AL Pitchers Fan 9 Through 5 Innings in 2026 All-Star Game as Sánchez, Cease Start

Q: Will Netflix's new Home Run Derby format create more buzz than the actual All-Star Game itself?

Probably not overall, though it may win the social-media conversation on Monday night. Netflix has given the Home Run Derby several buzz advantages: it is a new exclusive platform, it has a redesigned swing-based format meant to create cleaner drama, and it features strong local and national hooks with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero and Munetaka Murakami. Netflix is also treating it as a major live event, which tends to amplify attention beyond baseball media. But the All-Star Game still has the broader stage. It airs on FOX in prime time, carries the weight of the sport’s signature midsummer event, and includes more stars, more storylines and more casual-viewer reach. Even with injuries sidelining Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, the game still offers Mike Trout’s return, a wave of first-time All-Stars, elite young hitters and high-velocity pitchers, plus the possibility of another swing-off after last year’s dramatic finish. The biggest limit on the Derby’s ability to out-buzz the game is access. Netflix exclusivity can create novelty, but it can also narrow the audience compared with broadcast television. The Derby may generate sharper online reaction because of the format change and streaming debut, yet the All-Star Game is more likely to command the larger total audience and the wider mainstream attention. So the likeliest outcome is split attention: the Derby creates a spike of excitement, while the All-Star Game remains the bigger overall event.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 15

Nine strikeouts through five innings gave the American League early pitching control Tuesday night in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.
Dylan Cease started for the AL and Cristopher Sánchez opened for the NL, with Sánchez drawing extra attention as the hometown Phillies ace.
Both starters became their league's first All-Star Game opening pitchers since Roy Halladay, adding a historical note to the matchup.
The game features stars including Mike Trout, Bobby Witt Jr. and Cody Bellinger for the AL, and Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman and Kyle Schwarber for the NL.
Bragging rights are at stake, but the All-Star Game no longer determines World Series home-field advantage.