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If you like elite pitching, the 2026 MLB All-Star Game was for you.
Baseballs 96th Midsummer Classic is in the books, with the American League claiming a 40 victory over the National League in the first All-Star Game shutout in 13 years.
The game got off to a bit of a strange start, as Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez, who has pitched to a 0.86 ERA at Citizens Bank Park this year, expended 34 pitches in the top of the first inning while surrendering three earned runs on a pair of two-out hits.
Unfortunately, there were more fireworks launched at the ballpark than on the field from that point on thanks to a shutdown AL pitching staff that held the NL lineup to just three hits all game and racked up an ASG-record 15 strikeouts.
But while it may not have been the most exciting All-Star Game weve seen, there were still plenty of interesting moments that caught our attention.
Signing the lineup card What happens when the celebration of Americas 250th birthday meets the MLB All-Star Game in the birthplace of America, Philadelphia? Exactly what happened during the introductions of the managers and starting lineups, a yearly tradition that featured a patriotic twist at Citizens Bank Park.
As the managers and players were announced, they walked past several individuals dressed as Revolutionary War soldiers to arrive at a desk with a piece of parchment and a quill: ye olde lineup card.
Each AL and NL player and manager grabbed the quill and signed their names on the lineup card 250 years after the members of the Second Continental Congress grabbed their quills and signed their names on the Declaration of Independence at whats now called Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
We knew MLB was planning on celebrating the semiquincentennial at the All-Star Game, but we just didnt know how.
And that was a pretty cool way to do it.
Sanchez struggles Cristoher Sanchez did not have the start he was looking for in front of his hometown fans.
The Phillies ace lefty really struggled as the NLs starter and labored through a long first inning, allowing three runs.
After striking out Mike Trout to open the game, he allowed a single to Yordan Alvarez and walked Shea Langeliers.
Junior Caminero grounded out to Sanchez, but Alvarez and Langeliers advanced.
Sanchez got ahead of Bobby Witt Jr.
02, but lost control and ended up walking him.
Thats when things went off the rails.
Cody Bellinger hammered a 22 sinker to center, scoring Alvarez and Langeliers and giving the AL a 20 lead.
Bellingers Yankees teammate Ben Rice followed with a single that scored Witt Jr.
to increase the lead to 30.
Sanchez struck out Riley Greene to end the inning, but the damage was done.
In the end, he allowed three runs on three hits while walking two.
He threw 34 pitches, and only 18 went for strikes.
Bellinger wound up winning All-Star MVP honors for his two-run single that ended up providing half of the games runs.
Cease and Langeliers micd up In the bottom of the first inning, the Fox broadcast had AL starter Dylan Cease and catcher Shea Langeliers micd up.
While the volume was too low, it was fascinating to hear Cease and Langeliers discuss what they wanted to throw while Joe Davis and John Smoltz talked to them.
At one point while facing Juan Soto, Cease said, Front door sinkers probably a bad idea, huh? Lets do it.
Soto popped the pitch up.
He followed with a 98 mph fastball down and away that Soto swung right through.
It was a cool feature that needs a bit of refinement, but was a fun wrinkle nonetheless and certainly better than most of the in-game and dugout interviews we saw.
Cease was dominant in that first inning, striking out Kyle Schwarber and Soto before walking Freddie Freeman.
He was able to strike out CJ Abrams to end his outing on a high note and set the tone for the AL.
Caminero exits after HBP by Riley OBrien The game did briefly take fans breath away in the top of the third inning, but not for a good reason.
Cardinals relief pitcher Riley OBrien, facing Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, went too far up and inside with a 97-mph sinker and plunked the AL slugger on his left hand.
Caminero immediately crumpled to the ground and writhed in pain as OBrien grimaced at what was undoubtedly a pitch that simply got away.
But as Caminero lay in the dirt at Citizens Bank Park, it wasnt difficult for the mind to wander and fear the worst: a potentially serious injury in an All-Star Game, which, despite all the pomp and circumstance, is a glorifiedand meaninglessexhibition game.
Fortunately, Caminero, who was hustled to the clubhouse to get X-rays by a Phillies team doctor, had the tests come back negative, a huge sigh of relief for baseball fans and most of all, the Rays.
Caminero, who leads the Rays in runs scored, home runs, walks and OPS, has not missed a game yet this season.
Theres no telling if the slugger will miss any time for the first-place Rays, but he at least avoided the worst-case scenario on Tuesday night.
Bryce Harper issues first-ever All-Star Game ABS challenge, with a twist In the top of the sixth, hometown hero Bryce Harper was micd up for his first at-bat of the evening, and got ahead with a 21 count while facing Guardians reliever Cade Smith.
On the next pitch, Smith uncorked a 99 mph fastball on the inner half and Harper watched it go by for a strike.
Then he tapped his helmet to initiate the first ABS challenge in All-Star Game history.
After he did it, Harper looked at home plate umpire Alan Porter and said, Hey we havent done it yet, why not? Harper then smiled and said, Thats a strike, before the review had even begun.
It seemed like he knew it was correctly called and just wanted to do the challenge for fun.
Harper swung and missed a nasty 88 mph splitter on the next pitch to strike out.
Miguel Vargass moonshot What a difference two years makes.
Two summers ago, Miguel Vargas was traded from the contending Dodgers to a White Sox team that finished with a modern-record 121 losses in 2024.
That trade ended up being a blessing in disguise, however.
Now hes an All-Star for the first time in his career for the first-place White Sox.
And on Tuesday night, he made a name for himself on the national stage, clobbering a hanging slider from NL pitcher Justin Wrobleski 433 feet into the left field seats.
Vargass home run is tied for the third-longest All-Star Game dinger in the Statcast era.
Oh, and it was even sweeter that it came against a Dodgers pitcher.
Sandlot tribute In the best moment of the night, MLB paid tribute to one of the greatest baseball scenes in movie history.
Before the top of the fifth inning, a video showed a group of young players hopping on bicycles while a J.K.
Simmons voiceover extolled the virtues of the sport.
Eventually, the sounds of Ray Charless magical rendition of America the Beautiful began playing, and it was clear where this was headed.
Soon fireworks began lighting up the sky and it was clear: MLB had pulled off an incredible version of the July 4th sequence from The Sandlot.
I dont need to add more words to this one, just watch: Beautiful.
Simply beautiful.
More MLB from Sports Illustrated Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated.
He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024.
Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report.
He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana Universitys journalism program.
Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball.
Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University.
When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike.
A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.