2026 MLB All-Star Game: Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez and Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease to Start Midsummer Classic
The highly anticipated 2026 MLB All-Star Game is just around the corner, and the starting pitchers for both the American League (AL) and National League (NL) have been announced. The host Philadelphia Phillies’ ace right-hander Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound for the NL, while the Toronto Blue Jays’ right-hander Dylan Cease will start for the AL.
Cristopher Sánchez, a 29-year-old phenom, has recently earned his second career All-Star selection and will mark his first starting assignment in the Midsummer Classic. With an impressive ERA+ of 174, which ranks fourth in the NL among qualifiers, Sánchez is undoubtedly a fitting choice for the honor. He also leads all NL pitchers in WAR and boasts an impressive strikeout tally of 144, ranking second in the league.
However, Sánchez’s path to the starting nod wasn’t without its challenges. NL manager Dave Roberts’ options were limited after Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled out of the All-Star Game due to ongoing left knee issues. Additionally, young Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski won’t be available to pitch on Tuesday due to fatigue. Nevertheless, the overall body of work makes Sánchez a deserving choice for the starting assignment, and he’s also coming off a 2025 campaign in which he finished runner-up in the NL Cy Young vote.
The starting nod adds to what should be a decidedly Philly flavor for the host team and their fans. The night before Sánchez’s start, Phillies teammates Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will take part in the Home Run Derby. Sánchez will be the first Phillies pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roy Halladay in 2011, joining a group of pitchers to start in their home ballparks that includes Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers, 2022), Max Scherzer (Nationals, 2018), and Matt Harvey (Mets, 2013).
As for Cease, he’s a first-time All-Star this season, and in 2026 – his first since signing a $175 million free-agent pact with the Blue Jays – is turning out to be perhaps his best to date. Cease leads the AL at the break in strikeouts and in FIP with a sparkling figure of 2.18. His current ERA+ of 177 ranks second in the AL only to that of Cam Schlittler of the Yankees. Although this is Cease’s debut as an All-Star, he’s been an established frontline starter for years. Twice before he’s finished in the top five of the Cy Young vote, and he’s on his way to making at least 30 starts for a sixth straight season. For AL manager John Schneider, tabbing his ace was a very defensible choice.
Coincidentally, Halladay is also the last Blue Jay to start the All-Star Game, as he earned the nod for Toronto in 2009.
Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez and Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease to Start 2026 MLB All-Star Game
- Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies will start for the National League.
- Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays will start for the American League.
Notable Stats and Records
- Cristopher Sánchez’s ERA+ of 174 ranks fourth in the NL among qualifiers.
- He leads all NL pitchers in WAR and boasts an impressive strikeout tally of 144, ranking second in the league.
- Dylan Cease leads the AL at the break in strikeouts and in FIP with a sparkling figure of 2.18.
- His current ERA+ of 177 ranks second in the AL only to that of Cam Schlittler of the Yankees.
