The American League is the winner of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game!
With all the talk about how strong the National League has been in the first half of the season, many thought they would run away with the Midsummer Classic. The exact opposite happened — as the AL scored three first-inning runs off of Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez thanks to New York Yankees Cody Bellinger, the MVP of the game, and Ben Rice. The AL continued to dominate from there, taking a no-hit bid into the fourth inning before Juan Soto singled for the NL, one of just three hits on the night for the Senior Circuit.
Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox capped off the scoring for the Junior Circuit with a solo home run in the eighth inning, the first extra-base hit of the game, to make it 4-0 in favor of the AL at Citizens Bank Park.
We have your one-stop shop for all things All-Star, from in-game updates and analysis to our MLB experts’ biggest takeaways after the final out in Philadelphia.
Takeaways from the All-Star Game
Jorge Castillo: There was a time when Cody Bellinger appeared destined for annual All-Star Game appearances. He burst onto the scene for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017, making the All-Star team and winning National League Rookie of the Year with 39 home runs and a .933 OPS. Two years later, he was an All-Star again and won NL MVP with 47 home runs and a 1.035 OPS. He was one of the faces of baseball. He was a superstar in Hollywood. And then he wasn’t.
Injuries and underperformance led to the Dodgers designating him for assignment after the 2022 season. He enjoyed a resurgence with the Chicago Cubs in 2023 and was an invaluable contributor for the New York Yankees last season. But Tuesday was his first All-Star Game appearance in seven years. Newly 31 years old with two young children, the All-Star nod was already especially meaningful before he delivered a two-run single in the first inning that eventually earned him MVP honors. It was a long road back, but Bellinger returned to the Midsummer Classic — and capitalized.
David Schoenfield: Did the AL deliver the most dominant pitching performance in All-Star history? They struck out 15 batters, one short of the nine-inning record of 16. They allowed three hits, tied for the second lowest total ever. Ten of the 11 AL pitchers used struck out at least one batter. Did it make for an exciting game? OK, no … but it shows the state of baseball in 2026: When the pitchers are on, even the best hitters in the world can’t touch them.
Eric Karabell: This wasn’t the most exciting All-Star Game on record, as the NL registered only three singles and barely put the ball in play, but Monday’s fantastic Home Run Derby, respectfully won by Jordan Walker, certainly balanced it out. I will remember forever the passionate Philadelphia crowd making sure everyone heard them the past two nights. Walker might be the MVP of the weekend, but the Philly fans are a close second.
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Pre-ASG predictions
Who will win the All-Star Game and by what score?
Jesse Rogers: The American League simply can’t compete this year — during the regular season or the All-Star Game. The injuries will catch up to them, whereas the National League won’t miss a beat, even without Jacob Misiorowski or Zack Wheeler playing. It’s the NL’s time to shine now — and in October. Let’s go with a 7-3 final.
Dave Schoenfield: The NL has been the far superior league this season, winning interleague play entering the All-Star break 237-196, good for a .547 winning percentage. Even without Shohei Ohtani, the NL lineup looks better, especially with Aaron Judge, Nick Kurtz and Byron Buxton injured and sitting out the game for the AL. So, of course, I’m picking the NL to win 8-6 in a rare high-scoring game as the ball flies out of Citizens Bank Park on a warm night in Philly.
Who is your All-Star Game MVP pick?
Jorge Castillo: Bryce Harper has a thing for the grand stage — see his hometown Home Run Derby win in 2018, his home run in the World Baseball Classic final and his postseason success — and he’s going to thrive off the home crowd energy. Harper will homer to win his first All-Star Game MVP and make it two straight Phillies to take the award after Kyle Schwarber earned the hardware last year.
Jeff Passan: Only five big leaguers have won multiple All-Star Game MVP awards — and just one in back-to-back seasons: Mike Trout in 2014-15. So perhaps it’s going out on a limb to suggest Kyle Schwarber will be the second. Coming off a bravura Home Run Derby performance, leading off for the National League and facing a starter in Dylan Cease who leans heavily on his high-octane fastball against the first batter off the game, Schwarber is in position to join Trout and Bo Jackson as the only players with leadoff homers in an All-Star Game.
What’s the matchup you are most excited to see?
Passan: Yordan Alvarez vs. Cristopher Sanchez. Power vs. power. The best hitter in baseball by a wide margin this season vs. the pitcher who at one point carried a streak of more than 50 consecutive scoreless innings. Particularly exciting is the possibility of Sanchez unfurling a rare same-sided changeup. Of the 746 changeups he has thrown this season, just 51 have come in left-on-left situations. Alvarez, meanwhile, is 1-for-6 against left-handed changes this season — with the one a home run against St. Louis reliever Jojo Romero. Alvarez will be looking to put a charge into the ball. Sanchez has devastated left-handed hitters with his change, limiting them to an MLB-best .054 wOBA. Something has to give. And when it does, it should be spectacular.
Schoenfield: Trout vs. insert pitcher here — hopefully we get at least three at-bats from him. He’s back playing in an All-Star Game for the first time since 2019, not far from where he grew up in New Jersey. He’ll be leading off the game against Sanchez, so that matchup will have as much excitement as any. Let’s see whether Sanchez forgoes his unhittable changeup and instead challenges Trout with fastballs. Talking with some of Trout’s AL All-Star teammates during media day on Monday, it was clear how much those players still respect his ability and stature in the game. Let’s see whether Trout can win a third All-Star MVP trophy.
Who is the one All-Star fans will know much better after tonight’s game?
Castillo: The Miami Marlins, in general, aren’t getting enough national love, which means Otto Lopez certainly isn’t getting his due. The shortstop leads the majors with a .334 batting average. His 4.3 fWAR ranks fifth in all of baseball. López might be the best player — and certainly the top MVP candidate — the average fan doesn’t know much about. His emergence from being designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays in February 2024 to a well-deserved All-Star selection while starring for a team competing for a postseason spot with the lowest payroll in the sport is astounding.
Rogers: Funny. My pick is St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker, who hit the big time Monday when he won the Home Run Derby, beating hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber. A different audience than the one watching the Netflix broadcast of the Derby will get a glimpse of Walker’s coming out party Tuesday. How about a double-double combo to go with that victory, with Walker’s NL winning along with him taking home MVP of the All-Star Game. His stardom will be cemented.
