Where The Story Turns
Voting for the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game opened this week, with the 96th edition of the Midsummer Classic scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.
Fan voting will determine the starting position players and designated hitters for both the American League and National League teams. The process unfolds across two distinct phases, the first of which is now underway and runs through noon ET on June 25.
The list looks clean on paper; the hard part is everything that happens after it is printed.
During this initial phase, fans may cast up to five votes per day online at MLB.com/vote or through the MLB App and MLB Ballpark App, with an additional sixth vote available via the mobile platform. Each of MLB's 30 teams has nominated one player for each infield position and designated hitter, along with three candidates for the outfield spots.
The Stakes In Plain Sight
Once the first phase concludes, the candidate pool will be trimmed to two players per infield position and designated hitter, with six outfielders remaining for each league. The leading vote-getter in each league automatically secures a starting spot.
The second phase begins at noon ET on June 29 and closes at noon ET on July 2. During this three-day window, fans may vote once daily for one finalist at each open infield position and designated hitter, and for three outfielders per league.
The fan-voted starting lineups will be revealed on July 2, with the full 32-player rosters announced on July 6. The remaining roster spots, including 23 reserves and pitchers, will be filled through a combination of player ballots and selections by the commissioner's office. By league rule, every team must have at least one representative.
The Question Left Open
Starting pitchers will be selected by the respective managers: Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League and John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League. Those managers will also set the batting order.
All-Star week in Philadelphia extends beyond the game itself, featuring the HBCU Classic on July 10, the MLB Draft beginning July 11, the Futures Game on July 12, and the Home Run Derby on July 13.