All-Star - Baseball Wiretap

Major League Baseball will eliminate the clock from its Home Run Derby next month, reverting to a swing-based format for the first time since 2014, people briefed on the decision told The Athletic Wednesday.

The event is scheduled for July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, beginning at 8 p.m. ET, and marks Netflix's debut as the derby's television home after ESPN held the rights since the 1990s.

Under the new rules, hitters will receive 20 swings in the first round and 15 in each of the final two rounds. If a batter homers on his final swing of any round, he earns an additional attempt and may keep hitting until he fails to go deep.

Ties in the first round will be settled by longest home run. In the second and third rounds, tied competitors will receive three additional swings each.

Eight hitters will compete in the opening round, with the top four advancing. The second round shifts to a head-to-head format, with the top first-round finisher matched against the lowest qualifier and the second and third seeds squaring off.

Player feedback drove the format change. Under the previous clock-based system, hitters rushed through swings to maximize attempts in the closing seconds, leading to fatigue. The swing-based structure allows competitors to pause and build tension between attempts.

Netflix, which became an MLB broadcast partner this season on a three-year deal worth approximately $50 million annually, sought input from the league and players on ways to improve the viewing experience.

The previous format allotted three minutes or 40 pitches in the first round and two minutes or 27 pitches in subsequent rounds, with bonus periods for outs and long home runs.

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads all players in the first balloting update for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, while Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros tops American League voting, according to MLB.

Ohtani has received 1,165,133 total votes, the most among all players. The four-time unanimous MVP is batting .302 with 14 home runs and 41 RBI this season and is seeking his sixth career All-Star selection.

Phase 1 voting continues through 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 25. Fans can cast up to five votes daily through MLB platforms, with the option for a sixth vote through KONAMI's mobile game eBaseball MLB Pro Spirit.

The top two vote-getters at each position, along with the top six outfielders in each league, will be revealed Thursday on MLB Network at 6 p.m. ET. Those players advance to Phase 2, which determines the starters for each league.

Atlanta, which holds the best record in baseball at 46-25, placed three players among NL leaders. Drake Baldwin leads NL catchers with 972,813 votes, while Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. also rank among the top vote-getters at their positions.

Dodgers teammates Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy lead voting at first and third base in the National League. Andy Pages leads NL outfielders, while CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals tops shortstops in a tight race over Mookie Betts and Elly De La Cruz.

Alvarez has totaled 1,015,768 votes, trailing only Ohtani across both leagues. He is followed by George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays and Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays among AL designated hitters.

Aaron Judge and Mike Trout lead AL outfield voting, followed by Cody Bellinger. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Ernie Clement lead at first and second base for the Blue Jays, while Bobby Witt Jr. tops AL shortstops and Junior Caminero leads at third base for Tampa Bay.

Phase 2 voting begins June 29 and runs through July 2, with vote totals resetting for that round. The full 2026 All-Star rosters will be announced July 4 during the MLB All-Star Game Selection Show.

The Chicago Cubs will host the 2027 MLB All-Star Game at Wrigley Field, which previously hosted the marquee event in 1947, 1962 and 1990.

Philadelphia will host next year’s Midsummer Classic, in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and a callback to 1976, when Veterans Stadium hosted the All-Star Game during the nation’s bicentennial.

The Cubs have been lobbying to host the event following their $1 billion Wrigleyville project that renovated the ballpark and developed the surrounding neighborhood. 

“There’s no better place for the All-Star Game,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Everybody’s excited about it. Players are thrilled with it.”

Despite an excellent first half to the season, Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi wasn't selected as an All-Star this year, but the team made sure that he'll be paid like one.

Despite the snub, Eovaldi was given the $100,000 All-Star bonus in his contract by the Rangers after he posted a 1.58 ERA with 94 strikeouts over 91 innings. Teammate Jacob deGrom, who was selected as an All-Star, also received a $100,000 bonus.

Kyle Schwarber, a man built to smash baseballs over the wall, has never won a Home Run Derby. He lost in the finals in 2018 and failed to advance out of the first round four years later.

But on Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Phillies slugger made home run history on the All-Star stage, pulverizing three pitches in three swings in the first swing-off to decide an All-Star Game, giving the National League a 4-3 home run edge to beat the American League at Truist Park after the score was tied at 6-6 through nine innings.

The performance was enough for Schwarber to win MVP honors in a game that began and ended with historic firsts.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday defended his decision to add Milwaukee Brewers rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski to the All-Star Game, despite criticism over the selection.

Misiorowski has pitched in only five games, a record low for an All-Star, creating a debate between those who say the game is for the most deserving players and those who say the game is for the fans.

Cal Raleigh defeated Junior Caminero to win the 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby. Raleigh is the first catcher to ever win the competition. 

Final
Cal Raleigh (18) vs. Junior Caminero (15)

Semifinal
3. Byron Buxton (7) vs. 2. Junior Caminero (8)
4. Cal Raleigh (19) vs. 1. Oneil Cruz (13)

First round
1. James Wood: 16 home runs (eliminated)
2. Brent Rooker: 17 home runs (eliminated)
3. Junior Caminero: 21 home runs
4. Oneil Cruz: 21 home runs
5. Byron Buxton: 20 home runs
6. Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 3 home runs (eliminated)
7. Cal Raleigh: 17 home runs
8. Matt Olson: 15 home runs (eliminated)

Multiple Phillies players ripped Major League Baseball's decision to add Jacob Misiorowski to the National League All-Star roster, questioning the selection process and citing the Brewers rookie's lack of experience in the majors.

MLB announced Friday that the hard-throwing Misiorowski, who has made just five starts for Milwaukee, would replace Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd on the NL roster.

The Phillies, already miffed at what they perceived to be a number of All-Star snubs on their roster, voiced their resentment later Friday night.

"What a joke," shortstop Trea Turner told The Athletic. "That's f---ing terrible. I mean that's terrible, dude."

The addition of Milwaukee Brewers rookie phenom pitcher Jacob Misiorowski to the National League All-Star team drew mixed reactions around Major League Baseball.

Some players and fans expressed their frustrations on social media over a player with only five starts in the majors being added to the NL roster instead of other players who have put up as good, if not better, numbers during the first half of the season.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who will manage the NL squad Tuesday in Atlanta, is on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes and Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal were named All-Star Game starters and will open the contest Tuesday at Atlanta for the National League and American League, respectively.

Skenes was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers' Dave Roberts, who will manage the National League, while Skubal was selected by the New York Yankees' Aaron Boone, who will manage the American League.