Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: Offday
Double-A Somerset Patriots: Offday
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Offday
Low-A Tampa Tarpons: Offday
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 3-2 (7) vs. FCL Phillies
3B Richard Matic 0-4, 3 K
DH George Lombard Jr. 1-2, HR, RBI, BB, CS — first AB back was a dinger!
RF Wilberson De Pena 0-3, 2 K
C Queni Pineda 1-2, BB, passed ball
2B Leni Done 1-3, 3B, RBI, 2 K
CF Jose Castro 0-3, 2 K
LF Francisco Vilorio 0-3, 2 K
SS Dexters Peralta 0-3, 2 K
1B Justin Capellan 1-3
Anthony Mena 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Sunayro Martina 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K (win)
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 2-1 (8) vs. DSL Miami
CF Isaias Castillo 2-4, SB, CS
SS Stiven Marinez 1-3, BB
RF Yostin Pena 0-1, 3 BB
2B Juan Torres 2-4, 2B, RBI, K
DH Juan Martinez 0-3, K
C Cesar Lopez 0-2, BB, K
1B Edgar Jimemez 0-3, K, fielding error
3B Adrian Feliz 1-2, BB, SB
LF Kendry Diaz 1-3, 2B
Hector Moreno 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Manny Penuelas 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K (win)
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 16-10 at DSL Phillies — between this scoreline and the line for the DSL Yanks, the DSL is clearly a land of contrasts
2B Dariel Santana 1-4, RBI, BB
C Alessandro Rodriguez 0-2, RBI, BB, SF, throwing error
SS Carlos Bello 1-5, RBI, K, fielding error
DH Kenneth Melendez 1-3, 2B, 2 BB
RF David Carrera 0-1, 3 BB
1B Poly Ojeda 2-4, 2B, RBI, K, fielding error
3B Germayhoni Beltre 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB, two throwing errors
LF Sebastian Pinto 0-3, RBI, BB, K, SF
CF Alfiery Matos 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, K, SB, CS
Randy Angomas 0.1 IP, 3 H, 7 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 1 K (loss) — poor Randy has had a rough go of it, with 5+ runs allowed in five of seven starts
Breidy Adames 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Oscar Vasquez 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Mauricio Vargas 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
Josue Silvestre 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Andre Avila 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
How are you spending your four days off from Orioles baseball (assuming you hadn’t already bailed on Orioles baseball by, like, May)? Me, I’m going to take care of important things around the house, by which I mean catching up on TV. I’m still working my way through the Fallout season that ended in February, so there’s a hefty backlog.
Of course, there’s still baseball to enjoy if you’d like to do so. The MLB All-Star Game is tonight at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, airing on Fox at 8:00. It’ll be the usual fun showcase featuring the majors’ biggest stars, but unfortunately precious few Orioles. The Birds’ lone representative, Adley Rutschman, will be among the American League reserves, so we should see him come in midway through the game.
Rutschman is a deserving All-Star, but the fact that he’s the Orioles’ only one is kind of a bummer. I know this season hasn’t gone particularly well for the Birds, but it’s not as if they just have one good player. There are worse AL teams with more representatives. Fellow sub-.500 teams like the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Twins, and Tigers all have multiple All-Stars. Even the lowly Royals and Athletics have two apiece.
I’m a little surprised that Pete Alonso didn’t get selected to the team, especially after a fellow first baseman, the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz, bowed out with injury. The Polar Bear is already a five-time All-Star and is putting up another strong year in his Orioles debut. But I suppose the AL is stacked with first basemen even without Kurtz (and the fan-voted starter, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who also won’t be playing), as Boston’s Willson Contreras, the Yankees’ Ben Rice, and White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami are already on the roster. At the very least, I would’ve liked to see Alonso participate in the Home Run Derby, which he has won twice in his career (including a defeat of the Orioles’ Trey Mancini in 2021, which was annoying at the time).
Still, the 2026 Orioles’ fate won’t be decided by how many guys they’ve got playing in the All-Star Game. They’ve got 65 more games of baseball to play when the season resumes on Friday. And with a little momentum on their side after heading into the break on a four-game winning streak, they’re going to need to stay hot for pretty much the entire second half to stay in contention. So let’s hope that Adley enjoys his time at the Midsummer Classic, and that the rest of the team gets a nice breather and comes back ready to win a lot of games.
Elite defense proving 3-time All-Star Rutschman is ‘still that guy’ – MLB.com
There aren’t normally a lot of stolen base attempts in the All-Star Game anyway, but I don’t think the National League will dare try it when Adley is behind the dish.
Orioles trade for Sanders, move Akin to 60-day IL (Raquet optioned) – School of Roch
The O’s acquired Cam Sanders, and before you ask, no, he’s not a third baseman, and he’s not even joining the major league roster. We’ll have to wait another couple days to find out who Blaze Alexander’s replacement will be.
Will O’s top pick Eric Booth Jr. need to make swing adjustments in pro ball? – Steve Melewski
Most likely, yes. Is the Orioles’ development staff capable of making it happen? To be determined.
Why didn’t Orioles pick left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas in draft? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Because you don’t draft for need. And even if you did, a high school pitcher wouldn’t exactly help the Orioles anytime soon.
Alexander called out Lucas Erceg for quick-pitching him on the fateful HBP, and got in a dig on Vinnie Pasquantino for good measure. Blaze’s troll game is on point.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And there’s a good chance that you used to play for the Orioles, because a whopping nine players in O’s history were born on July 14. I would venture a guess that that’s more O’s birthdays than any other date on the calendar, but I’m not going to do the legwork of looking it up.
That lengthy birthday list includes three players currently active in the majors or minors: infielders Joey Ortiz (28) and Andrew Velazquez (32) and right-hander Isaac Mattson (31). It also includes the Orioles’ most recent Cy Young Award winner, right-hander Steve Stone (79). Other ex-Orioles born on July 14 include infielders Bernie Castro (47), Victor Rodríguez (65), and Billy Smith (73); outfielder Derrick May (58); and the late catcher Earl Williams (b. 1948, d. 2013).
On this date in 2012, the Orioles pulled off a wild win in a season full of them with an 8-6 walkoff against the Tigers at Camden Yards. After closer Jim Johnson blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth to allow Detroit to tie, the Tigers took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 11th, only for Adam Jones to deliver a two-out RBI single to tie it in the bottom half. The Orioles fell behind again in the 13th, but J.J Hardy promptly tied the score with a solo homer, and light-hitting backup catcher Taylor Teagarden — making his team debut — played the hero with a walkoff two-run blast. It was the Birds’ 10th consecutive extra-innings win, a streak that would eventually reach 16.
And on this day in 2019, the Orioles nearly became the victims of the first combined perfect game in MLB history, as two Rays pitchers — Ryne Stanek and Ryan Yarbrough — combined to retire the first 24 batters of the game. Hanser Alberto finally broke up the perfecto in the ninth with a leadoff single. The O’s lost, 4-1.
On July 14, 1973, the Orioles beat the White Sox, 5-4, in Chicago. The O’s pounded out 12 hits, including three from DH Tommy Davis and a homer by Paul Blair. Earl Williams, on his 25th birthday, contributed two RBIs. Hall of Famer Jim Palmer worked eight strong innings for the win, but gave up three runs in the ninth before reliever Bob Reynolds escaped a bases-loaded jam on a game-ending double play.
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
Current record: 53-38
Record this week: 3-3
This week’s opponent: @ Charlotte Knights
Next week’s opponent: vs. Norfolk Tides
Standout performances:
Luke Adams: 7-for-15, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
Tyler Black: 7-for-16, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K
Ethan Murray: 8-for-19, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Thomas Pannone: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
With Luis Lara and Cooper Pratt now in the big leagues, the Sounds are down to just one Top 100 prospect in Jett Williams, who appeared in only one game this week. Nashville still features Luke Adams and Jeferson Quero (7-for-24), both of whom continued to produce, but the promotions of Lara and Pratt have opened up more playing time for some of the organization’s less-heralded players — and they’ve taken advantage.
