam Fogel worked a two-out walk before Marcelo Ácala ripped an RBI double to left. Too little, too late, though. Reinder Gomez was the only hurler to hold the Halos scoreless, tossing one frame and allowing just one hit and striking out one. Giving up nine runs is rarely a winning formula, and the offense didn’t do the pitching staff any favors, going just 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position while leaving 10 on base.
DSL Cubs Blue 6, DSL White Sox 4 The DSL White Sox (11-20) gift-wrapped this one with three fielding blunders and a passed ball, leading to three unearned runs. The White Sox did showcase some offense, though, as Ronald Cardozo cracked a solo shot in the fourth, and then the bats tried to rally in the seventh. Jose Suarez launched a two-run bomb, Hector Hernandez legged out a triple, and Dionys Medina dribbled an RBI grounder to plate three tallies. Unfortunately, the damage was already done — too many mistakes and just not enough late-game magic.
ACL White Sox 4, ACL Padres 3 (July 13 — 7 innings) The ACL Sox trailed 3-1 to the Padres, then finally put up a crooked number in the fifth. Landon Hodge and Adam Fogel, patient enough to draw back-to-back walks, set the table. Jose Mendoza knocked a single to pack the sacks. The Padres’ pitcher promptly lost the plot with a wild pitch, and Hodge scored. Marcelo Ácala froze for strike three, but another wild pitch let Fogel trot home. Alejandro Cruz hit an RBI single for the go-ahead. Fidel Montero took it from there with four shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk.
DSL White Sox 2, DSL Cubs 0 (July 14, suspended, bottom of the first) The Sox took control early in the top of the second. Fernando Graterol drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly before Sebastian Romero added an RBI single. It was Romero’s 34th RBI of the season, tied for sixth-most in the DSL, and gave the Good Guys a 2-0 lead.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on during the sixth inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The All-Star Game took place on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, but it was a one-sided affair the whole way. A three-run first inning by the AL gave them a lead that they would hold throughout the game, finishing with a 4-0 victory over the NL.
Even though the hometown ace, Cristopher Sánchez, got the start in this one, pitching at home didn’t help him at all. The AL sent eight men to the plate in the first. The big two hits were an RBI single by Cody Bellinger that scored two, and another RBI single from Ben Rice that scored the third run. Before the NL could even bat, they were down 3-0.
Once they were up to bat, the AL pitching staff nearly held them in check completely. The NL had just two baserunners — a hit and a walk — through the first six innings. They didn’t record their second hit until the eighth inning. As a whole, they struck out 15 batters while allowing just three hits and two walks.
The fourth run for the AL came in the eighth inning, when Miguel Vargas hit a solo home run off Justin Wrobleski. That accounted for the final score of the game.
William Contreras was the lone Brewer to appear in the game. He entered in the fourth inning and caught the next three innings. He got one at-bat in the game, which was a fly out in the sixth inning.
The Brewers kick off the second half of the season on Friday evening at home. They will face the Marlins, who have fought their way into the third Wild Card spot, but also entered the break on a three-game losing streak. No pitchers have been announced for that series yet. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:40 p.m.
