​Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies is slated to start Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in his home ballpark, pitching for the National League against Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays announced on Sunday that Cease will be the American League’s starter. NL manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers confirmed that Sánchez will be his choice to take the mound, praising the left-hander as a deserving choice and a hometown favorite who figure to energize the Philadelphia crowd.
“I think he deserves it. He’s the hometown ballplayer and I think the city of Philly will enjoy watching him and supporting him,” Roberts said. “I had a conversation with him this morning. He was very grateful. In a time when guys are not wanting to participate, this guy in the Midsummer Classic for the fans, I think this is a good thing. He’s very excited about pitching.”
Meanwhile, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed on Sunday that New York right-hander Cam Schlittler does not plan to pitch in the All-Star Game. Schlittler will still attend the event, but there will be no replacement named for the AL roster.
Sánchez has posted an 11-4 record with a 2.62 ERA this season and sits among the league leaders with 144 strikeouts. The left-hander also recorded a string of 50 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, a standout stretch in what has been a high-profile season across Major League Baseball. Earlier in the week, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, who led the majors in ERA (1.62), WHIP (0.76) and strikeouts (167), was removed from the All-Star picture after it became clear he would not be able to start for the Brewers on Sunday due to arm fatigue.
Cease, for his part, is 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA for the Blue Jays. He nearly threw his second career no-hitter Wednesday against San Francisco, but the bid was broken up in the ninth inning. Cease is the first Toronto pitcher to be named an All-Star starter since Roy Halladay in 2009.
Schlittler had been considered a strong candidate to get an AL opening, boasting an ERA of 2.05, the best in the league, but he pitched for the Yankees on Saturday. Boone explained that Schlittler would not be comfortable returning to throw on a recovery day after throwing 100 mph, noting the decision was made with consideration for the pitcher’s long-term responsibilities and the team’s needs in the second half of the season. “Just feels like on his recovery day to go back out there throwing 100 mph is something that I think he felt a little apprehensive about,” Boone said, adding that he supports Schlittler’s decision and that the player understands what’s at stake for the second half of the season for both the club and himself.
Schlittler remains a potential starter for the second-half opener against the Dodgers on Friday at Yankee Stadium, but his participation in the All-Star Game itself is not on the schedule. The dynamic around the AL and NL rosters continues to evolve as teams weigh health, readiness and strategic implications for the rest of the season, with several key arms set to be showcased in Seattle and beyond.
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