headtopics
MLB All-Star Game 2026: Starters and Key Players to Watch A look at the starters and reserves for the 96th All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, featuring top talents like Nick Kurtz, Ernie Clement, and Junior Caminero, along with updates on injured stars like Aaron Judge and Mike Trout.
The 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, showcasing the sport's brightest stars.
The starting lineups, reserves, and pitchers were announced on Saturday following two phases of fan voting, with remaining spots determined by a players' ballot and the commissioner's office.
This year's selection includes several first-time starters, reigning award winners, and veterans making their mark on the midsummer classic.
In the American League, first baseman Nick Kurtz earns the starting nod after top vote-getter Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
declined to play due to a lingering lower back issue.
Kurtz, the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year, is having an even stronger sophomore campaign.He leads the majors in walks with 76 and ranks second in walk percentage (.189) and on-base percentage (.415).
When he makes contact, his power is elite, evidenced by his 99th percentile hard-hit rate.
At third base, Ernie Clement emerged as the top overall vote-getter in Phase 1, a remarkable rise for a fan favorite in Toronto who set a postseason record with 30 hits during the Blue Jays' 2025 championship run.Clement is among the hardest hitters to strike out, with a whiff rate of just 9.9%, placing him in the 97th percentile.
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., a standout in the World Baseball Classic, is a five-tool player in the 99th percentile for sprint speed and second in fielding range via outs above average.
Over five seasons, he has averaged 23.4 home runs, 81.8 RBIs, 35.6 stolen bases, and an .842 OPS.Third baseman Junior Caminero, also participating in the Home Run Derby, is making his second straight All-Star start but his first as a voted-in player.
Known as La Maxima, Caminero boasts elite bat speed averaging 79.9 mph, the best in baseball, and a hard-hit rate of 51.7%, a career best in the 93rd percentile.
Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge will not play due to a fractured rib that has sidelined him since early June, likely until August.Despite a down year, his Yankees fan base still voted him in as a reserve.
Outfielder Mike Trout, a three-time MVP and active career WAR leader at 90.5, has played in 74 of 91 games this season but has been out since June 18 with a strained right hamstring.
With the Angels struggling, trade speculation surrounds the Millville native and avid Eagles fan, a topic expected to dominate All-Star festivities.Byron Buxton, despite rumors of a trade, has said he is not interested in leaving the Twins.
At 32, he remains elite in sprint speed (98th percentile) and center field defense, and he is on pace to surpass his career-high 35 home runs with 25 already this season.
Catcher Shea Langeliers has notched his fourth straight 20-homer season, and his 102 homers since 2023 trail only Cal Raleigh (133).His offensive WAR of 3.9 in 2025 was second among catchers, and he follows with a 2.4 oWAR in 2026.
Designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, AL Rookie of the Year in 2019 and third in MVP voting in 2022, leads baseball in OPS, on-base percentage, and slugging.
His expected slugging percentage of .718 is a career high and the best in MLB.In the National League, first baseman Freddie Freeman has appeared in every All-Star Game from 2018 to 2026, the only player to do so.
This year marks his sixth start and third with the Dodgers.
Freeman's expected weighted on-base average of .391 is in the 96th percentile, up 40 points from 2025.Second baseman Ozzie Albies, after a hot start with a .908 OPS in April, has cooled to a .687 OPS since May 1.
However, he remains one of the toughest hitters to strike out and contributes decent power and speed.
The NL roster also features a mix of young talent and seasoned veterans, with several players making their All-Star debuts.The game promises to be a showcase of the best the sport has to offer, with fans eager to see the stars under the Philadelphia lights.