Celebrating 250 With the All*Star Game

Say what you will about the MLB All*Star Game, but it's still the one that works the best.  Sure, they've done their share of stupid gimmicks (last year's "swing off," I'm looking at you!), but there's never been the need to experiment with different formats to drum up interest, which the other sports can't help themselves from constantly doing.  It's always been American League vs. National League and it always will be American League vs. National League.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  And that part of the MLB All*Star Game definitely ain't broke.

Our friends North of the Border sure tried to break it, though.  Canadian fans made a mockery of the voting process by stuffing the ballot box so much that every Blue Jay was a finalist to start.  Never mind the fact that their outfielders aren't good and Alejandro Kirk has played a grand total of 19 games this season.  Even Vlad Guerrero Jr. is having a down year.  But he at least has the pedigree and overall popularity to justify it.

Fortunately, it looks like Vlad Jr. might be the only Toronto player joining Ernie Clement (who's clearly the best/most popular player in the AL, LOL) in the starting lineup.  Once it got to the final round and you were only allowed to vote once per day for a week (instead of five times a day for a month), people voted for those who actually deserve it instead of those who simply play for Toronto.  That's the strength of those new, two-phase voting system that was introduced a few years ago.  It's become much less of just a popularity contest.  Fans are more knowledgeable and the most deserving players have generally ended up starting.

There's only one choice in the AL that's questionable, and it has nothing to do with performance.  Aaron Judge.  It looks like he'll be voted as a starter, even though he'll be out until August.  Which either says a lot about Judge's popularity or fans' general stupidity (or both).  Personally, I'd like it if injured players who they know will be out past the All*Star Break were either removed from the ballot entirely or at least not advanced to the second phase.  Mike Trout is different since he's hoping to be back in time.  But there's absolutely no chance Aaron Judge will be playing in the All*Star Game, whether he's voted in or not.

I do hope Trout makes it back in time, though.  And not just because he'd make things easier by being the Angel.  Trout's from South Jersey.  Philadelphia's basically his hometown.  Since the All*Star Game won't be coming to Anaheim anytime soon, it's the closest thing he'll have to a home All*Star Game.  It's also been a long time since Mike Trout was healthy enough to actually play in the All*Star Game, so it'd be nice to see him for that reason, too.

It's also crazy to think that Bobby Witt Jr. has never started the All*Star Game.  It looks like that will finally change this year.  Junior Caminero is in a position to win the fan vote for the first time, too.  He started last year, but as a replacement for Jose Ramirez.  I'm willing to bet this won't be the last time Witt or Caminero is a fan-voted starter.

In the National League, it's a bit of a different situation.  Ohtani was voted in as the starting DH.  Nothing new there.  But it looks like he's gonna make the team as a pitcher, too.  So, if history is any indication, the NL will end up getting an extra pitcher to give them 32 individuals on the roster.

You also kinda have to feel for Kyle Schwarber, though.  That guy would start the All*Star Game every year if not for Ohtani.  And he'd deserve to.  Instead, the best he can hope for is being selected as the second NL DH.  Fortunately, it looks like the Phillies will still have somebody in the starting lineup, as Brandon Marsh should get rewarded for his career year.  (Along with Michael Harris III, the new favorite player of English soccer fans, who I'm sure would've voted for him had they decided that before Monday.)

Anyway, with that in mind, may I present the 2026 Joe Brackets All*Stars.  I followed the standard rules of 20 position players and 12 pitchers per team (with at least five starters and three relievers), although the NL did get an extra pitcher because of Ohtani.  I also named Cody Bellinger as an injury replacement for Judge, who obviously won't be playing.  (Elected starters are in italics, with the asterisk for Clement and Ohtani indicating that they were the leading vote-getters.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE
C: Shea Langeliers (ATH), Dillon Dingler (DET)
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR), Nick Kurtz (ATH), Ben Rice (NYY)
2B: *Ernie Clement (TOR), Cole Young (SEA)
SS: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC), Gunnar Henderson (BAL), Colson Montgomery (CWS)
3B: Junior Caminero (TB), Kazuma Okamoto (TOR)
OF: Mike Trout (LAA), Byron Buxton (MIN), x-Aaron Judge (NYY), Wilyer Abreu (BOS), Riley Greene (DET), Julio Rodriguez (SEA), #-Cody Bellinger (NYY)
DH: Yordan Alvarez (HOU), Yandy Diaz (TB)
SP: Sonny Gray (BOS), Davis Martin (CWS), Gavin Williams (CLE), Joe Ryan (MIN), Cam Schlittler (NYY), Will Warren (NYY), Drew Rasmussen (TB), Jacob deGrom (TEX)
RP: Cade Smith (CLE), Bryan Baker (TB), Jacob Latz (TEX), Louis Varland (TOR)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
C: Drake Baldwin (ATL), Hunter Goodman (COL)
1B: Freddie Freeman (LAD), Matt Olson (ATL)
2B: Ozzie Albies (ATL), Ketel Marte (ARZ), Luis Arraez (SF)
SS: CJ Abrams (WSH), Otto Lopez (MIA)
3B: Max Muncy (LAD), Alex Bregman (CHC)
OF: Brandon Marsh (PHI), Michael Harris II (ATL), Juan Soto (NYM), Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC), Andy Pages (LAD), Jung Hoo Lee (SF), Jordan Walker (STL)
DH: *Shohei Ohtani (LAD), Kyle Schwarber (PHI)
SP: Eduardo Rodriguez (ARZ), Chris Sale (ATL), Chase Burns (CIN), Shohei Ohtani (LAD), Justin Wrobleski (LAD), Max Meyer (MIA), Jacob Misiorowski (MIL), Cristopher Sanchez (PHI), Braxton Ashcraft (PIT)
RP: Raisel Iglesias (ATL), Robert Suarez (ATL), Jhoan Duran (PHI), Mason Miller (SD)

Last year, Dave Roberts announced that Paul Skenes would be the NL starting pitcher like a week ahead of time.  This year, his selection should come much closer to game time.  Because he has two very viable candidates.  Ordinarily, I'd say Jacob Misiorowski would be a no-brainer choice (what a difference a year makes, huh?  No one's questioning his All*Star nod this time).  However, with the game being played in Philadelphia, I can also see it being the Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez.  Tough call.  My choice would be Misiorowski, however.

The American League starter should come out of the AL East.  Cam Schlittler was the clear clubhouse leader until about a week ago, and he very well may still be.  It's no longer a lock, though.  If it's not Schlittler, I'd say Drew Rasmussen of the Rays and Sonny Gray of the Red Sox are the other top candidates.  But I do still have a feeling it'll be Schlittler.  He's been the best pitcher in the American League for most of the first half, so he gets the nod for me.

Finally, is there any place other than Philadelphia where they could play this game?  Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004 and still hasn't hosted the All*Star Game.  Because they were waiting for 2026.  It's the same reason the 1976 All*Star Game was in Philadelphia and one of the World Cup Round of 16 games on the Fourth of July was scheduled for Lincoln Financial Field.  It's oozing with historical significance.  Which is why the answer to that question is, no, there isn't any other stadium that could've hosted this year's All*Star Game (which immediately follows a World Cup semifinal that could include the U.S., BTW).