Randy Arozarena Named to 2026 American League All-Star Team

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners poses for a photo during the 2025 MLB All-Star player photo shoot at Truist Park on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Randy Arozarena will likely be the Mariners lone representative at the All-Star game in 2026.

Major League Baseball announced on Saturday the initial rosters for the American and National League All-Star teams. This included each team’s starting lineup (chosen by fans) as well as their pitchers and reserves (chosen by players and the commissioner’s office).

Arozarena was the only Mariner named to the team for the AL. He was not selected by fan vote, nor did any Mariners players make it to the second phase of fan voting. But he’s a deserving All-Star nonetheless, ranking fifth among AL outfielders with 2.3 fWAR. He’s been the Mariners most valuable hitter with a 141 wRC+ (.280/.370/.436) and their most valuable base runner (19 stolen bases and 2.2 BsR). No matter what flavor of WAR you use, Arozarena is on track to have his most valuable season as a big-leaguer should current trends hold, something he credits to fully buying in to the Mariners’ approach of using the whole field.

“This year, I came with a different approach,” Arozarena said through team interpreter Freddy Llanos. “I’ve been listening a lot more to the hitting coaches, coming in with a plan and sticking to that plan, and you’ve seen teh results this season. Before, I think I would just go out there and every pitch, my mentality was, hit this ball out of the ballpark.

Now, I’ve been able to use the middle of the field, hit the ball around and make those adjustments. Now I’m going up there and thinking, where can I place this ball, and trying to use all my tools that I can to place that ball in that spot.“

Rosters were announced on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. At about 1:45 p.m., Arozarena capped his bid with a massive grand slam to push the Mariners past the Blue Jays. He also doubled earlier in the game.

It’s Arozarena’s third All-Star selection and second with the Mariners. Last year, he was named to the team after Julio Rodríguez declined to participate.

“I think this [selection] for me is the one that feels a little more special,” said Arozarena. “I see it as a mixture of all the discipline, all the hard work, everything I’ve done, but also all the teammates that have helped me, the fans, especially the fans – I use them as a motor to energize me when I’m out there, I’m able to identify with them, and they’re able to identify with me. So when you get a recognition like this, you kind of look at it in terms of all the hard work and all these little aspects that come together to make something like this happen.”

Speaking of Julio, he was not named to the team after making it in three of his first four years as a big leaguer. Neither was Cal Raleigh, who received the second most votes in the AL just last year. In fact, no other Mariners were selected, reflecting what’s been a frustrating, injury-plagued season in Seattle.

One could argue Bryan Woo deserved a nod. He leads the Mariners with 2.7 fWAR, good enough for sixth in the AL as of Saturday morning. But Woo’s 4.17 ERA (driven by severe home-road splits) likely hurt his chances. Logan Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, and George Kirby are each having better seasons by more traditional metrics, though none rank in the top 10 by ERA.

It’s possible more Mariners will eventually make the team as other players get hurt and opt out. How does that work? I defer to the MLB All-Star selection process FAQ:

Who picks the replacements for injured players or those who decline to participate?
If a fan-elected starter is unable to play, they are replaced in the starting lineup by the player on the roster who received the next most votes on the player ballot at their position. The roster replacement is then chosen by the league.

If a player-elected reserve position player must be replaced, the next in line on the player ballot becomes a reserve, unless the leaders of the player ballot have already been accounted for. If the top finishers on the player ballot are already All-Stars, then MLB can select another replacement.

If no other Mariners are selected, it will be the first time since 2021 Seattle has sent just one player (Yusei Kikuchi). Last year, they sent seven.

The All-Star Game will take place on July 14 at Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia. The game will be broadcast on FOX at 5 p.m. PT.

Report: There Remains Hope For Patrick Kane To Return To Red Wings

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Right now, the main storyline for the Detroit Red Wings is the ongoing saga stemming from the explosive trade request from captain Dylan Larkin in early June. 

And while the Red Wings have signed free agent forward Viktor Arvidsson and acquired Keegan Kolesar via trade, there remains some doubt on whether or not future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane will sign another extension.

While there was expressed mutual interest in another contract, Kane remains unsigned through the first four days of free-agency; he'd previously inked one year deals on June 30 of both 2024 and 2025. 

And while Kane has been linked to a pair of divisional rivals in the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs, he's reportedly still open to returning to Detroit. 

According to NHL Insider Chris Johnston, there remains an avenue for Kane to sign another extension.

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Additionally, according to fellow Insider Pierre LeBrun, Kane is "keeping the door open" on what would be a third full campaign in Detroit. 

Kane, who was limited to 67 games in 2025-26, finished fifth overall on the club in scoring, tallying 16 goals with 41 assists while seeing regular time on the power-play. 

Red Wings Sign Veteran Forward Viktor Arvidsson Red Wings Sign Veteran Forward Viktor Arvidsson On the opening day of the NHL free-agency period, the Detroit Red Wings are adding some veteran talent up front with the signing of Viktor Arvidsson.

Among the milestones that Kane hit last season was scoring his 500th career goal, along with becoming the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history. 

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Dodgers sending four more players to MLB All-Star Game, tie for most selections

Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages makes a sliding catch against the Baltimore Orioles on June 19.
Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages makes a sliding catch against the Baltimore Orioles on June 19. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages had been hearing from teammates for weeks that he would be selected as an All-Star. But he wasn’t as bullish.

“I wanted to participate, but that wasn’t in my control. I didn’t want to put it out there until I knew it was for sure,” Pages said in Spanish.

