4 Takeaways From MLB’s All-Star Roster Reveal: Mike Trout Is Back; Dodgers Take Over
The full slate of 2026 MLB All-Star Game starters is set, featuring stacked lineups oozing with star power on both sides. The American League will send C Shea Langeliers, 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 2B Ernie Clement, SS Bobby Witt Jr., 3B Junior Caminero, DH Yordan Alvarez and an outfield of Mike Trout, Byron Buxton and Aaron Judge to Philadelphia. The National League counters with C Drake Baldwin, 1B Freddie Freeman, 2B Ozzie Albies, SS CJ Abrams, 3B Max Muncy, DH Shohei Ohtani and an outfield trio of Brandon Marsh, Juan Soto and Andy Pages. From a loaded Dodgers contingent to first-time starters finally getting their due to a hometown hero taking the field in his own ballpark, this year’s group of starters offers plenty to unpack heading into the Midsummer Classic on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park. Here’s a closer look at the biggest takeaways behind the names. 1. Mike Trout Is Back At The Midsummer Classic As long as he’s healthy enough to take the field, this will be Trout’s first All-Star start since 2019, breaking a stretch of injury-shortened seasons that had removed the future Hall of Famer from the summer festivities. Before landing on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, Trout was putting together a genuinely excellent season. He has a 145 OPS+, 17 home runs and 2.8 WAR through 74 games. His 12 career All-Star selections lead all active players. There’s a storybook element to it, too. Philadelphia’s Midsummer Classic is just 40 miles from Trout’s hometown of Millville, New Jersey. The 34-year-old outfielder actually grew up a supporter of Philadelphia sports, best known as a die-hard Eagles fan. Trout has said he’s hoping to be healthy enough to play in front of that hometown crowd. Judge, by contrast, won’t be back from his rib injury until after the All-Star break, making Trout’s potential return timeline all the more meaningful for the AL lineup. 2. The Dodgers’ Quartet Takes Centerstage The Dodgers are sending four starters to Philadelphia, headlined by Shohei Ohtani, who extended his All-Star record by earning a sixth consecutive fan election at designated hitter after winning Phase 1 of the voting outright. Before this streak, no player had been the starting DH at the All-Star Game for more than three years in a row. Hall of Famer David Ortiz was the last, starting as DH from 2011-13. Joining Ohtani as fan-voted Dodgers starters are first baseman Freddie Freeman, third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Andy Pages. This is Freeman’s 10th All-Star selection and the sixth start of his career after comfortably leading Matt Olson throughout Phase 2 of the voting. It’s also a milestone for Muncy, who earned his first All-Star selection as a starter (third of his 11-year career). Muncy is the first Dodgers third baseman to start the Midsummer Classic since Ron Cey in 1977. Pages rounds out the group after a last-minute jump from fourth place to third place in the NL voting process. It’s a continuation of the Dodgers’ outsized presence at the All-Star Game in recent years, with the four starters reflecting both the club’s star power and its fan base’s voting muscle. Four starting nods give Los Angeles more representation in the NL lineup than any other team. The only other teams to have multiple All-Star Game starters are the Atlanta Braves (catcher Drake Baldwin and second baseman Ozzie Albies) and the Toronto Blue Jays (first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and second baseman Ernie Clement). 3. Bobby Witt Jr. Earns First All-Star Start It’s pretty stunning that this is the first time in his five-year career Witt was voted in as an All-Star Game starter. Given his MVP-caliber performances since he jumped on the scene in 2022, you’d think Witt had accumulated a few of these already. Witt lost the starting shortstop job to Gunnar Henderson in 2024, and he was a reserve once again in 2025, narrowly missing out on the starting lineup to Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson last year. This year, Witt overwhelmingly held off the runner-up, Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez. He’s just the third Royals shortstop to start the Midsummer Classic, joining Freddie Patek (1978) and Alcides Escobar (2015). Witt, who recently celebrated his 26th birthday, is finally getting the recognition his numbers have long deserved. This season, he leads the AL in WAR (4.7) and stolen bases (29) to support a .290/.362/.470 slash line and 135 OPS+. His 93 hits are the fifth-most in the AL, continuing his rise as one of the brightest young stars in the game. Witt’s first-career ASG selection comes in the same year he suited up as the starting shortstop for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. 4. Philly’s Only Starter: Brandon Marsh Marsh is making his first career All-Star start, and he’ll do it in the best possible spot: right at home, in front of Phillies fans at Citizens Bank Park. Marsh beat out teammates Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner as the only starter to represent the Phillies. Schwarber made the team, as did Harper, who was a “Legend” pick by commissioner Rob Manfred. Marsh led all NL outfielders in a crowded field through much of the fan voting process, ultimately knocking out other serious contenders at the position. Andy Pages and Juan Soto are the other starters in the outfield, while Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Corbin Carroll and Jordan Walker are the reserves. This is Marsh’s sixth MLB season, and the lefty-swinging outfielder is quietly riding a career year that’s made him one of the most productive NL outfielders in the first half. Marsh’s .315 batting average is among the top-five best marks across all qualified major-league hitters. He has 15 home runs, an .870 OPS, and 46 RBI through 83 games. Besides being known for his perpetually wet hair, Marsh wasn’t in the national spotlight much before this season. Now, the best season of his career is being validated in the starriest way possible.
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