Four Sounds hitters batted over .400 this week. One was Adams. The other three? Ethan Murray, Darrien Miller, and Tyler Black. None are currently considered to be among the Brewers’ top 30 prospects (though Black once was), but all three have played an important role in Nashville’s success. Murray is hitting .272 with a .712 OPS on the season, while Black owns a .781 OPS and has continued to show the on-base skills that earned him opportunities in the majors. Miller has only been in Triple-A for a few weeks after earning a promotion on June 27, but before leaving Biloxi he posted a .943 OPS with the Shuckers.
A lot of attention naturally goes to the organization’s biggest names, but weeks like this are a reminder that a healthy farm system needs more than just blue-chip prospects. Players like Murray, Miller, and Black may not generate the same headlines as guys like Lara and Pratt, but they’ve consistently produced, helped their clubs win games, and provided the kind of depth that allows top prospects to develop in competitive environments. Not every player has to become a star to play an important role in the organization’s success.
The offense carried the Sounds this week, but the pitching staff had a much tougher time. Only four pitchers logged more than three innings: Coleman Crow, Carlos Rodriguez, Gerson Garabito, and Thomas Pannone. Pannone was the lone bright spot, holding the Charlotte Knights to two earned runs over six innings. The other three, however, struggled.
Crow, who recently completed his rehab assignment and was optioned back to Triple-A, allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings. Rodriguez made two appearances as an opener, surrendering eight runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings, while Garabito was tagged for seven earned runs across five innings.
Tyson Hardin also turned in a solid outing, allowing one earned run on two hits over three innings while striking out three. His ERA is now down to 3.63 through his first 10 Triple-A starts.
Current record: 46-37
Record this week: 3-3
This week’s opponent: @ Knoxville Smokies
Next week’s opponent: vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Standout performances:
Matthew Wood: 5-for-13, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K
Mike Boeve: 6-for-20, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K
Josh Adamczewski: 5-for-21, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K
Andrew Fischer: 5-for-21, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 10 K
Jaron DeBerry: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Braylon Owens: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Bishop Letson: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
This part of the column is getting so predictable. Guess who this week’s standouts were? Yep: Josh Adamczewski, who had more hits than strikeouts yet again. Andrew Fischer, who racked up four extra-base hits, including another home run, despite striking out in nearly half of his at-bats. Mike Boeve hit .300 and walked more than he struck out. Rinse, repeat.
Adamczewski is now officially a top-100 prospect after MLB Pipeline updated its rankings. He wasn’t even a top-30 Brewers prospect at the start of last season. It’s been a meteoric rise for Milwaukee’s new No. 6 prospect, who has done nothing but hit since joining the organization. Frankly, the recognition from Pipeline feels overdue.
On the pitching side, Jaron DeBerry continues to impress. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since May 17—almost exactly two months ago. After that outing, his ERA sat north of six. Following this week’s seven-inning, two-hit, 11-strikeout gem, it’s all the way down to an even 4.00. Braylon Owens was excellent as well, allowing just one run on four hits over six innings.
Good news: Bishop Letson allowed three runs while striking out six over 5⅓ innings. Bad news: he also walked four and surrendered eight hits. As soon as Logan Henderson graduates, Letson will become the Brewers’ top pitching prospect, but he’s taken a step back in his first full season at Double-A. He owns a 4.62 ERA and a 4.91 BB/9, and the command has been inconsistent. If he can tighten that up, the stuff is still good enough to make him a successful major league starter.
Jesús Made and Blake Burke both went 3-for-20 this week, which happens. It’s baseball. Check back next week.
Current record: 46-33
Record this week: 3-3
This week’s opponent: vs. Beloit Sky Carp
Next week’s opponent: vs. Quad Cities River Bandits
Standout performances:
Luiyin Alastre: 5-for-11, 2 2B, 0 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Blayberg Diaz: 5-for-11, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K
Daniel Dickinson: 9-for-20, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 7 BB, 6 K
Tyler Rodriguez: 6-for-14, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 2 K
Braylon Payne: 4-for-11, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Wande Torres: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Ethan Dorchies: 9.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Daniel Corniel: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Garrett Hodges: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Tanner Perry: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Wisconsin’s top performer this week was Daniel Dickinson, who turned in arguably his best performance of the season. The 2025 sixth-round pick went 9-for-20 (.450) with two doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, and seven walks, good for a ridiculous 1.593 OPS. Dickinson got off to a slow start in his professional career, but he’s quietly raised his OPS to .786 through his first 225 at-bats and is beginning to look like the polished college bat the Brewers thought they were drafting.
Eric Bitonti struck out 10 times in 20 at-bats, but he also collected five hits — three of them home runs. Not bad. Some evaluators started to sour on Bitonti after his strikeout issues persisted this season, and while 109 strikeouts in 254 at-bats is still a glaring concern, he’s also hitting .264 with an .894 OPS and 15 home runs. Bitonti nearly fell out of the Brewers’ top 30 prospects before the latest rankings update, but he’s continuing to make adjustments at the plate. He’ll spend the rest of the season as a 20-year-old, so there’s no reason to rush the development of a player with this kind of raw power.
Braylon Payne continued his breakout campaign, going 4-for-11 with a home run and four RBI. At this point, he’s officially on promotion watch. Tyler Rodriguez also stayed hot, going 6-for-14 with seven walks against just two strikeouts. Through his first 11 games with Wisconsin, Rodriguez is hitting .368 with a .974 OPS. Listed as a shortstop, he’s spent this season exclusively in the outfield and at first base, making him another intriguing player to watch as he settles into High-A.
The pitching staff had plenty to celebrate this week as well. Wande Torres and Ethan Dorchies, both of whom have struggled at times this season, turned in their best outings of the year against Beloit. Torres tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while walking nobody and striking out eight. Dorchies was nearly as impressive across two starts, surrendering just two earned runs over 9⅓ innings while striking out 11. Daniel Corniel also contributed four solid innings of one-run ball, while Garrett Hodges and Tanner Perry each chipped in quality performances to help Wisconsin secure the series win.
Current record: 47-38
Record this week: 4-1
This week’s opponent: vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Next week’s opponent: @ Hickory Crawdads
Standout performances:
Juan Ortuno: 6-for-15, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K
Brady Ebel: 5-for-14, 3 2B, 1 RBI, 6 BB, 1 K
Alexander Frias: 6-for-18, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Filippo Di Turi: 4-for-13, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K
Pedro Ibarguen: 4-for-13, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
Jarrette Bonet: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Miqueas Mercedes: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Andrew Healy: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Enderson Mercado: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Alexander Frias went 6-for-18 with a home run and eight RBIs, only striking out twice. After posting a .441 average in rookie ball, the 18-year-old is showing he belongs in full-season ball.
Brady Ebel, whose brother was drafted by the Brewers with the 25th pick in this weekend’s MLB Draft, notched three extra base hits and six walks while only striking out once. Juan Ortuño matched Ebel with six hits of his own while adding three doubles, four RBIs, and five walks, continuing a quietly productive season in Wilson. Filippo DiTuri and Pedro Ibarguen both also hit over .300 with four RBIs apiece.
The best performance of the week wasn’t any of those guys, but rather Jose Anderson. In true Jose Anderson form, Anderson had five hits this week, but four of them were home run — bringing him to 21, the most in the Carolina League.