On Saturday it became official. Pages was selected as an All-Star for the first time. After coming so close in 2025, he’s set to start for the National League.

“It’s exciting to be able to participate in my first one,” Pages said. “I’m really proud of the work that I’ve been doing and to have the opportunity.”

Read more:How Dodgers' Max Muncy, vying for his third All-Star selection, continues to evolve

Pages is one of five Dodgers on the National League squad. Third baseman Max Muncy (third All-Star selection), first baseman Freddie Freeman (10th) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (second) were named to the NL roster Saturday. Shohei Ohtani (sixth) was named an All-Star on June 25 after leading the majors in Phase 1 voting.

It marks the first time since 1980 that the Dodgers have had four All-Star starters. Their five All-Star selections ties the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies for the most in the majors.

Muncy is set to be the first Dodger to start the All-Star Game at third base since Ron Cey in 1977.

Though Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (10-2, 2.80 ERA) was not named an All-Star, he could play as a possible injury replacement.

The All-Star Game will be played July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Ohtani feeling better

Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani pumps his fist after getting San Diego's Manny Machado to ground out.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani pumps his fist after getting San Diego's Manny Machado to ground out in the fifth inning Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Ohtani was feeling “considerably better” Saturday, after leaving Friday’s game in the seventh inning with tight right biceps.

“If things trend the way we would expect, then he’ll be in there [Sunday],” manager Dave Roberts said.

Ohtani wasn’t in the starting lineup against the Padres on Saturday, but Roberts left open the possibility that he could be available off the bench depending on “how the day goes.” Roberts didn’t expect the biceps problem to affect Ohtani’s throwing schedule between pitching starts, especially because he aggravated it on a swing.

The Dodgers, however, could still decide to have Ohtani skip his last pitching start before the All-Star break.

“The first step is how he feels tomorrow, and then the days forthcoming,” Roberts said. “So we don’t need to make that decision today, tomorrow, the next day. So we have time. And I think for us it’s just more of reading and reacting on how he feels.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Misiorowski, Contreras named to NL All-Star Team

Jun 20, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) talks with catcher William Contreras (24) after giving up his first base runner in the seventh inning agaistn the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers’ prominent battery, Jacob Misiorowski and William Contreras, has been named to the National League All-Star Team.

Misiorowski famously made last year’s All-Star Game (as a way-down-the-line injury replacement, it should be said) having made just five major-league appearances. If there were questions over whether he’d earned that last year, there obviously are not this year. Miz leads the majors in ERA (1.47), strikeouts (156), FIP (1.97), WHIP (0.779), and hits per nine (4.7). He is one of the top contenders for National League Cy Young, and his selection was a no-brainer.

Contreras has been selected to his third All-Star Game. He previously made it with the Braves in 2022 and the Brewers in 2024. Contreras got off to a bit of a slow start offensively but he’s hitting for a high average, and has added some pop lately. He’s also one of a trio of Brewers with over 50 RBI; he and Brice Turang have 51 each, just behind team leader Jake Bauers (52).

At least before the usual cavalcade of injury replacements come down the line, the Brewers have just two All-Stars despite holding the second-best record in baseball. The other two teams atop the National League, the Braves and Dodgers, both have five All-Star selections, as do the hometown Phillies (who are six games back of the Brewers); other teams in the NL who have two include the Nationals, Giants, Reds, Marlins, and Diamondbacks.

Players we can count as snubs include second baseman Brice Turang, first baseman Jake Bauers, starting pitcher Kyle Harrison, and reliever Trevor Megill. The fan voting played at least some role, here; the inclusion of Ozzie Albies as the NL’s starting second baseman created a numbers crunch that hurt Turang, who had a far more deserving case than Albies did. He’s probably the most egregious omission, but a case could’ve been made for any of these other guys, and maybe even for Jackson Chourio, even though he missed six weeks.

Harrison, at least, should make the team as a replacement, given how many pitchers tend to drop out these days. There will probably be some national dialogue about how the Brewers are underrepresented, so I wouldn’t be surprised if several Brewers will be near the top of Rob Manfred’s list of players to add as injury replacements.

Regardless of whether or not we should care, this certainly won’t help to dispute the notion that the Brewers are overlooked and under-appreciated. Pat Murphy will certainly find a way to use it as fuel.

The All-Star Game is on Tuesday, July 14th in Philadelphia.

San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies game delayed due to weather — New start time: 6:55 pm

DENVER, CO - JULY 13: Lightning strikes behind Coors Field during a rain delay before a baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies on July 13, 2019 in Denver, Colorado.(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies were scheduled to have first pitch at 6:10pm MT.

However, the game has been delayed due to lightning with fans being instructed to clear the upper deck, Rockpile, and Rooftop.

Follow along here for details as they become available!

UPDATE: 6:06 pm

No word yet, but the grounds crew is going for the tarp, and it’s raining.

UPDATE: 6:16 pm

The tarp is coming up as the crowd cheers.

UPDATE: 6:21 pm

First pitch will be at 6:55 pm.


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Mets' Juan Soto makes 2026 MLB All-Star Game

Juan Soto is an All-Star for the first time as a Met.

Selected by the fans, the Mets' 27-year-old outfielder was named to his fifth career All-Star Game and will make his second Midsummer Classic start.

"It's great," Soto said of joining the National League for the July 14 game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. "This is a great feeling. It's really fun to be in the summer with so many talented players in the All-Star Game. It's going to be fun."

Soto entered Saturday's game at the Atlanta Braves leading the NL with a .971 OPS and .406 on-base percentage.

