Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper wanted to make sure all the first-time All-Stars got a chance to enjoy the moment.
There's so much hype, excitement, and thrill leading up to All-Star Weekend.
The city of Philadelphia had to wait over half a decade from the time it was announced that Citizens Bank Park would host all the festivities to actually seeing it come to fruition.
Once the event comes, it flies by, and Philadelphia Phillies superstar shared a message with all the young All-Stars, stressing that they take a moment to stop, soak it all in, and truly understand the accomplishment of being named to the Midsummer Classic roster.
"I just told everybody, 'Enjoy this moment, enjoy with your friends and your families as well... It all goes by quick,'" Harper said he told the team.
Between the two rosters, there were a combined 36 first-time All-Stars who either got a chance to compete in the game or, at the very least, took part in all the events. On top of that, 11 players named All-Stars were under the age of 25.
Harper also said he found it fun and enjoyable to be around all of the young players.
"Amazing thing for our game. Obviously, it's going in a great direction. The Phillies are kind of an older team, I would say. So it's nice to be able to have guys around that are younger, and they're hungry, and it's a lot of fun to watch," said Harper about the youth.
Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) reacts during the sixth inning for the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesHarper is the perfect player to deliever this speech. He knows what it's like to have expectations at a young age and perform on one of baseball's biggest stages.
The now 33-year-old's first All-Star Game was back in 2012, when a chunk of the current roster was still in grade school, or in the freshman year of high school.
Now, it's Harper's turn to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of ballplayers, following his 15 years in the league and eight previous All-Star nods.
Many of the players named All-Stars will be back next year, or the year after. However, there will also be a group of players who never get the chance to play in the Midsummer Classic again.
Hopefully, everyone listened to Harper's message, took in the moment, and has a memory from the All-Star Game they'll be able to share with their families for years to come.
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