Led by the usual suspects, the pitching staff also turned in another strong week. Jarrette Bonet was dominant, striking out seven over four scoreless innings while allowing just three hits. Miqueas Mercedes went six innings of one-run ball, striking out seven, and Andrew Healy limited Fayetteville to one run over five innings. Enderson Mercado allowed nine batters to reach base over just 4 2/3 innings, but managed to escape while only allowing two runs.
Player of the Week
I’m giving this one to the only Brewers prospect to hit four home runs this week. No, it’s not Andrew Fischer again.
José Anderson is one of the more fascinating prospects in the system. The power is impossible to ignore — he’s already up to 21 home runs on the season, and his .752 OPS is respectable — but the swing-and-miss remains a major hurdle. Anderson has struck out 125 times in 328 plate appearances, good for a staggering 38% strikeout rate. Despite his OPS, he’s hitting under .200. That’s simply not sustainable as he climbs the minor league ladder.
Still, the raw tools are intriguing. Power like Anderson’s doesn’t grow on trees, and if the Brewers can help him make enough contact and refine his approach at the plate, there’s a legitimate player in there. I’d love to see him put it all together and eventually tap into that power in Milwaukee.
Play of the Week
Ethan Murray flashing the leather at second base (or in right field, I guess)
Arber Xhekaj could have filed for arbitration, but he chose not to, and that’s likely part of the reason why Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is getting calls about the gritty defenseman. According to BPM Sports and RG.org’s Marco D’Amico, multiple teams have called to enquire about the supersized defenseman. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, the blueliner of Albanian descent brings a special mix of skills to the table but is one of the victims of the congestion at the Habs’ blueline.
Clearly, the organization is aware of what it had in Xhekaj and what he can bring to the table, but there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between what the executives think about the eldest Xhekaj and what the bench boss thinks. While Hughes has always been firm about not wanting to trade him away, Martin St-Louis barely uses him when he dresses him. The big defender didn’t see a single game of action in the third round of the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes, and in his last game against the Buffalo Sabres, he spent only 1:52 on the ice.
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While Xhekaj is a great teammate who never complains about the situation, the fact that he didn’t file for arbitration, which means he remains eligible to offer sheets, suggests he’d be willing to go somewhere where he’d see more action. The Canadiens already have four left-shot defensemen signed for the upcoming season in Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle and Jayden Struble. That’s not even taking into account the fact that Adam Engstrom is knocking on the big league’s door. Matheson, Hutson and Guhle are all signed long-term.
It would be easier for Xhekaj if he were a right-shot rear guard, but he isn’t, and he did look 100% comfortable when the Habs tried to play him on his off-side. Noah Dobson is the only right-shot who’s signed long-term with the Canadiens. The organization hopes that David Reinbacher will be able to graduate to the NHL this season, while Alex Carrier will be playing the last year of his deal. Russian right-shot prospect Bogdan Konyushkov has also been signed this offseason. While he will spend the season in the KHL, the plan is for him to come over afterwards, and he, too, could challenge for a spot in the lineup for the 2027-28 season.
It’s more than likely that Xhekaj’s representatives want to know what the plan is for him in the organization, but they’re not having the conversation with the right people. The GM can sign you to a contract, but he cannot guarantee how much ice time you will get. That’s up to the coach. It’s a tricky situation Xhekaj finds himself in. There’s no doubt that he likes the team and where it’s headed, especially since his brother could soon make the jump to the NHL, but if he thinks about his future as an NHL player, it may be better for him to land on a team that won’t be reluctant to both use and trust him.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
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Sharks star Macklin Celebrini becomes youngest ‘NHL 27' cover athlete in history originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Macklin Celebrini’s list of 2026 accolades just got one item longer.
The Sharks center was unveiled Monday as the cover athlete for EA Sports’ “NHL 27,” becoming the youngest player in league history to earn the honor at 20 years old — surpassing Trevor Zegras, who was 21 when he covered “NHL 23.”
Celebrini only is the second Sharks player ever to grace the cover, following Owen Nolan, who appeared on “NHL 2001” — a gap of 25 years.
The recognition caps a season that redefined what San Jose expected from its former No. 1 overall pick. Celebrini surpassed Joe Thornton’s franchise scoring record, which had stood for nearly two decades, finishing with 115 points — 45 goals and 70 assists — in 82 games, good for fourth in the NHL. He was a Ted Lindsay Award finalist alongside Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov, an award voted on by his peers for the league’s most outstanding player.
The accolades extended well beyond San Jose this year. Celebrini represented Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics as the youngest NHL player on the roster, led the tournament in goals with five, and became the first NHL player in history to convert a penalty shot at the Olympic Games — helping Canada capture the silver medal. He later was named captain of Canada’s roster at the IIHF World Championship, finishing second among all scorers with 14 points in 10 games, and was named the IIHF’s Male Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season. He also is a nominee for Best NHL Player at this year’s ESPY Awards.
Two seasons into his career, Celebrini already has drawn comparisons to the league’s biggest stars. The cover of “NHL 27” might be the least surprising accolade on the list.
PHILADELPHIA — Cole Hamels stands behind the mound in the Philadelphia Phillies' home bullpen at Citizens Bank Park, watching Cristopher Sánchez throw during a between-starts session.
The 2008 World Series MVP isn't captivated by Sánchez's velocity. Instead, his eyes are drawn to his mechanics: Every pitch that leaves the left-hander's hand looks nearly identical – a trait that has helped turn him into one of the National League's top starting pitchers.
"If I didn’t see him give the pitch, I would think they’re the same because his mechanics look the exact same," Hamels tells USA TODAY Sports of what he sees with Sánchez. "His arm action and his release point are the same. You can see the spin and it looks identical.
"There’s slight variations (in his mechanics), but you can’t see that with the human eye."
Sánchez is set to make his first All-Star Game start for the National League on Tuesday, July 14 at 8 p.m. ET in front of the hometown crowd at Citizens Bank Park.
Getting the nod from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts makes Sánchez the first Phillies pitcher to start the Midsummer Classic since Roy Halladay in 2011, serving as a culminating moment for the Dominican Republic native’s rise in the Phillies organization.
"Pretty special, really exciting, even more so than being here at home," Sánchez said on Monday at All-Star Media Day. "I'm just super excited so I can come here tomorrow and just take it all in and enjoy it overall. … It's a result of a lot of discipline and a lot of hard work that we put throughout the season."
Sánchez’s journey began as a 16-year-old in the Tampa Bay Rays system after he was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. He was traded to the Phillies in 2019 for then-Phillies prospect Curtis Mead after the Rays did not add him to their 40-man roster.
It took a few spot starts and trips up and down from Triple-A Lehigh Valley before Sánchez earned a spot in the rotation. He ultimately had a breakout season in 2024, when he went 11-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 181⅔ innings after going 3-5 in 18 starts with a 3.44 ERA the year prior.
Since then, Sánchez has emerged as one of baseball’s top pitchers, finishing as the NL Cy Young Award runner-up last season – a race in which he’s once again firmly entrenched.
"A lot of guys are so focused on velocity and swing-and-miss and striving for that swing-and-miss. I feel like he’s just trying to throw strikes," Hamels said. "He’s not trying to nibble and he’s not trying to shy away from bats and barrels. He’s out there throwing strikes, being consistent in the zone and allowing his pitches to work."
Cristopher Sánchez, 97mph Dot. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/aL77MunKtn
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 11, 2025
Sánchez is 11-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 144 strikeouts – third-most in the majors – in 127⅓ innings pitched this season.
Hamels said with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola anchoring down the rotation at the time, he believed it allowed Sánchez to just "be himself" and develop trust with his pitches as he gained more big-league experience and reps.
