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The 96th iteration of the Midsummer Classic is a wrap, and for the 11th time in 13 years, the American League came out on top.
This time, it came behind a dominant pitching performance that saw the first shutout in 13 years, when the AL blanked the NL 3-0 in 2013. On Tuesday, the AL fanned NL batters 15 times and gave up just three hits, with starter Dylan Cease setting the tone by striking out the side in the top of the first inning.
The AL opened the scoring early, when the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez paid the price for a pair of early walks at the hands of back-to-back singles from Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice. Bellinger, who was named MVP after the game, drove in two runs with his hit while Rice drove in one. Later in the game, former Dodgers prospect Miguel Vargas became the third White Sox player to homer at the All-Star game, joining Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez. In the end, it was a hat on a hat, as the AL won 4-0.
The game didn’t have the fireworks of last year’s swing off, but the Philly faithful did get to see all six of their representatives, with Jhoan Duran bookending Sanchez as the starting and finishing pitchers for the NL. Bryce Harper got a nice ovation from the fans when he stepped up to the plate as a “Legend Pick,” and Juan Soto fought through the boos to get one of the NL’s three hits in the game.
All-in-all, it was a dominant pitching performance where a few bats able to poke through at just the right times. Now, players can turn their attention to the second half of the season, while fans are now squarely in trade deadline speculation season.
USA TODAY Sports followed the All-Star Game live from Philadelphia. Here’s how it went down:
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Sal Stewart chops a ball back to the mound and Baker throws him out with ease, giving the AL its 11th win in 13 years by a score of 4-0.
Aroldis Chapman gets two outs, but John Schneider goes to the pen for what will likely be the last time. Bryan Baker will pitch in his first All-Star Game, looking to complete the shutout for the AL.
Despite a weak hit given up to Arozarena, Duran gets the next two hitters to ground out and end the inning. The Red Sox’ Aroldis Chapman comes on looking to close things out.
Dave Roberts kind of ran out of time to use all of his arms. After Padres superstar Mason Miller faces Munetaka Murakami, Roberts goes to the pen to bring Jhoan Duran in in his home park. He’ll see the Mariners’ Randy Arozarena first.
The last time an All-Star team was shut out was the National League in 2013 in a 3-0 AL win. The pitchers in that game? Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, Felix Hernandez, Matt Moore, Grant Balfour, Greg Holland, Brett Cecil, Steve Delabar, Mariano Rivera, and Joe Nathan.
Pete Crow-Armstrong has been on an absolute tear for the Cubs, and he singles against Louis Varland with one out. The NL is looking to string something, anything together and close this gap before heading into the ninth.
One of the biggest surprises of the first half of the season has been the Chicago White Sox, and one of their All-Stars hit the game’s first extra-base hit, a solo home run to deep left field. The American League now leads 4-0.
The American League has used seven pitchers, and those arms have combined to strike out 13 National League hitters. The Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first, while Michael Wacha of the Royals, Joe Ryan of the Twins and Cade Smith of the Guardians each K’d two.
Reds rookie Sal Stewart drew a two-out walk against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving the National League only its third baserunner of the game. The NL has one hit (Mets’ Juan Soto) and ne other walk (Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman).
The Rangers’ Jacob Latz relieved Rasmussen and struck out Luis Arraez to end the seventh.
Another inning, another dominant pitcher performance. The Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski strikes out the side for the NL, and we now enter the seventh inning stretch in a 3-0 game with the AL still on top.
With Cade Smith on the mound, Bryce Harper comes up and gets a huge ovation. He shakes the umpire’s hand, but strikes out and walks off muttering “that’s disgusting guys.”
Despite allowing a hit to Willson Contreras, Iglesias turns in a clean sheet for the NL. Pitching continues to dominate in this one.
Kevin McGonigle steps up and hits it sharply, but it’s fielded cleanly and he’s put out at first. Raisel Iglesias is on the mound for the NL.
Nick Martinez gets through the inning clean, punctuated by a gorgeous play up the middle by Ernie Clement, who backhands it and makes a jumping throw to first. Great play by the Jays 2B.
One of baseball’s best stories, the Nationals’ Foster Griffin takes the mound for the NL. A 30-year-old rookie who pitched in Japan for three years, he gets through the inning clean. Pitching continues to dominate.
After giving up that hit to Soto, Ryan gets the next three batters in order, with a pair of strikeouts to boot. We head to the top of the fifth.
