Still-too-early 2026 MLB All-Stars: AL, NL roster ...
Key takeaways
- The days of big-name players starting year after year -- like Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr. starting 11 consecutive All-Star Games -- or even being automatically named to the roster as reserves are gone.
- 1970s NL: 4.3 1970s AL: 3.7 1980s NL: 4.3 1980s AL: 3.5 1990s NL: 3.6 1990s AL: 5.0 2000s NL: 2.9 2000s AL: 3.3 2010s NL: 2.2 2010s AL: 3.8 2020s NL: 1.2 2020s AL: 1.6
- If All-Star starting lineups in recent years feel a little less star-studded than in the past, it's pretty clear that's exactly the case.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Will Cristopher Sanchez start the 2026 All-Star Game? Here are ESPN's still-too-early full AL and NL roster predictions. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images David Schoenfield Jun 9, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose Covers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions We're about a month away from MLB All-Star Game rosters being announced, so it's time for ESPN's still-too-early All-Star selections. As always, we have wonderful surprises and family-friendly debates for all ages. Get some popcorn and settle in.
On a certain level, the debate about who should start an All-Star Game has been resolved: "best first two months" has won out over "established star." This has led to some peculiar starters in recent years, like Jacob Wilson over Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop and Javier Baez in center field over Julio Rodriguez and Byron Buxton for the American League last year or Jurickson Profar and Alec Bohm starting for the National League in 2024.
The days of big-name players starting year after year -- like Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr. starting 11 consecutive All-Star Games -- or even being automatically named to the roster as reserves are gone. How much has this voting philosophy changed what starting lineups look like? I went back to 1970, when MLB reinstituted fan voting, and looked at how many of the same players started the previous All-Star Game (not counting the starting pitcher). The decade averages: