Ohtani tops votes as Dodgers place 4 in NL ASG lineup
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- Shohei Ohtani led all players in fan votes and will start at designated hitter for the NL, joined by Dodgers teammates Freddie Freeman at first base, Max Muncy at third, and Andy Pages in the outfield.
- The 2026 All-Star Game is set for July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, where Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez is the favorite to start for the NL given his Cy Young candidacy and the opportunity to pitch in his home ballpark.
- The Dodgers, Braves, and Phillies each have five All-Star selections, with Los Angeles extending a streak of at least five All-Stars in seven consecutive seasons as the first-place Dodgers pursue becoming the first NL team to win three straight championships.
- The rosters feature a notable rookie class — Cleveland's Travis Bazzana and Parker Messick, Detroit's Kevin McGonigle, and Cincinnati's Sal Stewart — all making their first All-Star teams.
- Five of the nine NL starters are first-time All-Stars (Langeliers, Clement, Baldwin, Marsh, Pages), while Mike Trout makes his 12th All-Star appearance, his first since 2023 after missing last year's event with a hand injury.
- MLB will return to players wearing their original team uniforms, bucking the recent trend of specialized jerseys for the Midsummer Classic.
- The AL starting lineup is led by top vote-getter Ernie Clement alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bobby Witt Jr., Junior Caminero, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Byron Buxton, with the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Rays each placing four players on the AL roster.
Why it matters: The Dodgers placing four players in the starting lineup underscores their dynasty bid as they chase a third consecutive World Series title — something no NL team has accomplished — while Sanchez, a Cy Young frontrunner, gets a home-park case to start on the NL mound in Philadelphia.