Rays fans, exhale. Junior Caminero gets an x-ray at CBP and it comes back negative, so initial prognosis on the star hitter is good. Obviously more tests to be done, but it’s a good sign early on.
Juan Soto gets a hit for the NL, and Freddie Freeman comes up with a runner on first and no one out. The Twins’ Joe Ryan is now pitching for the AL.
There’s hardly time to breath in this game, as now Luzardo throws a 1-2-3 inning. At the halfway mark in this game, the top of the first remains the only blemish on the scoresheet for either side. The NL comes back up to the plate looking to make up some ground.
AL tosses another clean inning
The thing about the All-Star Game? The pitchers are All-Stars too. Michael Wacha gets through the third for the AL, and now Jesus Luzardo will take over for the NL with William Contreras taking on the other side of the battery.
Despite some traffic on the basepaths, O’Brien gets the NL out of the inning unscathed. We go into the bottom of the third in a 3-0 game. Updates on Caminero will come in as available.
Riley O’Brien hits the Rays’ Junior Caminero and injures the Tampa Bay slugger, who exits the game. It appears to hit his hand, so now we wait for an update.
Parker Messick comes out and gets Brett Marsh looking to sit the NL down 1-2-3 and hold it scoreless for the second straight inning. After three runs in the top of the first, pitching seems to have settled in here in the early going.
Eduardo Rodriguez sits the AL down in just eight pitches, and after a lengthy first, we’re already heading into the bottom of the second. Quite a performance from the Diamondbacks starter.
After walking Freeman, Cease returns to form with a strikeout of Abrams. He strikes out the side, and the AL comes back up to the plate.
After striking out Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto, Cease walks Freeman in a full count. Rather than using PitchCom, Cease is declaring his pitches on-air with a feed alongside Shea Langeliers, with John Smoltz occasionally weighing in on pitch selection. CJ Abrams comes up in the cleanup spot.
Sanchez stops the bleeding, striking out Riley Greene to end the inning and send the NL up to bat. It will be in a hole to start, but there’s likely plenty of scoring to come in this one.
The Yankees are representing well! This time it’s Ben Rice, another lefty taking Sanchez up the middle to drive in the third AL run of the inning. Sanchez is still in for now with the No. 8 hitter coming up.
Cristopher Sanchez in an early jam
Yordan Alvarez muscles a hit into center and Sanchez walks two of the next three batters to get into a bases loaded jam against Cody Bellinger. Bellinger takes a 2-2 sinker that stays middle-middle and plates two, making it 2-0 AL here in the first inning. Normally so sure against left-handed bats, Sanchez has allowed two hits to lefties here in the early going.
In what might be the most fan-friendly matchup in the game, Sanchez strikes out Trout with a nasty 88 mph changeup to log the first out of the game. Exhibition or regular season, that is truly one of baseball’s most deadly pitches.
Sanchez is on the mound for the NL, as the AL gets ready to start us off in Philly. Sanchez comes in with a 2.62 ERA and a 144-25 strikeout to walk ratio. Sanchez throws to Trout to start, who fouls it off to go 0-1.
Philadelphia’s own Patti LaBelle belts the national anthem, turning in a powerful performance.
Introductions have wrapped at the All-Star game, and Philadelphia fans were their usual accommodating selves. Where Kevin McGonigle, Mike Trout, and every Phillies player got strong welcomes, NL East players were met with outpourings of boos, particularly Juan Soto and the Dodgers representing.
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For the NL, Dave Roberts will go with hometown ace Cristopher Sánchez, who has been outstanding for the Phillies. Here’s a look at the full NL batting order.
Starting pitcher: Philadelphia Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez
- DH Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
- LF Juan Soto, New York Mets
- 1B Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
- SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
- 3B Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
- RF Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies
- CF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers
- C Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
Dylan Cease takes the bump for his manager John Schneider and the American League, as he will start on the mound for the AL. Here’s a look at the starters:
Starting pitcher: Toronto Blue Jays RHP Dylan Cease
- CF Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
- DH Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
- C, Shea Langeliers, Athletics
- 3B Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
- SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
- RF Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
- 1B Ben Rice, New York Yankees
- LF Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers
- 2B Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays
What TV channel is the MLB All-Star Game on today?
- TV channel: Fox
- Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo
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.
MLB All-Star Game start time today
- Date: Tuesday, July 14
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
The first pitch for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.