He also said he believes Sánchez being around Ranger Suárez – another left-handed, homegrown success for the Phillies, now with the Boston Red Sox – was just as beneficial. Suárez is not an overpowering arm but one that leans on command and pitch sequencing, something that Sánchez now mirrors.
"I really do think Sánchez watched that and realized, 'Wait a sec, I can do that too. I'm just going to do it with about four or five miles per hour more. Why would I overstress? Why do I try to overdo it?'" Hamels said.
"I think that's really helped him stay within his mechanics and stay within his arm slot and trusting the fact that whenever he is behind in a count, he can get out of it because he's seen guys do it with a little bit lesser sort of stuff."
A career high 13 strikeouts for Cristopher Sanchez! pic.twitter.com/c0XaMRK8KN
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 16, 2026
That approach carried over into Sánchez's pitch mix. Rather than having a large arsenal, he has largely relied on three pitches: sinker, changeup and slider. With this simple approach, Sánchez doesn’t necessarily need to show off his velocity. That instead allows him to just throw strikes and be consistent in the zone.
"He’s not trying to get too complicated," Hamels said of Sánchez’s minimum-arsenal approach. "Because of that, it allows him to stay more fluid and be able to repeat his delivery because he’s not having to add different arm angles or different sorts of breaking pitches.
"He really does keep it simple."
Sánchez’s usage of the sinker, his fastball pitch, is slightly down this season from last year. He’s thrown it 42.4% of the time, compared to 46% from last season. But it's still effective, which Hamels attributes to Sanchez’s lengthy 6-foot-6 frame and position on the left-hand side of the mound toward first base.
"It’s coming at such a sharp angle that a lot of hitters are looking for the sinker but you don’t know the vertical drop and what type of run that it’s going to have," Hamels said. "It has more run and drop than I think most guys' sinkers do from that angle."
His changeup – which Kansas City Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. called one of the best pitches in baseball – remains his bread-and-butter punch-out pitch, which Hamels believes is a byproduct of Sánchez recognizing hitters are OK with letting a changeup fool them in an at-bat – compared to letting a 90-plus-mph fastball blow by them.
"No one hits his combo," Roberts said on Monday during his news conference.
More Filthy Changeups from Cristopher Sanchez.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 16, 2026
7Ks thru 4. pic.twitter.com/l7iFr4et5f
His whiff and chase rates are both up this season as well: He's in the 98th percentile of MLB pitchers with a 38.4% chase rate, while his whiff rate is in the 91st percentile (32.3%).
"Oh jeez. That's a sinker and a change that look exactly the same," Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. "… It's just not a fun at-bat."
Freeman added with a joke: "When we don't draw him in a three-game series, I'm OK with that,"
Earlier this season, Sánchez ran a streak of 50⅔ scoreless innings that spanned six starts, a streak that ranks fifth all-time and finished nine innings short of topping Orel Hershiser's all-time record of 59.
In the midst of his streak, Sánchez broke the Phillies' longest scoreless streak record, previously owned by Grover Cleveland Alexander for 115 years. His 50⅔ scoreless innings are the most by a left-handed pitcher in MLB history, as well.
"That was so impressive," Hamels said. "We’ve never seen anything like that in a long time. So to get as close up to Orel Hershiser’s record in this day and age, that’s very difficult to do."
SEVEN SHUTOUT INNINGS AGAIN CRISTOPHER SÁNCHEZ YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DtH6gVSL3t
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 27, 2026
Hamels said Sánchez still has some room to evolve, including building up his "bag of tricks" and different sequences for the postseason, something of which he has encouraged the southpaw to work on in the bullpens that he has sat in.
"It’s just learning tricks," Hamels said. "… There’s so much research now going into trying to beat you that you have to then have some certain surprises that you can feel confident doing."
In the meantime, Sánchez will continue to prepare for his All-Star Game start and the second half, where he is one of the leading Cy Young contenders alongside the Milwaukee Brewers’ Jacob Misorowski.
It's a race Hamels believes Sánchez can separate himself from — if he keeps it simple.
"He’s good with what he’s doing," Hamels said. "If he consistently just keeps putting up the numbers, people are recognizing it now. … That’s where the votes come."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Cristopher Sánchez has transformed into an All-Star Game starter and MLB ace
It's time for the main event of 2026 MLB All-Star Week.
For the 96th time, the National League and American League will square off in the MLB All-Star Game, which will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, as part of the ongoing America 250 celebration.
First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.
Stream MLB All-Star Game live with Fubo
Several of MLB's top players will be absent from Tuesday's game despite earning nods. That list includes Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who was scratched due to an ongoing left knee injury, and Milwaukee Brewers young pitching phenom Jacob Misiorowski, who is dealing with arm fatigue and will not pitch.
Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies will get the start for the NL, while Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays will start for the AL.
The NL won last year's Midsummer Classic 7-6 after Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-3 in the home run swing-off tiebreaker. It hasn't beaten the AL in back-to-back All-Star Games since winning three in a row from 2010 through 2012.
Here's what to know:
Fox will broadcast Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game. Joe Davis and Hall of Famer John Smoltz will call the game from the booth at Citizens Bank Park, with Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci serving as field reporters.
Streaming options include the Fox Sports Go app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries Fox.
Stream MLB All-Star Game live with Fubo
The first pitch for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in Philadelphia. It is the fifth time that the Midsummer Classic has come to the 215, and the first since 1996.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What TV channel is MLB All-Star Game 2026 on tonight? Time, TV, streaming
In just two seasons, Jacob Misiorowski has taken Major League Baseball by storm.
The Milwaukee Brewers' 24-year-old pitching phenom is already one of baseball's most electric arms. With his 6-foot-7, 201-pound frame, he throws comfortably at 100 mph or faster on his pitches, and has even recorded 105.5 mph on a pitch against the Chicago Cubs on June 26, which is tied for the third fastest pitch in MLB history.
He is 10-4 this season and has struck out a video-game-like 167 hitters in his 18 starts in the first half, which is the most strikeouts for a pitcher before the All-Star break since Gerrit Cole (170) and Max Scherzer (181) in 2019.
If all that wasn't impressive enough, opponents are hitting just .148 against him in 2026.
Misiorowski, however, won't be pitching in Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, despite being named to the National League roster. So what gives?
Here's what to know about why Misiorowski won't be pitching in the 2026 Midsummer Classic:
No. Despite being named to his second consecutive All-Star Game, Misiorowski will not be pitching in Tuesday's game in Philadelphia.
Misiorowski remains ineligible for the All-Star Game despite the Brewers skipping his scheduled start on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he would have been opposed by Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who is also ineligible.
MLB rules state a pitcher who starts on the final Sunday of the first half is ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game two days later. Therefore, if Misiorowski had made his scheduled start on the final day before the All-Star break, he would have been ineligible for that reason. However, his ineligibility is strictly medically related, as Misiorowski is dealing with a small bout of fatigue, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.
"A little forearm stuff," Misiorowski said. "Nothing crazy. Just didn’t bounce back. A little quick on the days off between but nothing crazy. We also have this long break."
Added Brewers manager Pat Murphy: "He didn’t recover well. His arm doesn’t feel great. His body doesn’t feel great. There’s no imaging or any of that stuff going on. Just giving him a rest. We need some time away from throwing right now.
"He’s had a big load. We’re making that decision to give him a break. His throwing program today was a little clunky. We didn’t like what we saw and we’re going to hold him out."
Misiorowski finished the first half of the season with a 10-4 record and a 1.62 ERA in 18 starts and 111 innings pitched. He leads all MLB pitchers with 167 strikeouts on the season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Jacob Misiorowski pitching in MLB All-Star Game? Why 'The Miz' is ineligible
PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander smirked.
He laughed.
Then, he sneered.
Verlander was almost in utter disbelief that someone could seriously ask him the question.