"I mean, it's always a new day," he said of his focus level despite the Mets' 2026 season not going according to plan. "It's always a new day. Forget about what is going on, what happened for the past month and focus on today. That's one of the things that's helped me most to stay consistent. Come every day to win a ballgame. It doesn't matter if you win or lose last night. We focus on what we can do today."

Before the Mets faced the Braves, Soto ranked second in the NL in slugging (.565), eighth in batting average (.297) and tied for ninth in home runs (18).

"I think that's what makes him really special," interim manager Andy Green said of Soto. "Certainly, everybody's numbers tend to be better when your team is performing well. I think that's contagious. I think everybody feeds off one another. I think we help each other by playing really well and doing our jobs well. He hasn't had that and he's still leading the National League in OPS right now, so not much more you can ask of a guy like that. It's been special."

This is Soto's first All-Star nod since 2024 when he was with the Yankees.

"I mean, it's always a lot of gratitude for me," Soto said. "But I would say it's the same. I just fell short last year. Definitely, it just kind of motivated me. I've got to be better, I've got to be better to be with the best of the best in the league. And, definitely, this year, I came in with a different mentality and thank God I made it."

Soto, who was previously an All-Star from 2021-23 with the Washington Nationals, added that he has "been thinking about" the July 13 Home Run Derby but "will see."

"I don't know," Soto said. "I've definitely been thinking about it. We're still thinking. Philadelphia, it seems like it's going to be fun. I will see. I will see."

What will go into his decision?

"I mean, I've got to check where my body's at, how much I need to recover and be ready for the second half and definitely, we've got to think on everything," he said. "We've got to think on every situation and we go from there."

Soto is slashing .297/.406/.565 with 18 home runs and 41 RBI through 69 games.

"He loves baseball," Green said. "He's set out to be one of the best players in the history of the game, and the best players in the game are at the All-Star Game every year. So, it's a place he deserves to be. It's a place he belongs, and I don't have the depth of a personal relationship at this point in time to say this but I certainly believe he relishes the opportunity to be around other great players."

Yankees' Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Cam Schlittler make 2026 MLB All-Star Game

The Yankees had four players selected to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game: Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger and Cam Schlittler.

"I'm really excited about it," Rice said about his first career All-Star nod. "I can't wait to enjoy the weekend."

This is Bellinger's third career All-Star selection, and his first as a Yankee.

When asked whether he hopes to pitch in the game, Schlittler replied "We'll see. ... The team comes first. If it lines up, it lines up, but if not, that's fine as well. ... I've got bigger things to worry about here."

Meanwhile, Bellinger reflected that it has "been a while" since he appeared in an All-Star game, and he is "gonna enjoy it."

"Last time, I didn't have kids ... I'm excited to have them on the field, that's what it's all about," Bellinger said.

 This is Judge's eighth career All-Star selection, but he will not participate at All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia as he continues to recover from a fractured rib.

Hunter Goodman named to the National League All-Star team

Jun 7, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) looks to the bench during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Late this afternoon, Major League Baseball announced the rosters for the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia. This year, catcher Hunter Goodman will be representing in Colorado Rockies in what will be a repeat performance after he awarded the accolade in 2025.

It is an award the catcher has earned, a case Sam Bradfield made earlier this week: “In 2026, it’s quite possible he will break his own records from 2025 (if he hasn’t already), and he could be the Rockies’ first back-to-back All-Star since Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story all went in 2018 and 2019.”

As it turns out, Goodman has joined an elite corps of Rockies alumni. Goodman and Elias Díaz are the only Rockies catchers that have attended the All-Star Game.

Goodman’s 27 home runs on the season are tied for the second-most in the Majors and tied with Larry Walker (2001) for the most home runs by a Rockies player before the All-Star break. He is also the third primary catcher to log at least 27 homers pre-All-Star break (since 1933), alongside Cal Raleigh (38, 2025), and Johnny Bench (28, 1970). Fittingly, both of those catchers played in that year’s All-Star Game.

His 11.59 AB/HR is the second-best in the Majors among qualified hitters behind Kyle Schwarber’s 10.53 AB/HR.

For those ready to cry “COORS!” 18 of Goodman’s 27 long balls have been on the road, the most road homers pre-All-Star in franchise history (previous high: Larry Walker, 16 in 1997). He is tied for the ninth-most road home runs by a Rockie in a single season, one shy of tying Vinny Castilla (19, 1997) for eighth.

In June, Goodman’s 13 home runs were the most in the Majors. Moreover, he is the second player in franchise history to have at least 13 home runs in a single month along with Troy Tulowitzki (15 HR, Sept. 2010). He became the fourth career primary catcher with at least 13 home runs in a calendar month, joining Atlanta’s Ozzie Virgil (13 HR, May 1987), New York Mets’ Gary Carter (13 HR, Sept. 1985), and New York Giants’ Walker Cooper (13 HR, June 1947).

TLDR: Goodman earned this accolade.

Now fans will wait to see if Goodman is selected for the Home Run Derby, a challenge Goodman has indicated he would like to try.

Over the last two days, he has been spotted taking batting practice from his father, Robert.

Purple Row readers have been clear on this subject: Hunter Goodman should absolutely be in the Home Run Derby.

But regardless, congrats to Hunter on being selected to his second All-Star Game!


