Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
PHILADELPHIA, PA — With Philadelphia already starting its festivities ahead of Major League Baseball’s 2026 All-Star Game scheduled for this coming Tuesday, July 14th, Phillies All-Star Cristopher Sánchez made one final case in being named the starting pitcher for the National League in the 96th Midsummer Classic at his home ballpark.
The 29-year-old left-hander, hailing from La Romana, Dominican Republic, fresh off a 2025 NL LatinoMVP Pitcher of the Year Award winning campaign, tossed seven innings against the Tigers Saturday to help secure the Phillies with a 4-2 road victory—his ninth start of the 2026 season of going seven innings or more.
Allowing two runs across 10 hits, one HR, and a walk, Sánchez, earning the win, his 11th of 2026, recorded seven strikeouts to mark 144 on the year—the second most in the NL behind Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (167) while also in front of fellow Phillies All-Star teammate Jesús Luzardo (136) by eight Ks.
Cristopher Sánchez, snubbed from last year’s All-Star Game, now has the chance to start in this year’s Midsummer Classic for the National League at his home ballpark of Citizens Bank Park – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
When asked of Sánchez potentially starting the ASG for the National League in a recent interview with Latino Sports last month, Luzardo said:
“I think it’d be great. Coming off last year and (how) he wasn’t able to make it even though he should have been in, you know, I think he earned the right. It’d be awesome to see and I’m sure he’d be really happy to do it as well.”
José Alvarado, Sánchez’s teammate since he made his MLB debut in 2021, added: “He’s the best. I’m so happy for him and everything he’s doing right now. I’m so proud of him and everybody here in this club would say the same thing.”
On the same topic, Phillies All-Star closer Jhoan Durán, 2024 ASG MVP, said: “He (Sánchez) does everything he needs to do and is always doing what the team needs to win. He’s the man. Nothing surprises me with him because I know what he can do out there.”
| 2026 Statistics | Games Started | Record | ERA | Strikeouts | WHIP | Innings Pitched |
| Cristopher Sánchez | 20 | 11-4 | 2.62 | 144 | 1.19 | 127.1 |
| Jacob Misiorowski | 18 | 10-4 | 1.62 | 167 | 0.76 | 111.0 |
Despite most numbers and season statistics favoring Misiorowski when it comes to the 2026 head-to-head vs. Sánchez, Milwaukee announced Saturday that the franchise’s flamethrower would be unable to go in Sunday’s series finale against the Pirates, who are starting Paul Skenes, due to arm fatigue. Additionally, he will miss Tuesday’s ASG in Philadelphia.
“It (stinks) to miss a start and the All-Star Game, but I know it’s the right thing to do in this situation,” the 24-year-old said. “My arm is a little tired.”
It’s all a waiting game from here to see who will be named the starting pitchers for the American and National League in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
All-Star starting pitching assignments will be announced at some point in the next 48 hours but until then, it is all a waiting game to see if Sánchez is the one called upon for the NL.
If so, Sánchez would become the first Dominican-born pitcher to start a MLB All-Star Game since Johnny Cueto (San Pedro de Macoris, D.R.) in 2016 and the first MLB pitcher to get a starting ASG nod on the mound of his home ballpark since Clayton Kershaw in 2022.
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