The Phillies are set to host the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and that alone should make the local spotlight feel extra bright. Brandon Marsh looks like a strong candidate to get there, Kyle Schwarber should be in the mix, Cristopher Sanchez could even be the NL’s starter, and Zack Wheeler and Jhoan Duran are also names to watch.
But the one prediction that would really set off Phillies fans is this: Bryce Harper getting left out.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer is projecting Harper to be snubbed from the NL All-Star roster, even though Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson are expected to make it.
Rymer’s forecast has Freeman starting at first base and Olson backing him up, while Harper is nowhere on the list. That would be a tough sell in any year, but especially with the game coming to Philadelphia.
Rymer’s projected NL reserves include William Contreras, Brice Turang, Hunter Goodman, Luis Arraez, JJ Wetherholt, Otto Lopez, Pete-Crow Armstrong, Corbin Carroll, James Wood, and Schwarber. In other words, five Phillies make the cut in his prediction, but Harper does not.
And that’s where the frustration would come from. There’s no rule that says the roster can only carry two first basemen, so Harper could still fit even if Freeman and Olson are both included. Instead, the prediction leaves out a player who has put together a strong season by just about any measure.
Harper has 2.4 bWAR, 85 hits, 56 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples, 20 homers, 57 RBIs, five stolen bases, 53 walks, a .274 batting average, and a .906 OPS that ranks fifth among all NL hitters this season. His 141 OPS+ is ninth in the league, and he also hit for the cycle this year.
He’s been a major part of the Phillies climbing out of a 9-19 hole to get back within 2.5 games in the NL East. With those numbers, plus the fact that the All-Star Game is being played in Philadelphia, Harper missing the roster would be a stunner.
He’s earned the honor, and if he were left off, Phillies fans would have every reason to be furious.
In Other News...
Phillies Send Down A Starter Right After He Earned Another Look
The Phillies are making another adjustment to their pitching mix as the All-Star break approaches, optioning Andrew Painter and right-hander Alan Rangel to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Rangel had just earned a longer look in the rotation, and his recent turn gave the club a chance to see how he might fit if they needed another starter down the stretch.
Philadelphia only has to cover the back end of the rotation one more time before the break, and a bullpen game remains in play for next week. Even with the move back to Lehigh Valley, Rangel still looks like a pitcher the Phillies could lean on again later this summer if the need arises. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Are Trying Another Bullpen Fix Fans Have Seen Before
After splitting a four-game series with the Pirates, the Phillies turned their attention to a three-game set with the Royals and made another bullpen adjustment along the way. Alan Rangel was sent back to the minors, and Tanner Banks was recalled to give the relief group another left-handed option as the club keeps searching for more stability in the middle innings.
Banks has been through this kind of reset before, and the Phillies are clearly hoping a return to the majors helps him settle in. His season has been marked by a 5.86 ERA and control issues, which have made his outings harder to trust, but the organization is giving him another chance to clean things up while the bullpen continues to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Steal Philadelphias All-Star Spotlight From The Phillies
Philadelphia is set to host the 2026 NL All-Star Game, and that alone should make the week feel like a showcase for the home club. But one early projection from Bleacher Report suggests the spotlight could tilt in an unexpected direction, with Atlanta forecast to arrive in town as the leagues biggest All-Star contingent. For a Phillies team that expects to be part of the center of the summer baseball conversation, it is the kind of wrinkle that would make the event feel a little less like a homecoming and a little more like a challenge.
Zachary D. Rymers prediction has the Braves sending seven players to the game, a total that would lead the National League if it holds up. The list also comes with some built-in debate about how the roster would be chosen, since not every projected Atlanta name looks like a lock on merit. Philadelphia, meanwhile, is forecast to have a strong showing of its own, but the broader picture is clear enough already: if this projection proves accurate, the All-Star spotlight in Philly could end up shining just as brightly on the visitors as on the team that calls the city home. [Read more 🡒]