Pair of locals selected to lead off Tuesday's All Star Game

On Tuesday night in Philadelphia, two household names were given the honor of snagging the leadoff spot for each league.

Angels outfielder Mike Trout, a native of Millville, New Jersey, will finally see the bright lights in his hometown as the first batter for the American League. Trout, now in his 16th Major League season, earned a nod by compiling a 13 doubles, 18 home runs and 39 RBI with a .23 average over 78 games for the Southern California franchise. 

For the oft-injured soon-to-be-35-year-old, it is his 11th ASG nod and first since 2023. Trout a 3-time AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2012, had a streak of 8 consecutive Midsummer Classic bids from 2012 through 2019.

The home squad will have Kyle Schwarber as the leadoff man. Schwarber, 33, leads the entire majors with 32 longballs this year, and also tops the list with 144 strikeouts. Now in his 12th season and fifth in Philadelphia, the 4-time All Star (3 with the Phillies) is batting .254 with 59 RBI and 59 walks.

Sanchez to start All-Star Game for National League

Major League Baseball announced on Sunday that Dylan Cease would be the starting pitcher for the American League and Cristopher Sanchez would take the hill first for the host National League for Tuesday's All Star Game.

Sanchez, who ended the first half by working 7 innings for the win on Saturday, a 4-2 decision in Detroit, during which he struck out 7 and walked 1 while allowing 2 runs on 10 hits. The left-hander improved his record to 11-4 with a 2.62 earned-run average across 127 1/3 innings over 20 starts.

The left-hander, who earlier in the season gained a place in the record books by throwing more than 50 scoreless innings, will become the first Phils' hurler to kick off a Midsummer Classic since Roy Halladay at Chase Field in 2011. Halladay tossed 2 scoreless innings in a 5-1 victory for the Senior Circuit.

Five Phillies named to National League All Star roster

On July 14, for the first time since 1996, Philadelphia will host the annual Midsummer Classic. Unlike 30 years ago, the host franchise will have more than a token representative.

Major League Baseball on Saturday revealed that five members of the second place club in the National League East will rep the home squad: outfielder Brandon Marsh, first baseman Bryce Harper, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, along with pitchers Cristopher Sanchez, and Jhoan Duran.

Marsh, with his first career selection, will actually start for the Senior Circuit. Harper was named as a "Legend" pick by MLB commish Rob Manfred, while Schwarber will be a reserve. The 28-year-old is enjoying a career first half, hitting .315 with 15 homers -- one off his career best of 16 set in 2024 -- 15 doubles and 46 RBI over 83 games.

Harper is batting .274 with 16 doubles, 20 homers and 57 RBI in 88 games, while Schwarber continues to set a club record for the most round-trippers before the All-Star break, having slugged a major-league high of 30 in 84 contests. 

Sanchez rocketed up the rotation by going 10-3 with a 2.00 ERA over a major-league best 18 starts, while also compiling an MLB-high 117 innings pitched. The 29-year-old native of the Dominican made headlines earlier in the season by failing to allow a run for the entire month of May en route to 50-plus scoreless innings.

Duran has racked up a league-high 21 saves and 30 games finished alongside a 1.52 ERA despite a 1-3 record.

In 1996, in the midst of a season where they'd finish last in the NL East, the host Phillies lone All Star representative was reliever and current sports-talk radio host Ricky Bottalico.

Mattingly tabbed as "honorary" bench coach for NL All-Star squad

Although it might have just been a shoo-in given the game is scheduled for Citizens Bank Park, on Thursday, National League manager Dave Roberts -- from the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers -- named Phillies interim skipper Don Mattingly to be an honorary coach.

Mattingly, who arrived prior to the start of the season as bench coach for Rob Thomson's staff, was himself tabbed as head man on Apr. 28 when the Phils sputtered to a 9-19 record. Since the regime change, the Fightins have compiled a 35-17 mark heading into the finale of a 4-game series with the Washington Nationals.

The All-Star Game is scheduled for July 14. 

Philadelphia previously hosted the Midsummer Classic in 1996, 1976, 1952 and 1943.

Hartnell finally an All-Star

Despite scoring 25 goals in just over half a season, Scott Hartnell was about to be locked out of the All-Star Game, on January 29 in Ottawa.

But then, a slew of refusals and injuries popped up, and it was only a matter of time. That time is today, as everyone's favorite forward who has trouble staying upright on the ice will be headed to Canada's capital this weekend.

Adam Kimelman was the first to officially report the news, here.