Philadelphia Phillies' ace Cristopher Sanchez will start for the National League during the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
A year ago, there was plenty of controversy over why Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez wasn’t named an All-Star, even though he clearly had the resume to be one.
Now, not only is the Phillies ace pitching in the Midsummer Classic, but he has also received a major honor. Sanchez was officially named the starting pitcher for the National League on Sunday afternoon.
Sanchez will be going up against Dylan Cease, who will start for the American League on Tuesday evening.
It worked out well for Sanchez that he didn’t pitch on Saturday or Sunday before the All-Star break, so he was available to throw in the game itself. This was part of the issue in 2025, which is why he didn’t even make the roster to begin with.
Of course, Sanchez starting the game means a lot, but it’ll be even more special with him doing so in front of his home crowd, with Philadelphia hosting All-Star weekend.
Dave Roberts, who will be managing the National League team, is clearly excited to watch Sanchez pitch.
“I think he deserves it. He's the hometown ballplayer. I think the city of Philly will enjoy watching, support him. I had a conversation with him this morning, with Donnie and the pitching," he said.
Jun 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesThe narrative of the host team's ace starting is certainly one of the best storylines heading into the All-Star Game. Still, this is an honor that Sanchez earned, not one that was given or handed to him.
The left-hander has truly been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this season. Sanchez has pitched to a 2.62 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP with a strikeout rate of 27.4 percent, a chase rate of nearly 39 percent, and a whiff rate of 32 percent.
During the first half of the season, Sanchez even had a historic April, in which he didn't allow an earned run for the entire month.
It's still unclear how many pitches or innings Sanchez will throw on Tuesday, but having him start the All-Star Game will be a great moment for him and the Phillies organization as a whole.
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