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Mariners hold 4th of July BBQ, smoke Blue Jays 11-0

Jul 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) acknowledges the crowd as he walks off the field during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

On his last start on the Fourth of July, against the Giants in 2023, Logan Gilbert pitched a complete-game shutout, holding the Giants to just five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Gilbert wouldn’t quite match that mark today – he couldn’t quite go the distance, but still collected seven strikeouts while not issuing a walk over 7.1 innings of work, and held the Blue Jays to just one (fake) hit – but it was nonetheless another star performance from Gilbert, who seems to have fully turned the corner from his early-season struggles.

Logan Gilbert came into today’s game needing nine strikeouts to reach a career mark of 1,000, and fell just two short of doing it in front of the home crowd. Strikeout Number 992 came in the first inning, on a three-pitch dismantling of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a fastball-fastball-slider sequence. Classic. Elegant. Number 993 came right on its heels, again on the slider, with Gilbert staying stubborn to the pitch despite missing on it the pitch before and getting Kazuma Okamoto to eventually swing over it.

994 was his lone strikeout in the second inning, freezing Yohendrick Piñango with a perfectly-spotted 97.1 mph four-seamer after Piñango had declined to swing at the splitter and slider the pitch before. Similarly, 995 was his only strikeout in the third, again after going splitter-slider to Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela; once again, Gilbert froze him on 97, this time right in the middle of the plate. 996 came in the fourth and was Guerrero again, a near carbon-copy of the first at-bat except this time ending on a strikeout on the curveball.

The strikeouts dried up some after that, with the Blue Jays making some quick weak-contact outs in the fifth, and annoyingly one hit from Piñango that fell, breaking up Gilbert’s perfect game. Logan looked pretty annoyed about this little 70something bloop hit finding grass:

997 came in the sixth inning, this time victimizing Andrés Giménez, the contact-forward infielder. Gilbert put him away with a changeup, a wrinkle he introduced in the back half of his outing. But while the strikeout pace slowed, Gilbert continued to get outs: he was at 71 pitches at the end of the sixth, and although the seventh inning cost him another 17 pitches, he did collect strikeout 998, getting former Mariner Jonatan Clase swinging after a four-seamer at 97.

“The velo on the fastball – it didn’t seem like he lost it at all,” said manager Dan Wilson postgame. “He just kept locating it and commanding it where he wanted.”

Gilbert wasn’t the only one chasing a personal milestone today. In the second, the Mariners got their first run scored on a hit in 22 innings when Victor Robles collected his 500th career hit, a sharp single into left field that scored Cole Young, who had hit a line-drive double to the gap in a full count – a lovely little piece of hitting from the youngster. Speaking of nice hits from youngsters, Colt Emerson broke a rough stretch with a line drive single up the middle to keep the inning going with two outs. J.P. Crawford walked to load the bases, taking advantage of some shaky command from Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber, making just his third start after missing the first part of the season with elbow inflammation. That brought up Randy Arozarena – the Mariners’ lone All-Star in 2026, at least for now – who already had a double on the day on a four-seamer that was a foot off the plate. This time, Bieber tried to sneak a slider past Randy, who emphatically Did Not Miss It:

Despite an inflated pitch count, Bieber hung in until the fifth, when he issued a leadoff walk to Randy – at that point, understandable – but then left a cutter dead read for Dominic Canzone, who absolutely obliterated it to right-center for a no-doubt home run that Canzone knew was gone the instant it came off the bat.

The Mariners continued to add on even after Bieber departed the game, touching up former Mariner farmhand Adam Macko for a run: Colt Emerson reached on a bunt base hit, and Randy pushed him to third on the rare infield single/throwing error combo. Canzone then picked up his third RBI of the day on a tidy ground ball single to make it 8-0 Mariners. That was enough for Jays manager and current holder of the Mike Scioscia Memorial Trophy for Reddest Man in Baseball, John Schneider, who lifted Macko for Tommy Nance, and the Mariners quickly made Nancemeat out of him: Cal Raleigh joined the hit parade with a deep blast to right to push this game squarely into “laugher” territory.

“That’s what our offense does. We can wear you down, and then we get a big hit and things go our way,” said Wilson postgame. They certainly went the Mariners’ way today.

After that the only question was whether Gilbert could reach the 1000 K mark here at home. Wilson gave Gilbert the start of the eighth, when he retired Ernie Clement on a lineout on a curveball, but lifted him after that so he could enjoy an ovation at home.

“Every pitch he threw today had serious conviction behind it. He just made good pitches all day long, and never really gave them a chance to settle in…I think he deserved quite an ovation today, and he got a chance to go out there and face the crowd and let them show their appreciation. A great moment for him,” said Wilson.

Cole Wilcox took over for Gilbert to close the eighth and got the next two outs; after the Jays sent out a sacrificial Myles Straw as the position player to pitch the bottom of the eighth (scoreless!), he had a soft landing in the ninth with the 11-run cushion, but was still able to spin a 1-2-3 inning to keep the shutout intact and close out the Mariners’ biggest win by margin of victory – their previous high was eight runs, a number they’ve matched four times – this season. It also felt like the Mariners’ largest margin of victory spiritually, spurred by a Logan Gilbert who seems to have finally found his groove, a redemptive homer from a struggling Cal Raleigh, and contributions from up and down the lineup – every starter but Luke Raley had a hit or at least a walk (J.P.) – even while Julio Rodríguez misses time with a concussion. Lucy has pulled the football away far too many times this season for Mariners fans to feel like this team has turned a corner, but on today of all days, we can enjoy the offensive fireworks no matter how long they burn.

MLB All-Star Game rosters revealed as Bryce Harper earns 'Legend Pick' nod

PHOENIX — It was a year ago when Bryce Harper screamed and cursed at MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in a heated argument, telling him to get out of the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse if he wanted to talk about a salary cap in baseball.