“Justin, have you ever been pulled out of a perfect game or no-hitter in your career?"
Are you kidding?
“No,’’ he said. “It was never even a conversation. No!"
How could someone ask?"
This is a man who has pitched for 22 years, won three Cy Young awards, two World Series championships, an MVP award, been selected to 10 All-Star teams, and will have his plaque mounted in Cooperstown in six years.
Do you actually believe that he would allow a manager to pull him out of a game when he has the opportunity to make history?
“It's very hard," Verlander said in disgust, “for me to watch."
There was not a single pitcher who ever had a perfect game through six innings who was ever pulled from a game from 1901-2015.
In the last 10 years, it occurred three times.
It happened twice in four days last week.
Verlander can’t comprehend it, but then again, he has difficulty understanding how people actually believe that wins are overrated for starting pitchers, knowing the impact of individual victories.
‘‘I know that wins is a stat that people kind of are poo-pooing now,’’ Verlander says, “but you look around. Starting pitchers definitely don't go as deep in the game. They don't throw as many pitches. And because of that, wins are coming way down.
“I think maybe on a given year or a given day, the win isn't a great stat. But over time, if you consistently win baseball games, you're doing all of the things that you want as a starting pitcher. You're going deep. You're limiting runs. You're giving your team a chance. And if they start winning more often than not, then you're doing a good job.
“So maybe short term, I get it, but macro view, I think wins tell you a much larger picture.’’
Verlander, who won at least 15 games in 12 seasons, pitching more than 200 innings 12 times, badly wanted to win 300 games before he retired. He knew he could be the last 300-game winner in baseball history. Now, even with 266 victories, he wonders if anyone will ever win 250 again.
He’ll fall short of 4,000 strikeouts, but with 3,554, it’s still the eighth-most all-time, with only two current pitchers within 1,000 strikeouts of him.
Verlander, 43, the oldest athlete in North American team sports, doesn’t want to sound like he’s Bob Feller, and that the game stinks compared to how it was when he broke in on July 4, 2005, but man, are times different.
He worries about the game, too, particularly with the potential of a lengthy lockout on the horizon threatening the integrity of the 2027 season.
“Obviously, I want the players to to get what they're deserved," Verlander says, “but I think you want the game to just be in a great place. That's it.
“But I'm really worried about it, to be frank, because the game is, in my opinion, in a really great place. Its viewership is doing great. The fan bases are responding. ..Ultimately, the game's in a good place, and I would hate to see that get disrupted and lose momentum that we have, and the opportunity that we have to continue to grow the sport.
“There are so many reasons why I think a real work stoppage in losing games would be detrimental."
Simply, if the system ain’t broke, Verlander claims, why fix it?
“This current system must be working OK if the game is as popular and rising as it is, right?" Verlander says. “I don't see any shortage of people wanting to buy a MLB team, so it must be a decent investment, right? You know, people are fighting for the chance to buy an MLB team, so it can't be that bad."
Then again, Verlander says, nothing is like it used to be upon his arrival. When he came up and made his first All-Star Game at the age of 24, he was too scared to say a peep in the American League clubhouse, intimidated by the sight of Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez, and not worrying about his brand or silly social media accounts.
Even today, he politely declines to talk about his future entrance into the Hall of Fame, or what cap he’d wear on his plaque.
When he came up and developed into one of the most dominant right-handed pitchers in the last 50 years, he never forgot to praise Nolan Ryan for being his all-time idol and the impact Kenny Rogers made on his career, even recommending the purchase of a designer bed to reduce his back woes.
“He just taught me how to be a professional," Verlander said. “He’d been in the game so long, and I just always admired the older players. Whenever I had a chance to speak to them, All-Star games or whatever, trying to absorb information, I would do it."
Well, here we are 20 years later, and Verlander is that man.
Verlander announced last week that he would retire after the season, and since the decision became official, Verlander has everyone from Bryce Harper and Mike Trout requesting autographed jerseys and balls, with others seeking advice.
“Looking forward to talking to him these next few days," Trout said. “He’s one of the toughest pitchers I ever faced. I was messing with him the other day when he said he’s retiring.
“I said, 'Bro, you threw me a slider, and I hit in in our bullpen. And the next 48 or 50 at-bats, I didn’t see one slider. And if he did, he bounced it.
“He’s just a competitor, one of the toughest I’ve ever faced. He’s going out strong.’’
This is why Verlander, who has made just one start this season, desperately wants to pitch again this year. He wants to step on that Comerica Park mound at least one more time. He still dreams of being on the mound in October, helping the Tigers win their first World Series since 1984.
“Look, it’s not like I'm sitting here saying like this is going to be it for the season," Verlander confidently says. “I wholeheartedly believe that I can come back and pitch, and hopefully pitch well on a team that has a chance to be in the playoffs. So, it's something I'm still working daily at.
“I got agonizingly close there. I made my like final rehab start, and then had my hamstring pop on me. You know, it's just like really frustrating. I'm trying to do everything I can and take the big picture.’’
He really didn’t want to retire, hoping to pitch until he’s 46 and he had those 300 wins, but his body simply wouldn’t cooperate. It was his hip that put him on the IL. Then, his hamstring.
“You know, I feel like I've been like plugging holes in a leaky boat," Verlander says. “I think the one thing I've done really well in my career is be objective about myself, and that's allowed me to adapt when I need to and be successful on the mound. I know what I need to do mechanically to be healthy and compete at this level, but my body's not letting me do that.’’
He also believes this might be the ideal time to leave, with the collective bargaining agreement expiring Dec. 1.
“Nobody knows what's going to happen at the beginning of next season,’’ Verlander says. “There's a lot of conversation about that. I just feel like it's the right time. And if I want to control my own destiny, which I do, I don't want to leave a game when I'm ready to go and not have the game force me out.’’
Now that he’s been sidelined since the first week of the season, selected to the All-Star Game by Commissioner Rob Manfred as one of his legend picks, it has allowed him time to reflect, knowing the end of a fabulous career and glorious era is ending.
“I think the game has changed a lot," Verlander says. “When I first came in, I think the average length of game wasn't long enough that the pitch clock was an issue. But I saw it evolve into games that were taking routinely three hours, 40 minutes, and the pitch clock has resolved that. That's been a great addition.
“I think the advent of analytics has positives and negatives. I have definitely benefited from it, but it it can become a crutch for people and organizations. ... That’s made a dramatic difference in the game."
And now, here he is, wondering where time has gone, while knowing his time is near.
“You know, it's such a blur while you're in it,’’ Verlander says, “and then you know you get towards the end and say, “Man, I wish I had enjoyed X, Y, and Z a little bit more. So, to have the opportunity to come back in this situation and really absorb it and know it's your last time, it's a really special feeling.
“I think it's cool for the game. Seeing some of the greats that I played against and admire for a long time. Just get the opportunity on a national stage to be sent off and be involved in the game again in a big way is a cool thing the commissioner did.’’
Now, for perhaps the final time on the national stage, Verlander has a chance to say good-bye, perhaps even getting an ovation to remember Tuesday night from the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park. He pitched in the American League all but two seasons but baseball fans know he played the right way, always respecting the game, with the game respecting him right back.
“It's hard for me to look back in hindsight and change anything," Verlander says. “I honestly believe that. I made some mistakes for sure, but that really is what led me to being where I am today, and I don't regret those things.
“I think I did a lot of things right."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Justin Verlander is 'really worried' about MLB after he retires
PHILADELPHIA — They will flock to Citizens Bank Park from both sides of the Delaware River, a contingent from Millville, New Jersey, taking I-76 over the Walt Whitman Bridge, another coming from the other direction on the interstate, or simply on surface streets from the proud territory the locals simply call Delco.
