Cristopher Sánchez has a 2.62 ERA over 127 1/3 innings with 144 strikeouts. Mitchell Leff / Getty Images
July 12, 2026 Updated 1:44 pm EDT
PHILADELPHIA — Cristopher Sánchez, the lanky lefty who has morphed into one of the sport’s best pitchers, will have a slice of the national spotlight Tuesday night as the National League’s starting pitcher for the All-Star Game at his home ballpark.
Sánchez, the 29-year-old Philadelphia Phillies ace, was the obvious choice. Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski and Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani dropped out of the game with injuries. Sánchez will be the third Phillies player in the game’s starting lineup; Brandon Marsh was voted by fans into the outfield, and Kyle Schwarber will replace Ohtani as the designated hitter. The New York Post first reported that Sánchez was chosen as the starter.
Sánchez, who was snubbed from the Midsummer Classic last season, has a 2.62 ERA in 127 1/3 innings this season. He’s struck out 144 batters, second-most in the NL. He finished second in Cy Young Award voting in 2025 and he’ll contend for the honor again in 2026.
It’s fitting that his All-Star moment will come at Citizens Bank Park. Few pitchers in the league have performed as Sánchez has at home during his career. He has a staggering 0.86 ERA in 73 innings at home in 2026.
His 1.76 ERA at Citizens Bank Park since the beginning of the 2024 season ranks as the best home mark for any qualified starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Sánchez’s transformation from a rotation afterthought to one of the finest strike-throwers in MLB has gained attention as he’s continued to excel. Now, he’ll throw the first pitch in the 96th All-Star Game.
Jul 12, 2026
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle