Citizens Bank Park in Philly is absolutely buzzing for the 96th Midsummer Classic, but let's be real, it's starting without a couple of the game's biggest names. Shohei Ohtani is out managing a knee injury, and Aaron Judge has been sidelined since early June with a rib fracture. On top of that, Jacob Misiorowski got scratched with arm fatigue and Paul Skenes pitched Sunday, so he's a no-go too. Rough, right?
The Mound Matchup and The Monster Bats Stepping Up
So yeah, a few huge names are missing, but this isn't some beer-league softball game. We've still got serious talent ready to rock. The NL is sending Phillies pitcher Christopher Sánchez to the bump in his home stadium, which is gonna be electric. Over on the AL side, Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease gets the nod, and you know he's gonna bring the heat. And the bats? Oh man, the AL lineup is stacked right out of the gate. Angels legend Mike Trout is leading off, fresh off a stint on the IL, so you know he's ready to show out. Right behind him, batting second, is Astros DH Yordan Álvarez. The dude is absolutely crushing it, leading all of MLB with a ridiculous **1.059 OPS** and **31 home runs**. Thirty-one! On the NL side, Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber is batting lead-off in front of his hometown crowd, even after falling short to Jordan Walker in the Home Run Derby final yesterday. That's a lot of power coming to the plate.The Pokémon Glove That's Stealing the Show (Even Without the Pitcher)
Speaking of Jacob Misiorowski, yeah, he's out with arm fatigue after missing his last start. But get this, the Brewers' fireballer still made waves in Philly this week with arguably the coolest glove ever. He showed off a custom-made Pokémon-themed glove, complete with a Charizard card *inside* it and his last name written in Pokémon font in those classic red, yellow, and orange colors. The dude might not be pitching, but his glove is definitely an All-Star! So tonight, it's all going down at Citizens Bank Park. Even with some big names sidelined, you know this 96th Midsummer Classic is gonna be a blast. Tune in at 8 p.m. ET on Fox and get ready for some baseball action. Let's see who steps up and owns the night!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.