Mike Trout has secured 20 tickets for friends and family and knows many more will flock to Philly, intent on seeing the surefire Hall of Famer in what he acknowledges might be his goodbye to the All-Star Game.
Kevin McGonigle didn’t put a number on his ticket count, the Detroit Tigers’ outstanding rookie simply describing the entry fee to his inner circle for this, the first of what the baseball industry expects will be many Midsummer Classics for him.
“I want everyone here that helped me get here. I wouldn’t be in this seat without them,’ McGonigle said one day before the Tuesday, July 14 All-Star Game.
“I think they should take the whole experience in with me.”
This Brotherly Love All-Star Game will mark both joyful beginnings and wistful remembrances, the circle of baseball life connecting a first-time Tiger and a long-time Angel playing in his 12th, yet humbled by injury and the feeling of athletic mortality.
“I never take anything for granted in this game. You never know when your last game is, or when an injury can pop up,” says Trout, the three-time MVP with 422 career home runs yet with three seasons of 82 or fewer games played in his last five.
“Especially these last few years, it’s been tough for me. But I’m just excited. I’m honored to put on the jersey every day.”
It is also an ode to the Philly guy, a specimen typically brash and unyielding, their fandom for the Phillies and Eagles and Sixers and Flyers often crass, occasionally cruel.
Trout, he of the $427 million contract, has sat in the finest seats at Lincoln Financial Field for Eagles games, his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame hard to miss in the end zone viewing area.
McGonigle? Heck, just four years ago, he was that Philly bro in the stands at the World Series in Citizens Bank Park, heartily heckling the Houston Astros alongside his high school buddies.
This week, he is American League teammates with one of those Astros – slugger Yordan Alvarez.
In their All-Star journeys, Trout, 34, and McGonigle, 21, each show how quickly life can come at you.
The top prospects and showcase ponies of the modern era are usually bred in the Sun Belt, where high school ball starts in February, rainouts are infrequent and exposure is high.
This was not the life Trout and McGonigle lived.
An area scout had to convince the Angels to spend the 25th pick on Trout in 2009. McGonigle played tons of ball growing up, of course, but he says it was the buddies around him, not the reps, that made him who he is.
Trout has noticed the shared traits.
“He’s a stud,” says Trout of McGonigle. “I think being from the East Coast, we’re not playing year-round like the guys in Florida and Texas. I think that has something to do with it.
“You look at high schools, now they’re playing a lot of games. I just found out there’s kids in California that don’t even really go to school. They’re just home schooled and straight play baseball.
“That’s extreme to me. I went to class every day. After school day, had lunch and played games. It was a lot different.”
McGonigle comes from an almost entirely different baseball generation. But he can relate.
When he landed in Philly on Sunday after the Tigers finished the first half in Detroit, he was picked up at the airport by a friend and headed straight to Michael Anderson’s house.
McGonigle and Anderson are thick as thieves, and this was a big weekend. Not only was McGonigle arriving a conquering hero, but Anderson, who went on to play baseball at Penn State, was drafted that day, fifth round, Texas Rangers.
“I gave him a big hug,” says McGonigle. “He’s a big part of why I’m here today, the way we pushed ourselves growing up. To see him get drafted after everything he’s been through, is truly an inspiration to me.
“Hanging out and getting better with him was the biggest thing, growing up.”
It wasn’t just structured ball, but silly competitions: Whiffle ball, bike rides, or simply racing each other back to the car on the frequent occasions Anderson’s mother, Ellen – “She’s like a second mom to me,” says McGonigle – gave him a lift to a baseball game.
Now the dream is to “share a field one day” in the big leagues, says McGonigle.
They’re all part of the fabric that makes up Delaware County, a land just west of Philly proper that’s taken on a sense of place and pride all its own.
Former Phillie Mickey Morandini cuts promo adds for Delco, whose credo is that it’s “not just a location, it’s a lifestyle.” One of its unincorporated communities is Wawa, the actual home of the gas and convenience store synonymous with Philly.
The Delco flag can be spotted on tents and easy-ups dotting the Jersey shore; one ambitious tattoo artist, Roddie Cooper, once hoisted the flag in triumph at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, saying he had to “rep Delco for the rest of the world.”
Bryce Harper can relate. He and many Phillies have a T-shirt with the words “Clearwooder” on them, or how a Delco accent might pronounce the name of their Florida spring training site.
Harper’s a Philly guy going on seven seasons now and appreciates where the region's favorite sons came from.
“McGonigle,” says Harper, “has had a great career thus far. I said it the other day: I wish he was a Phillie just because he was from here and everything else. But he’s an amazing player.
“The other day, I asked him, ‘Where were you at in (the) ’22 (World Series)? You were in high school, still?’
"He said 'yeah, we were up in the stands yelling at all the other people for you.'"
It is something of a rite of passage. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, also a first-time All-Star, hails from Lancaster County, about 75 miles away, earning him the “Big Amish” nickname from teammates. But he considers himself a Philly bro, growing up going to a bevy of Phillies games, the most memorable a 2008 NL Division Series battle against Milwaukee.
“I was young,” says Kurtz, who was 5 years old at the time. “CC Sabathia was pitching against the Phillies, and the whole crowd was chanting, ‘CC sucks!’ and I started chanting it.
“And my dad said, ‘This is a bad word.’ That’s a moment I’ve come to remember right away.”
Now 6-5 and 240 pounds, Kurtz was a baseball prodigy, on the Team USA pipeline as a youngster and he eventually attended boarding school in Tennessee to get more ball in. But he knows the kind of player it takes to get out of Philly and its surrounding environs.
“You gotta be grindy,” he says. “There’s bad weather, you don’t know what you’re getting that day. It’s kind of part of who we are growing up here.
“It’s not a clean, nice city. It’s gritty and grindy and that’s the reasons you love it.”
McGonigle attended a parochial school in Delaware County, playing in a league where there was “a lot of trash talking, a lot of stuff like that, but that’s what made it fun.”
With 99 hits in 93 games for the Tigers, along with an .812 OPS and an absurd 4.7 WAR, McGonigle, an infielder, can work out with whomever and wherever he wants. Yet for now, he still stays on his grind in the area, and believes there’s something in the, um, wooder where he grew up.
“I think the East Coast guys, with the winter, being stuck inside training – I think it helped me,” he says. “It gave me a little more edge to get better, surrounding myself with the right group of guys from this area – Delaware County area. Blue collar as everyone knows.
“It took me a lot to get to where I am today. And Delco helped me a lot.”
Trout grew up on the Jersey side of things, coached by his dad Jeff, a minor leaguer from Millville who raised his family there. While Harper was the anointed superstar from the time he was 16, Trout was a bolt out of the Mid-Atlantic, debuting at 19 like Harper.
They played in their first All-Star Games in 2012, several children and a few baseball lifetimes ago.
“I love Mike, man. We played Fall League together, became friends. It’s great to see him back and healthy,” says Harper of Trout, who has avoided serious injury but recovered from a hamstring hiccup to make the AL squad. “We all pull for him in the league, because we know how talented he is, and how good he is.
“So anytime he’s able to get on a national stage – he’ll probably go deep tomorrow, I’d imagine, because that’s who he is – and it’s a lot of fun to see a guy like that be able to do it in his hometown of Philly.”
McGonigle was 8 years old when Trout made his first All-Star Game. This week, they will share a clubhouse, and McGonigle has not forgotten the example Trout long ago provided.
“Seeing that inspired me to get better each day,” says McGonigle. “The work ethic he puts in and being from this area is really cool.”
He has already passed the torch in some ways. During Trout’s early, electric years with the Angels, fans from Millville and surrounding areas would invade nearby ballparks, largely Baltimore’s Camden Yards and Citizens Bank for the rare Angels appearance in Philadelphia.
