Phillies Acquire League-Leading 8th All-Star as Sánchez Replaces Chris Sale of Atlanta

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez will make his All-Star Game debut, replacing Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale, who is scheduled to start for the Braves and therefore will not participate in the Midsummer Classic. This addition brings the Phillies’ total All-Star players to eight, setting a franchise record. The All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday evening at the Texas Rangers’ stadium, with Philadelphia leading the MLB with at least 60 wins before the break.
Sánchez’s inclusion marks the 38th first-time All-Star and the ninth replacement player, with five coming from the National League, bringing the total number of All-Stars to 73. The 27-year-old Sánchez boasts a 7-4 record with a 2.96 ERA, coming off a solid performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start.
Sánchez joins Phillies teammates Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suárez in the All-Star Game, with the Phillies also represented by Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Jeff Hoffman, and Matt Strahm. Meanwhile, Sale, with his MLB-leading 12th win, will miss the All-Star Game for the Braves as he continues pitching dominance.
In other All-Star roster adjustments, Minnesota’s Willi Castro, Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, and Jordan Westburg were added to the American League team in place of injured players. Additionally, NL replacements were named for injured stars such as Zach Wheeler, Mookie Betts, Tyler Glasnow, and Fernando Tatis Jr., while Marcus Semien of the Texas Rangers will replace the injured Jose Altuve in the AL starting lineup.
Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene, and San Francisco’s Heliot Ramos are among the NL players stepping in for injured All-Stars. Skenes is expected to start the game for the National League despite just 11 starts under his belt.