​The Philadelphia Phillies added another All-Star to their ranks for the upcoming game in Philadelphia after a surprising announcement earlier this week. Starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo will represent the National League in this year’s Midsummer Classic, having been chosen as an injury replacement on July 7. He will step into the lineup after pitchers Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates opted not to pitch in the event, since both threw in their teams’ regular-season games just three days before the showcase.
Luzardo began the season slowly, but he has shown improvement recently. He is currently fifth in MLB in strikeouts and has allowed just one earned run in three of his last five starts. This marks his first All-Star appearance. The Phillies will have six players selected for the game, including first baseman Bryce Harper, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, outfielder Brandon Marsh, and fellow pitchers Christopher Sánchez and Jhoan Duran, in addition to Luzardo. This haul gives Philadelphia the most All-Star selections of any team, surpassing the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, who each have five representatives.
Luzardo is scheduled to make his next start on July 9 when the Phillies take on the Cincinnati Reds. In the meantime, the team continues to push toward solidness in a tightly contested season. A notable omission from the NL All-Star roster so far is Phillies starter Zack Wheeler, who has been one of the league’s best pitchers despite missing the first month of the season. Wheeler’s numbers remain strong: in 14 starts he’s 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA, a 0.908 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts across 87 innings. After being passed over for a selection, Wheeler delivered a season-high 14 strikeouts while allowing one earned run in seven innings in a win over the Reds on July 7.
Wheeler is no stranger to the All-Star stage, having earned invites in 2012, 2024, and 2025, and he’s also posted two runner-up finishes in the NL Cy Young Award voting along with a ninth-place finish last season. The All-Star tradition continues to evolve for the Phillies, who hope Luzardo’s presence provides a strong spark for the National League in Philadelphia’s home spotlight.
Date: Tuesday, July 14
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Location: Philadelphia
TV: FOX
Stream: FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app, and Fubo
Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at apdenn@delawareonline.com. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal and is being republished to support improved search visibility.