The Trout 27s would be impossible to miss.
Now, it is McGonigle’s No. 7 that could be seen in the seats of Camden Yards or on the streets and nearby pubs surrounding the stadium. Life goes on.
Trout said scoring 20 All-Star tickets is “a lot,” given that other players will almost certainly use their allotment. In a sense, it’s fortuitous this date in Philly and Trout’s health and performance – he has 18 homers and an .863 OPS – aligned.
“I know a lot of people that are coming,” he said. “It’s been on the calendar a while.”
Not so much for McGonigle. He debuted with three hits on Opening Day and has only turbocharged his rookie season since. Suddenly, the hometown All-Star Game was on the horizon and then an almost certainty.
Now, the kid who idolized Chase Utley will take to his infield grass, surrounded by the greatest players in the world, a group he now counts as peers.
“First game in the Bank is gonna be an All-Star Game?” he asks.
“Surreal, man.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Generations apart, All-Stars Mike Trout, Kevin McGonigle epitomize Philly
PHILADELPHIA — For many power hitters, aging often brings a decline in their swing.
For Kyle Schwarber, it has brought the exact opposite: improvement.
Since joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022 as a free agent, Schwarber has refined his swing and produced some of the best numbers of his career, cementing his place among baseball's premier power threats.
"I hope so," Schwarber told USA TODAY Sports on Monday at Citizens Bank Park ahead of the MLB Home Run Derby when asked if he’s beating Father Time with his swing.
So what’s been the key to success for Schwarber, who was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs after the 2020 season before reviving his career with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox, and ultimately finding sustained success in Philadelphia?
He mentioned adapting his swing as baseball continues to adapt itself as a game, as well as trying to "stay the same guy every year" by sticking to his routines, which begins with hitting off the tee.
"Being able to address different things and feeling that if you can look at your season from top to bottom at the end of the year and try to address things that you need to get better at and not just be okay with it," Schwarber said. "... The game's changed from 2015 when I first came in to where it's at now."
Schwarber has hit 219 homers in five seasons with Philadelphia, second only to Aaron Judge's 227 during that span. He sits 16 shy of Babe Ruth's MLB record for most home runs in a player's first five seasons with a team, with only Mark McGwire's 220 with the St. Louis Cardinals in between Schwarber and Ruth.
"You can go back 20 years, you can go back to Babe Ruth, what he is doing now is unbelievable," former Phillies shortstop and manager Larry Bowa told USA TODAY Sports back in May.
To further underscore Schwarber’s dominance with the Phillies, he hit just 153 homers across his first seven MLB seasons. He’s already launched 66 more in less time in Philadelphia, as he has reached at least 45 home runs in three of his four seasons.
"Think it helps to take the glove away from him and all he has to do is carry his bat. We joke with him about that a lot," Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper joked Monday about Schwarber’s transition from the team’s left fielder in 2022 to a full-time designated hitter in recent seasons.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly didn’t necessarily agree with Harper’s assessment and the notion being an everyday DH has made hitting easier for him.
"You still have to be able to hit,” Mattingly said on Monday. "DHs are better, it seems, when they get older because now they know they're swinging, they know what they do, they know how to get ready."
Schwarber credits that success to working with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long, who helped revitalize his career in Washington in 2021, and the assistant coaches he’s had at both stops.
"They do such a great job of making sure that I just stay with what I need to do and keep me on track," said Schwarber, who added that Long and his staff have also helped him avoid wanting to "go reach" and make mechanical changes during inevitable slumps.
Schwarber crushed left-handed pitching and fastballs last season. He hit 23 home runs against southpaws in 2025, which were the most in a single season by a left-handed hitter against left-handed pitching in MLB history. So far this season, Schwarber has hit 11 home runs against southpaws.
He finished with a career-high and National League-leading 56 home runs in 2025, which was two shy of tying Ryan Howard’s record for the single most home runs in a season among Phillies hitters.
The former Indiana Hoosier is already on pace to outplay the five-year, $150 million contract he received from the Phillies in free agency this offseason — and has done so at a historic rate.
"Glad we didn't let him walk after last year because he is one of the best power bats in the game," Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola told USA TODAY Sports in May. "... When he comes up, you know you could possibly see something special, which has been a privilege to see over the years since he came over here in 2022."
Catalyzed by a stretch during which he hit nine home runs in eight games, Schwarber reached 20 home runs in the Phillies' first 45 games, making him the first player since 2006 to reach that feat — and only the 10th in MLB history. That stretch had him on pace for 72 homers.
He has 32 home runs at the All-Star break, which leads the majors. He hit the 30 home run mark in just 80 games, which set a new franchise record as he did it two games quicker than when Jim Thome reached the mark in 2004.
"It's almost indescribable to do what he's doing. They can throw balls down in the middle, you still have to hit him. He's one of those power hitters that might strike out three times, and the fourth time he's hit one in the upper deck,” Bowa said.
"He's that prolific of a home run hitter."
Another key statistic in Schwarber’s success has been his ability to barrel baseballs, a statistical metric for batted balls with an optimal combination of exit velocity and launch angle on Baseball Savant.
His barrel rate last season was a career-best 20.8% barrel rate, just the second time he’s exceeded 20% in a season, according to MLB.com. He’s at 19.6% this season, which is good for the 98th percentile amongst MLB hitters.
While the Phillies certainly appreciate the homers that Schwarber provides, Mattingly said he values Schwarber’s team-first approach at the plate. Schwarber recorded a team-leading 59 RBIs in the first half to go along with a .254 batting average, which is third best on the team. He is tied for third with Harper for hits with 89.
"What I really like is that Schwarbs is really all about the team and us winning, and I think when you stay in that mode of doing something to help your team win," Mattingly told USA TODAY Sports last month in a separate interview. "From a leadership position guy, that's huge because then everybody's in that mode."
Schwarber nearly made more history on Monday in the MLB Home Run Derby, as he came one home run short of becoming the fourth player to win the event in his home ballpark, eventually losing to the Cardinals' Jordan Walker.
He’ll now look to lead the National League to a second straight All-Star Game win on Tuesday, July 14 at 8 p.m. ET at The Bank, where he’ll be hitting leadoff after moving into the lineup following Shohei Ohtani’s scratch from the lineup.
"It's an honor to be here," Schwarber said. "It's definitely an honor for it to be here in Philadelphia to represent your organization and to go out there and throw on this great spectacle."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Kyle Schwarber beating Father Time with his evolving power swing? 'I hope so'
PHILADELPHIA — It's time for the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Managers Dave Roberts and John Schneider unveiled their starting lineups on Monday, July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with the hometown pick, Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, getting the ball for the National League while Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease will start for the American League.
First pitch for the 2026 Midsummer Classic is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.
Sanchez, the runner-up in the NL Cy Young race last season, is the first Phillies pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roy Halladay did so in 2011. The 6-foot-6 left-hander ended the first half with an 11-4 record and a 2.62 ERA with 144 strikeouts in an MLB-leading 20 starts.
Cease, who was one of the Blue Jays' big free agent additions this past offseason, finished the first half on a rather high note, as he struck out 11 hitters and came three outs shy of the second no-hitter of his career.
Millville, New Jersey, native Mike Trout will hit leadoff for the American League. It'll be the first All-Star Game that Trout will be appearing in since 2019 despite earning selections in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as he was removed from the roster due to injuries in each of those three seasons.
Shohei Ohtani, who received the most votes from the fans, will hit leadoff for the National League in his sixth All-Star Game. The Phillies will have two hitters in the starting lineup in front of the home crowd, with Schwarber and Brandon Marsh, who is making his first All-Star Game appearance and starting in right field.