"If you want to speak about that," Harper told Manfred, "you can get the [expletive] out of our clubhouse."

Manfred certainly showed there are no ill feelings, offering Harper an olive branch Saturday, July 4, naming Harper as his "Legend Pick," to represent the Phillies at the 96th All-Star Game on July 14 at his home ballpark at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Harper, who’s having his finest first half since 2021, hitting .274 with 20 homers and 57 RBI, might have been the biggest All-Star snub without Manfred stepping in and selecting him. Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, one of four Dodgers starting players, won the fan balloting while Atlanta’s Matt Olson won the player balloting.

Harper, a nine-time All-Star, joins four of his Phillies teammates: DH Kyle Schwarber, who actually received more player votes than the Dodgers' two-way star Shohei Ohtani; outfielder Brandon Marsh; closer Jhoan Duran and starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez. Sanchez is expected to be the National League’s starting pitcher with Ohtani scheduled to be strictly a DH and Milwaukee Brewers All-Star Jacob Misiorowski scheduled to start on the last day before the break, making him ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game.

The Dodgers, the two-time defending World Series champions, will have five players in the All-Star Game, including four starting players for the first time since 1980. Ohtani, who won the fan balloting as the DH, will start along with Freeman, third baseman Max Muncy and first-time All-Star center fielder Andy Pages. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto also was selected. Muncy becomes the first Dodgers third baseman to win the fan balloting since Ron Cey in 1977.

The New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays lead the American League with four All-Star players apiece. Perhaps the most controversial of those selections is Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who won the fan balloting despite having his worst season, batting .268 with just four homers, 35 RBI and a career-low .699 OPS. He has the fewest homers and RBI than any starting position player, and ranks only 10th among all qualified American League first baseman.

Yet, Guerrero also became the first player to announce he won’t be playing, saying he needs to recuperate his lower back that has been bothered him the last month.

“It’s very difficult for me,’’ Guerrero told Toronto reporters, “but I really have to take care of myself and I’ve got to put my team first for the second half.’’

Certainly, no one will be complaining they were snubbed more than the Boston Red Sox. First baseman Willson Contreras, their best player the first half, hitting .283 with 18 homers and 53 RBI, was ignored by the fans and the players and didn’t make the team. Neither did their best pitcher, starter Sonny Gray, despite being 9-1 with a 2.36 ERA.

“I can’t believe my brother didn’t make it,’’ his younger brother, Brewers All-Star catcher William Contreras, told USA TODAY Sports. “Look at his numbers. He’s got to be there.’’

The St. Louis Cardinals might not be too far behind in legitimate complaints with second baseman JJ Wetherholt, closer Riley O’Brien and starter Michael McGreevy being left off the team. They wouldn’t have had a single player chosen if MLB didn’t step in and select right fielder Jordan Walker.

The other notable snubs include: Starting pitchers Zack Wheeler of the Phillies, Nick Martinez of the Rays, Kyle Harrison of the Milwaukee Brewers, Davis Martin of the Chicago White Sox, and Braxton Ashcraft of the Pirates. The leading position players who have legitimate complaints are Brewers second baseman Brice Turang and first baseman Jake Bauers; outfielder Bryan Reynolds and second baseman Brandon Lowe of the Pirates, Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield, Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia, White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery and Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.

There are 26 first-time All-Stars, including four rookies: Kevin McGonigle of Detroit, Travis Bazzana and Parker Messick of Cleveland, and Sal Stewart of Cincinnati. McGonigle, the youngest All-Star at 21 years old, is the first Tigers rookie to make the All-Star team since Matt Nokes in 1987, and was emotional hearing the news with the game played in his hometown.

“I've always dreamed about going to an All-Star Game in Philly, just to go and watch,” he said. “That's always been a dream,’’ McGonigle told reporters this week. “Now that I might have the opportunity to, you know, play in one? That would be surreal.’’

And the Guardians are only the fifth team in MLB history to send multiple rookies to the All-Star Game, last accomplished by the 2014 Yankees with pitchers Dellin Betances and Masahiro Tanaka. There are 11 All-Star selections who are 24 or younger, including Bazzana, who’s just the fourth Australian native to be an All Star.

While three-time MVP Aaron Judge will be unable to play in the game with his broken rib, it is the ninth consecutive season the Yankees have had at least one player voted to the game, the longest streak in MLB.

The Athletics, with catcher Shea Langeliers winning the fan balloting, have had All-Star starters in back-to-back years for the first time since 1992. A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson won the fan balloting a year ago, but this time Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. won the player and the fan balloting.

The American League players who won the fan and player balloting: Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement;, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero; Witt, Houston Astros DH Yordan Alvarez; and outfielders Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels.

Trout, who earned his 12th All-Star selection, is on the injured list with a strained hamstring but is expected to be activated this week and play in the All-Star Game, which is 45 minutes from his hometown of Millville, N.J. It would be his first time playing in the All-Star Game since 2019.

There were only two National League Players who won the fan and player balloting: Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams; and Muncy.

While the fans voted Marsh, Juan Soto and Pages as their NL starting outfield, the players chose Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks and James Wood of the Washington Nationals.

The fans voted for Guerrero mostly out of name recognition and his past accomplishments, the same could be said for defending NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, 6-8 with a 3.62 ERA. Skenes, who started last year’s All-Star Game, hasn’t won a game since May 12, going 0-6 with a 5.63 ERA since May 12. Yet, while Skenes was chosen,  Detroit Tigers’ two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA) was left off after missing five weeks with elbow surgery.

