When the National League and American League square off Tuesday at Philadelphia in the MLB All-Star Game, both managers have crafted their batting orders with one goal in mind: exploiting the opposing starting pitcher’s weaknesses.
National League skipper Dave Roberts, who manages the Los Angeles Dodgers, plans to send out as many as seven straight left-handed hitters to open the game against American League starter Dylan Cease, a right-hander from the Toronto Blue Jays.
On the other side, American League manager John Schneider — also of the Blue Jays — has loaded the top of his lineup with right-handed bats, placing them in four of the first five spots to face National League starter Cristopher Sanchez, a left-hander who pitches for the host Philadelphia Phillies.
With Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani sitting out due to a sore knee, Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber will lead off for the NL. Behind him: right fielder Juan Soto of the New York Mets, first baseman Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, shortstop CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, third baseman Max Muncy of the Dodgers, switch-hitting second baseman Ozzie Albies of the Atlanta Braves, and left fielder Brandon Marsh of the Phillies. Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin round out the National League’s starting nine.
In the American League lineup, Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout — a native of nearby Millville, N.J. — will bat leadoff. Left-handed designated hitter Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros hits second, followed by three consecutive right-handed bats: catcher Shea Langeliers of the Athletics, third baseman Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. The lineup is completed by right fielder Cody Bellinger and first baseman Ben Rice, both of the New York Yankees, left fielder Riley Greene of the Detroit Tigers, and second baseman Ernie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Sanchez makes history as the 14th pitcher ever to start an All-Star Game in his home ballpark, and the first to do so since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw accomplished the feat in 2022.
Cease brings his own storyline into the game, having come within just three outs of a no-hitter last Wednesday in San Francisco. He becomes only the fourth Blue Jays pitcher to ever start an All-Star Game, joining Dave Stieb, who started in both 1983 and 1984, David Wells in 2000, and Hall of Famer Roy Halladay in 2009.
