Three of baseball’s biggest names — Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, and Los Angeles’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani — may all be absent from the All-Star mound next month, each facing scheduling or health obstacles. Meanwhile, four members of the reigning World Series champion Dodgers earned starting spots in the National League lineup.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout secured his 12th All-Star selection and first since 2023, based on results from the second round of fan voting announced Saturday by Major League Baseball. Trout, who grew up in Millville, New Jersey, near Philadelphia, was voted by fans to start for the eleventh time. He is hoping to return from a right hamstring strain suffered on June 17 in time for the game.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., one of four All-Stars from the American League champion club, announced he would not appear in the July 14 game at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park, citing a back problem that has nagged him for much of the season.
“Those four days will be great,” Guerrero said through a translator, “to come back strong in the second half.”
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, chosen for his eighth All-Star start, will also miss the game. He has been sidelined since May with a broken rib.
Skenes, who started the last two All-Star Games for the National League, is currently slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh on Tuesday and again on Sunday. The 24-year-old right-hander has gone 0-6 in his last nine outings, bringing his season record to 6-8 with a 3.62 ERA. He was selected by his fellow players, as was Misiorowski.
“To be honest, probably a little surprised,” Skenes said of being chosen.
Misiorowski has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball this season, averaging 100.4 mph on his fastball and leading all of Major League Baseball with a 1.47 ERA. He was an All-Star last season after appearing in just five big league games. He is also scheduled to pitch Sunday, making his All-Star appearance uncertain.
“We’re looking for September, October,” Misiorowski said Friday. “It sucks — obviously I want to throw in a game like that — but so be it.”
Ohtani, a three-time two-way All-Star and six-time selection overall, is unlikely to pitch in the game either. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said a right biceps issue will push Ohtani’s final start before the break to next weekend.
Freddie Freeman became a 10-time All-Star when he was announced Sunday alongside Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Andy Pages as winners in the second phase of fan voting, which ran from June 29 through Thursday. All three joined Ohtani, who had already claimed the NL designated hitter spot after leading all vote-getters in the first round of fan selection announced June 25.
The tightest race of the voting saw Pages edge Atlanta’s Michael Harris II by fewer than 5,000 votes for the third NL outfield spot.
The Dodgers now have four starters in the All-Star Game — something that hasn’t happened for the franchise since Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Reggie Smith all started in 1980. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was also added to the NL pitching staff by Major League Baseball through one of its six selections, giving the Dodgers five or more All-Stars for the seventh consecutive year.
Among the 64 players selected, 26 are first-time All-Stars, including four rookies: Cleveland second baseman Travis Bazzana, Detroit shortstop Kevin McGonigle, Cleveland left-hander Parker Messick, and Cincinnati third baseman Sal Stewart. McGonigle, at 21, is the youngest player in the game, while Boston closer Aroldis Chapman, 38, is the oldest.
Atlanta and the host Philadelphia Phillies each claimed five All-Stars. Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh was voted to start, and he’ll be joined by first baseman Bryce Harper, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, reliever Jhoan Duran, and left-hander Cristopher Sánchez. Harper was added as a legend pick by Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Atlanta catcher Drake Baldwin and second baseman Ozzie Albies were voted in as starters and will be accompanied by left-hander Chris Sale, a 10-time All-Star, and closer Raisel Iglesias.
Toronto’s four selections include Guerrero, second baseman Ernie Clement — who led AL players in the first round of voting — and pitchers Dylan Cease and Louis Varland.
“Our fan support is unlike any other team, obviously, because of the country backing you,” said Toronto manager John Schneider, who will manage the AL squad. “Not just Canada — I think a lot of baseball people really recognized how those guys play the game.”
Other elected AL starters include Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero, Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, and the Yankees’ Judge and Minnesota’s Byron Buxton in the outfield.
With Guerrero sitting out, the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz will take his place in the starting lineup. Judge will be replaced by Yankees teammate Cody Bellinger, with replacements determined by player, manager, and coach voting.
Bellinger earned his third All-Star selection, and first since 2019. “That’s going to be cool. Last time I had no kids or family or anything,” he said.
NL starters also include New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto and Washington shortstop CJ Abrams.
Other AL pitchers chosen by players include Boston’s Chapman, Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen, Minnesota’s Joe Ryan, the Yankees’ Cam Schlittler, and Cleveland’s Cade Smith. Additional NL pitchers voted in by players include Cincinnati’s Chase Burns and San Diego’s Mason Miller.