MLB made six selections apiece in the NL and AL, with four of the picks used to represent clubs that did not have an All-Star.

➤ The six AL picks: pitchers Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays; Jacob Latz of the Texas Rangers; Ranger Suarez of the Boston Red Sox and Michael Wacha of the Kansas City Royals; along with first baseman Ben Rice of the Yankees and catcher Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles.

➤ The six NL selections: Pitchers Max Meyer of the Miami Marlins; Eduardo Rodriguez of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants and Yamamoto; outfielder Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals and catcher Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies.

Certainly, there will be plenty of position player substitutes and pitchers who will be ineligible to pitch in the game before they arrive next weekend in Philadelphia. Surely the Phillies’ fans would love to see Wheeler, 37, make an appearance after his comeback from thoracic outlet decompression surgery last September. Nick Martinez, who turns 36 next month, would be a fabulous feel-good story earning his first All-Star berth with his 7-2 record, 2.61 ERA.

And come on, who wouldn’t want to see Contreras scream at any National League pitcher who dares to pitch inside at the All-Star Game?

In the meantime, let the fireworks begin.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star Game rosters revealed as Bryce Harper earns 'Legend Pick' nod

Bobby Witt Jr., Michael Wacha named All-Stars

Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates after making a defensive out
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 27: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after making a play in the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on June 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s about dang time, but MLB announced today that Bobby Witt Jr. will finally start an All-Star Game.

This will be Bobby’s first All-Star start, but third All-Star appearance. He was the runner-up at shortstop in each of the past two seasons. He was first prevented from starting by Gunnar Henderson in 2024 because he had not yet had his nuclear July, but Henderson was among the league leaders in home runs. That didn’t prevent Bobby from becoming the runner-up in the Home Run Derby, while Henderson had the fewest home runs in the first round and was eliminated.

Last year, he was bested in voting by rookie Jacob Wilson of the Athletics, who was leading the league in batting average. Jacob Wilson almost certainly won’t be an All-Star at all this year, as he is only slashing .277/.310/.386/.696.

Michael Wacha was also named an American League All-Star, his second appearance, but the first since 2015. Wacha has truly been fantastic this year. If you were holding out hope that Carter Jensen or Jac Caglianone would be selected, there is still a chance they could be chosen as injury replacements as Carlos Estévez and Maikel Garcia were last year.

Also, if you were wondering if Jac or Bobby might be in the home run derby, we’re still waiting for any participants other than Junior Caminero – who hit his 11th home run in 11 games earlier tonight. So we’ll just have to wait and see.

Phillies have five All-Stars for the National League

Jul 1, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) hits a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The 2026 All-Star Game is in Philadelphia. You know this. What you don’t know is what players will be representing the Phillies. Now, we know.

As for the subs, the Phillies will have two position players as reserves

For the pitchers:

Flemings shines in overtime loss as Hawks lose 102-101 in Summer League debut

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 4: Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz pressures Kingston Flemings #4 of the Atlanta hawks during the second half of of their 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 4, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. ( Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Independence Day, kicking off their summer league season with a matchup against no. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz.

With Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar all making their Sumer League debuts, Saturday was the first opportunity for the Hawks to see their 2026 draft picks in action. In addition to their trio of draftees, last year’s first-round draft pick, Asa Newell was also in uniform for this one as he looked to build off a promising rookie season. Starting fives below.

Peterson wasted no time introducing himself to his new fanbase — converting a pretty lay-in on a drive on Utah’s first possession of the game, and blocking Kingston Flemings on a fastbreak a few plays later.

With Utah off to a strong start, Asa Newell did a nice job keeping the Hawks in the game early on with a couple nice buckets early on.

Newell’s off the dribble game and outside shot are both areas of improvement for the 20-year-old ahead of his sophomore season, and the manner in which he scored his first two baskets of the game was sure to put some smiles on the faces of Hawks fans.

That said, the early portion of the game was all Utah, with the Jazz racing out to a 20-9 lead before Atlanta’s bench unit got them back in the game.

This three from second-round pick, Henri Veesaar, cut the Jazz lead to two — and Atlanta trailed 24-20 at the end of the first quarter.

Atlanta was sloppy to open the second quarter, with the lineup of Keshon Gilbert, Gabe Madsen, Isaac McKneely, Jacob Toppin and Henri Veesaar being outscored 13-3 in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the period, before Flemings and Newell returned to the game with Atlanta down by 14 points.

While Utah were the stronger team, Atlanta’s outside shooting kept them in the game, with the Hawks hitting five threes in the second quarter — including this corner bomb from no. 8 overall pick, Kingston Flemings.

It was good to see Flemings get on the board, but overall the rookie out of Houston had a tough time shooting the ball in his first Summer League action, going just 1-for-7 from the field in the first half — though it wasn’t all bad news as he did dish out 5 assists with no turnovers.

Still, the story of the first half was Darryn Peterson, who tallied 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting to lead all scorers, with Utah taking a 49-43 lead into the halftime locker room.

As one would expect from two teams making their Summer League debuts, turnovers were abundant in the first half with the two teams combining for 19 miscues in the first 20 minutes. Also of note, while the Hawks shooting picked up in the second quarter (7-for-19 from the perimeter in the first half), Utah did most of their damage on the interior in the first half, going 17-for-21 from the paint and just 1-for-8 from three.

Onto the third quarter, and it appears Kingston Flemings is a fast learner! Atlanta’s rookie guard got the quarter started with a nice pull-up from 15 feet, before finding Asa Newell for a slam and draining a three — all in the first two minutes of the period.