Here's a look at the full starting lineups:
Starting pitcher: Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease
Starting pitcher: Philadelphia Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB All-Star game starting lineups: Sanchez and Cease pitch, batting order
Since he arrived in the majors in 2024, Paul Skenes has largely been appointment television for baseball fans as one of the sport's top pitchers.
The Pittsburgh Pirates' 6-foot-6 right-hander has started to build a nice résumé in just a short time that consists of the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, to go along with being named the starting pitcher for the NL All-Star team in back-to-back seasons.
In his third season in the majors, Skenes has managed to earn his third All-Star Game nod despite struggling during his past handful of starts, which included getting shelled for a career-high seven earned runs against the Philadelphia Phillies across just four innings on July 1.
Skenes didn't have to travel far for the Midsummer Classic this season, as the Pirates concluded the first half of the season at home at PNC Park, making it just a short flight or drive to Philadelphia. He made the trip strictly as a spectator in the NL dugout along the first baseline at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, July 14, as he is one of a handful of ineligible pitchers for the NL squad.
Here's what to know about why Skenes won't be pitching in the 2026 Midsummer Classic:
No. Despite being named to his third consecutive All-Star Game, Skenes will not be pitching in Tuesday's game in Philadelphia.
Skenes is ineligible to pitch in the MLB All-Star Game. The reason for his ineligibility is that, by MLB rule, a pitcher who starts on the final Sunday of the first half is ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game two days later.
The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner started Sunday's first-half finale against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he was scheduled to be opposed by Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, before The Miz was scratched on Saturday.
Skenes' numbers are a bit down from where they were last season with the Pirates. He is 8-8 this season with a surprising 3.57 ERA in 108⅓ innings pitched. He has struck out just 130 batters in the first half, which is tied for the sixth-most in MLB alongside the Cleveland Guardians' Gavin Williams.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Paul Skenes pitching in MLB All-Star Game? Why Pirates ace is ineligible
With more than half of the MLB season in the books, the baseball world has convened in Philadelphia for the annual All-Star festivities. What better time for owners and players to engage in Brotherly Love and figure out how to avoid the widely predicted 2027 labor strife that could cancel next season? Considering the storm clouds gathering, a near-term resolution seems unlikely, so we’d better soak in the season we’re having. How’s that going? Glad you asked.
A year ago Cal Raleigh was tearing up the American League, bashing 38 first-half home runs, setting up a bona fide battle between the Mariners catcher and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge for the MVP award. Today, Raleigh is licking his wounds after an injury-riddled meltdown that some Mariners officials blame on the preseason World Baseball Classic, which “killed him”. Raleigh’s radical reversal is one reason why a Seattle team who reached the AL Championship Series a season ago are underperforming in the West. He has just nine home runs with bottom-barrel slash numbers.
Meanwhile, Judge began the season in his usual Ruthian way, but a stress fracture of his right rib has sidelined the slugger and his timeline for return is unclear. His absence and the annual outage from oft-injured Giancarlo Stanton – it’s his calf now – mean the good vibes in the Bronx have dulled since their sizzling start to the season. The pitching-rich second-place Yankees recently had 13 losses in 17 games, but strung together four straight heading into the break.
Across town, the Mets are suffering through their latest catastrophe. It was just a few months ago that an unnamed Guardian writer picked them to win the World Series. Come July, the team have bottomed out and are flirting with the worst record in baseball, their fanbase rescued only by a distracting Knicks run to the NBA title. With manager Carlos Mendoza put out of his misery last month, the bullseye is on David Stearns, the president of baseball operations credited with tearing up the core of the team and replacing it with a host of oft-injured, out-of-position players who you can’t begin to imagine make up a payroll of more than $300m. Chants of “Pete Alonso” from fans memorializing their dearly departed slugger are the soundtrack of summer amid rapidly emptying seats in Queens. Owner Steve Cohen is sticking with his man. Needless to say, the Mets will be selling at the trade deadline; will Francisco Lindor’s icy relationship with Juan Soto lead to his ousting?
And spare a thought for the reigning AL champions, the last-place Toronto Blue Jays, whose elite star Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s precipitous decline is a thing of major league mystery. Jays manager John Schneider recently accused the team, led by their $500m first baseman, of being “bullied by fastballs” on a west coast trip that saw them blanked for 24 straight innings. At least off-season acquisition Dylan Cease is working out: the Jays’ ace will start the All-Star Game in Philly.
How about the first-place White Sox? That phrase has no ring to it whatsoever after the team lost 324 games over the previous three seasons. Yet here they are, atop the Central Division, in an AL where everyone seems to have a shot to make the postseason. Chi-Town’s second club has a tidy offensive core with Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery and “rookie” Munetaka Murakami combining for 64 homers. Chasing are consistent Cleveland, hanging in the race despite the long-term injury to slugger José Ramírez, and Detroit, who won just six games in May but put together the largest increase in home run hitting from any 33-game span in MLB history and are now in the playoff hunt. Will they hold on to Tarik Skubal? The ace has reportedly hinted to friends that he badly wants to stay in Detroit and thinks they can win the World Series. We’ll see if the Dodgers make the Tigers an offer they can’t refuse.
The Rays are up to their old tricks again, settling into first place in their latest unexpected surge to the top of the AL standings. This time, they’re skating past the Yankees despite hitting 49 fewer home runs while socking the second fewest doubles in the AL. How have the Rays done it? Well, they’ve struck out nearly 250 fewer times than the Bombers, employing mostly station-to-station baseball while nickeling and diming opponents to death.
Meanwhile, in Miami, baseball’s deadest dead-zone has a heartbeat, with many thanks to Otto López, who has become one of the most exciting players in the sport. Not long ago, Marlins fans accustomed to annual sell-offs might have glanced at a player like the once solid-not-spectacular López as a trade asset. But now that he’s broken out into something of an infield Ichiro-type hitter, and the Marlins are in playoff contention, fans are urging ownership to invest rather than divest. He has the most first-half hits in Marlins history and is in position to steal down-ballot MVP votes from the Cubs’ stellar Pete Crow-Armstrong. Will this be the year Miami actually add at the deadline?
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The Phillies and Red Sox have surged to save their seasons on the backs of new managers. Don Mattingly righted the ship in Philadelphia, replacing the fired Rob Thomson and guiding the club to a 45-24 record. Philly, whose record looks much better than their expected wins total, has been led by their one-two pitching punch of National League All-Star Game starter Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler.
A late first-half surge has completely turned around Boston’s campaign with the team winning nine straight games heading into the break. Craig Breslow, their chief baseball officer, is still universally panned by Red Sox Nation for firing manager Alex Cora and failing to address their offense in the offseason. The question: is this a false dawn for Chad Tracy’s Sox or a legitimate turnaround?
What else is good? The Nationals’ offense! They lead the NL in runs, home runs, stolen bases and total bases. James Wood has 28 homers, 10 of which lead off a game! Imagine if they could pitch, even a little? Only the Rockies have a worse ERA in the NL.
And of course, there’s the Dodgers. Yep: Shohei Ohtani is your NL MVP again and there’s nothing to see here, except his knee is giving him – that’s something to keep an eye on. Otherwise, it’s mid-July and as usual, there’s plenty of daylight between them and second place in the NL West.
Spare a thought for Crow-Armstrong, who could be NL MVP if only Ohtani didn’t hit and pitch and do everything else. At least we’ll have a new MVP winner in the AL – Yordan Álvarez of the Astros is the overall favorite with 31 homers and an OPS of over 1.000. Dominant Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski should win the Cy Young thanks to his WHIP of 0.757, so long as he isn’t derailed by the arm fatigue that’s keeping him out of the All-Star Game. The AL race is more competitive between Cease in Toronto and the Yanks’ Cam Schlittler.
