The National League will frontload its batting order with left-handed hitters, while the American League will counter with mostly right-handers at the top for Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Philadelphia.
National League manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will open the game with potentially seven consecutive left-handed bats against right-hander Dylan Cease, the American League starter from the Toronto Blue Jays.
American League manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays will go with right-handed hitters in four of the first five spots of the lineup against left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, the National League starter from the host Philadelphia Phillies.
With the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani skipping the game to rest a sore knee, Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber will bat in the NL’s leadoff spot followed by 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.
The rest of the NL starting lineup will consist of the Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.
The AL leadoff spot will be filled by Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, who is from nearby Millville, N.J. The left-handed hitting Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros will bat next as the designated hitter, followed by a trio of right-handed bats: catcher Shea Langeliers (Athletics), third baseman Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays) and shortstop Bobby Will Jr. (Kansas City Royals).
Right fielder Cody Bellinger (New York Yankees), first baseman Ben Rice (Yankees), left fielder Riley Greene (Detroit Tigers) and second baseman Ernie Clement (Toronto Blue Jays) round out the AL batting order.
Sanchez becomes the 14th different pitcher to start an All-Star Game in his home ballpark and the first since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2022.
Cease, who was three outs away from throwing a no-hitter on Wednesday at San Francisco, is the fourth different Blue Jays pitcher to start an All-Star Game. The others are Dave Stieb (1983-84), David Wells (2000) and Hall of Famer Roy Halladay (2009).