Feeding off Fleming’s play, Atlanta briefly took the lead at the 7:13 mark of the third quarter after a three from Keshon Gilbert, though it was short-lived as a Peterson triple a few possessions later put Utah back in front. The Jazz would keep Atlanta at arms length for the rest of the period and heading into the final frame, held a 78-70 lead.

With Atlanta down by 8 entering the final five minutes, Flemings assisted RayJ Dennis on a three from the wing to cut Utah’s lead to 5. After a miss from Utah on the other end, a put-back two from Ejiofor made it a three-point game, and Atlanta looked like they were going to make things interesting.

Then, on Utah’s next possession, this slam from Cody Williams dampened Atlanta’s spirits a bit, putting Utah back up by 5.

After trading free throws on the next few possessions, Darryn Peterson hit a three to put Utah up 7 with 1:26 remaining – and it seemed like Utah were going to see this one out. However Atlanta refused to quit fighting.

Asa Newell found Gabe Madsen for an easy two on the following possession. After a steal from Flemings, Kobe Johnson knocked down a free throw to cut the lead to four. Then, a traveling violation on Utah gave the ball back to the Hawks, and after a tip-in from Johnson, Utah’s lead stood at just two.

With Utah reeling, an offensive foul on Peterson gave Atlanta the ball back with momentum on their side. Asa Newell was fouled at the rim, and with a chance to tie the game up, went 1-for-2 from the line, giving Utah the chance to make it a two-possession game under a minute to play. However similar to their previous possessions, the Jazz struggled to take care of the ball and an errant pass from Max Abmas gave Atlanta the ball back with , and a transition three from Madsen (incredibly) put the Hawks up by two with 0:35 seconds remaining!

A shooting foul on Madsen on Utah’s next possession gave Abmas the chance to tie the ball game at the free throw line and after he sank both free throws, Atlanta had a chance to win it on the final possession of regulation. Unfortunately, Flemings jumper came up just short, which sent the game to a 2:00 overtime period.

Darryn Peterson got the scoring started in overtime, drilling this tough step-back three over Asa Newell.

With Atlanta trailing by five with under a minute to play, Flemings and Ejiofor connected on a pick-and-roll, cutting Utah’s lead to three. With the Jazz looking to kill the clock on one of their final possessions, Kingston Flemings came up with a clutch steal on Peterson, before drilling what he thought was the game-tying three with just 0:04 seconds on the shot clock — however the officials went to the monitor and ruled it a two, which meant it was Utah’s ball with Atlanta trailing by 1.

On the inbounds, Flemings fouled Justin Harmon on a driving lay-in which he converted and after the free throw, Utah led by 4 with 0:01 second on the clock. A miraculous three at the end of the game by Madsen cut the final margin to one, but it was too little too late, and the Hawks headed home with a heart-breaking 102-101 defeat in their Summer League opener.

It was an absolute treat of a game to open Summer League and despite the loss, there were a lot of positives to take away from this one for the Hawks. Kingston Flemings finished with 14 points, nine assists, four steals and just one turnover. Asa Newell tallied 15 points, five boards and three assists. Zuby Ejiofor went for eight points, 11 rebounds and three steals in his Hawks debut. Off the bench, Kobe Johnson was quite impactful in 22 minutes of action — finishing a team best +15 in the plus-minus column while playing stout defense. RayJ Dennis also poured in 13 points in just 12 minutes of playing time.

For Utah, Darryn Peterson looked every bit the part of a no. 2 overall draft pick, finishing with 28 points on 11-for-21 shooting (4-for-7 from three), though he did commit eight turnovers. Third year man, Cody Williams (drafted tenth overall in 2024) finished with 17 points and five rebounds.

Atlanta is back in action on Monday at 7PM EST, taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder in their second game of Salt Lake City Summer League. Until next time!

Giants get two All-Star reps despite dreadful first half

DENVER — Manager Tony Vitello gathered the Giants in the visitors’ clubhouse of Coors Field about two hours before first pitch Saturday and relished the chance to deliver a rare bit of good news.

The third-worst team in the National League will have two representatives at next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia. Logan Webb and Luis Arraez were both selected by their peers.

Giants pitcher Logan Webb was selected for his third All-Star team. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I didn’t want to mess it up,” the rookie manager said. “It’s my first go-around.”

Vitello called it an “honor” to inform Webb that he would be an All-Star for the third straight season and that Arraez had earned his fourth nod following a one-year hiatus.

In both cases, it would have been hard to see coming just a few months ago.

Webb had planned to spend his All-Star break on a wildlife ranch, and it sure looked like he would have his schedule available when he landed on the injured list after his eighth start.

At the time, he was sporting a 5.06 ERA.

But he turned around his season so dramatically, allowing three total earned runs over five June starts, that he was named an All-Star a day after earning his first National League Pitcher of the Month honors.

“To be honest, I didn’t really expect this,” Webb said. “But it’s always nice to be recognized by your peers and teammates, coaches around baseball. Obviously it’s a cool honor. I’ll take as many as I can get.”

Webb had improved his ERA to 3.09 by the time selections were finalized, before he was shelled for seven runs on 11 hits in Friday night’s 15-3 loss, raising the mark back to 3.66.

“Obviously after yesterday,” Webb said, “I don’t really feel like an All-Star today.”

The Giants’ Luis Arraez earned his fourth career All-Star nod but first with San Francisco. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

By receiving his third straight nod, Webb joined an exclusive club of Giants pitchers. Only Juan Marichal, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner had previously been selected to three All-Star Games in a row.

