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Sanchez, Cease Named 2026 All-Star Starters; Cease Signs $210M

7/14/2026

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Summary

Sanchez, Cease Starters

Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies, 11-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 144 strikeouts, will start the National League in the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
Dylan Cease of Toronto Blue Jays, 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA, leads the AL with 148 strikeouts and a 13.6 K/9 rate, signed a seven-year $210 million contract, and will start the AL in 2026 All-Star Game.
Cam Schlittler opted out, leaving no AL replacement.

Summary

Stars Injured

Injuries have removed stars Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cam Schlittler, prompting roster changes that add ace Justin Verlander as a “Legend Pick” who will miss the game.
Record 29 rookies, including Ben Rice and Brandon Marsh, will debut.
Players fill 22 of 65 spots (33.8%) with four Australians and rookie Travis Bazzana, the fourth Aussie selected.
Fox will broadcast the game at 8 p.m. ET and stream it.

History

Historical Context

The 1994 MLB strike began on August 12, 1994, canceling the season’s All-Star Game and wiping out 948 games, costing owners $580 million. That labor clash devastated the Montreal Expos and reshaped broadcast deals. Six decades later, the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia will miss stars Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Justin Verlander, echoing the earlier talent vacuum.

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Sanchez, Cease Starters

Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies, 11-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 144 strikeouts, will start the National League in the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
Dylan Cease of Toronto Blue Jays, 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA, leads the AL with 148 strikeouts and a 13.6 K/9 rate, signed a seven-year $210 million contract, and will start the AL in 2026 All-Star Game.
Cam Schlittler opted out, leaving no AL replacement.

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