Ace right-hander Cristopher Sánchez of the host Philadelphia Phillies will start the All-Star Game for the National League on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. His counterpart will be right-hander Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays, who will start for the American League. 

The 29-year-old Sánchez recently earned his second career All-Star selection, and this will mark his first starting assignment in the Midsummer Classic. At present, he boasts an ERA+ of 174, which ranks fourth in the NL among qualifiers. Sánchez also leads all NL pitchers in WAR, and his strikeout tally of 144 ranks second. Sánchez did endure a uncharacteristically rough start on July 6, when he permitted nine runs in 3 ⅓ to an otherwise lackluster Royals offense, but he rebounded in his final start of the first half to put up a strong outing against the surging Tigers. 

NL manager Dave Roberts’ options were limited after Shohei Ohtani of his own Dodgers pulled out of the All-Star Game because of ongoing left knee issues. As well, young Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski will not be available to pitch on Tuesday because of fatigue. Still, the overall body of work makes Sánchez a fitting choice for the honor, and he’s also coming off a 2025 campaign in which he finished runner-up in the NL Cy Young vote.

“I think he deserves it,” Roberts said on Sunday (via the Los Angeles Times). “He’s the hometown ball player. I think the city of Philly will enjoy watching, support him.”

Sánchez’s starting nod adds to what should be a decidedly Philly flavor for the host team and their fans. The night before Sánchez’s start, Phillies teammates Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will take part in the Home Run Derby. Sánchez will be the first Phillies pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Roy Halladay in 2011. He also joins a group of pitchers to start in their home ballparks that includes Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers, 2022), Max Scherzer (Nationals, 2018) and Matt Harvey (Mets, 2013).

As for Cease, he’s a first-time All-Star this season, and in 2026 — his first since signing a $175 million free-agent pact with the Blue Jays — is turning out to be perhaps his best to date. Cease leads the AL at the break in strikeouts and in FIP with a sparkling figure of 2.18. Cease’s current ERA+ of 177 ranks second in the AL only to that of Cam Schlittler of the Yankees. Although this is Cease’s debut as an All-Star, he’s been an established frontline starter for years. Twice before he’s finished in the top five of the Cy Young vote, and he’s on his way to making at least 30 starts for a sixth straight season. For AL manager John Schneider, tabbing his ace was a very defensible choice. 

Coincidentally, Halladay is also the last Blue Jay to start the All-Star Game, as he earned the nod for Toronto in 2009.