Because he is lined up to make his final start of the first half on Wednesday, Webb should be an option for National League manager Dave Roberts.

“I’ve faced him a lot, and I know he competes a lot, too,” Arraez said of Webb. “Facing him has made me [feel like] I need to compete. Logan is one of those guys you want to be with on a team.”

Nobody was happier to learn that Arraez had regained his All-Star status than Ron Washington, who the second baseman said was “like my grandfather right now. … He was very excited.”

It’s Arraez’s daily drills with the infield coach that have transformed him from one of the league’s worst defenders into one of the best at his position. When he signed with the Giants, he didn’t have any other offers from teams willing to give him the chance to play second base.

“It means a lot,” Arraez said, “when you put in a lot of work.”

Webb has taken notice. As Arraez’s name swirls in trade rumors ahead of the Giants’ anticipated selloff, their ace said, “[I] hope I’m his teammate for a long time.”

“Luis is probably one of the hardest workers I’ve been around, and I’ve been around a lot of them,” Webb said. “Just getting around Wash and really just putting his nose into it, it’s been really fun to watch.”

Arraez was previously an All-Star in 2022 with the Twins, in 2023 with the Marlins and 2024 with the Padres, but he missed out last season amid health issues and a down year at the plate. Those numbers are back to normal this year, with his highest batting average (.326), on-base percentage (.361) and slugging percentage (.465) since the best season of his career in 2023.

“What he’s done in the past is nothing to slouch at,” Vitello said. “But the dedication that he and Wash have hooked up to prove that he’s not just in contention for a batting title, as he always is, but a Gold Glove as well. You combine those two things and you’ve got an exciting player sprinkled on top of it, you definitely have an All-Star.”

Despite its underwhelming first half, 15 games below .500 when MLB revealed the All-Star rosters Saturday afternoon, San Francisco will be strongly represented at the sure-to-be patriotic 96th Midsummer Classic on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park.

The game coincides with the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding in the same city.

The last time the Giants were limited to the minimum one All-Star was in 2019, even though that team had three fewer losses at the All-Star break than this one has with another week to go.

The last time the Giants had started a season this poorly, entering the break at 34-56 in 2017, Buster Posey was their lone representative, voted a starter by the fans for the fourth time.

And yet, even on this dreadful team, Webb and Arraez had competition as its most deserving players. Casey Schmitt has arguably been their best hitter while playing five different positions, and it’s a tad surprising the Commissioner’s Office — which has a hand in selecting the reserves — declined to tip the scales for Jung Hoo Lee given his breakout season and global appeal.

Both players would have been first-time All-Stars. There remains a possibility that they could be selected as replacements if players pull out for injuries or other reasons.

“Obviously it’s not a secret we’re not playing very good here,” Webb said. “But there’s probably about three other guys that should be an All-Star. Probably more deserving than me.”

Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin, Raisel Iglesias, Matt Olson and Chris Sale will represent Braves at 2026 MLB All-Star Game

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Ozzie Albies #1 after hitting a home run in the third inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The starters for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game have officially been revealed ahead of tonight’s nationally-televised game on FOX between out Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. As it turns out, the locals in Philadelphia will, in fact, get a chance to boo their divisional rivals as Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin have both been selected as starters for this season’s All-Star Game.

This will be Ozzie’s fourth time getting selected to the All-Star team while Drake Baldwin will be participating in the Midsummer Classic for his first time. Despite the recent struggles, that doesn’t take away from the plate production that both of them have put up during the first half of the season.

Ozzie has had a bounce-back season here in 2026 as he’s hit .273/.322/.445 with a .330 wOBA and a 107 wRC+ for 1.8 fWAR so far this season. Meanwhile, Baldwin has been slashing .251/.333/.445 with a .341 wOBA, 114 wRC+ and 1.2 fWAR.

Shortly after the starters were announced, it was revealed that Matt Olson will be joining Ozzie and Drake in Philadelphia as an All-Star reserve.

Olson will be entering tonight’s game with a slash line of .273/ .345/.538 with a wRC+ of 138, a wOBA of .376 and 2.8 fWAR. He also put a flourish on his All-Star campaign with two dingers last night in the series opener against the Mets.

Once the pitchers were revealed, we ended up finding out that the Braves will actually have five representatives at this season’s All-Star Game. Chris Sale will now be heading to his 10th All-Star Game and Raisel Iglesias will be joining Drake Baldwin in the All-Star Deubtant Club as this will be his first career ASG selection.

As mentioned earlier, Chris Sale is no stranger to the All-Star Game and his performance this season as Atlanta’s most consistent starter has justified his selection. Sale has a 2.10 ERA (50 ERA-) and a 2.56 FIP (61 FIP-) so far this season and Iglesias has been carrying an ERA of 1.53 (36 ERA-) and a FIP of 1.99 (48 FIP-).

Both pitchers have been tough to deal with all aeason so it’s not particularly shocking to see both of them make it. It’s certainly a feel-good story for both of them, as Chris Sale continues to defy Father Time and Iglesias has finally done enough to make it to his first All-Star Game.

It appears that Michael Harris II came up just short of making it in but if there are any outfielders who can’t make it for any reason, Money Mike figures to be one of the first names in mind as a replacement.

For now, the Braves will have three players representing them in Philadelphia for the All-Star Game and the surrounding festivities. Even with the recent struggles, it’s nice to know that there will be multiple players repping the “A” once the crown jewel event of the Summer rolls around.