Freddie Freeman leads 2026 MLB All-Star rosters and big snubs
Freddie Freeman will start at first base for the National League in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game on July 14 in Philadelphia, earning his 10th selection. MLB unveiled full rosters Saturday, with the Dodgers placing four starters while Brice Turang and Willson Contreras headline the biggest snub debates.
The rosters cap a Fourth of July weekend reveal ahead of the Midsummer Classic on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park. Starters were chosen by fans; reserves came from player ballots and commissioner selections, per CBS Sports.
Key Takeaways
- Freddie Freeman won the NL first-base fan vote over Matt Olson and joins Shohei Ohtani, Max Muncy and Andy Pages as Dodgers starters.
- The Dodgers, Braves and Phillies each sent five players, tying for the most selections in the majors.
- ESPN flagged Brice Turang and Willson Contreras as the biggest snubs, with Justin Wrobleski the top pitching omission.
- Aaron Judge and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were voted in but will not play; Bryce Harper joined via a commissioner "Legend Pick."
- Every MLB team has at least one All-Star, with 26 first-timers among the 64 players named.
Why did Freddie Freeman make the NL starting lineup?
Fans elected Freeman at first base during Phase 2 voting, which ran from June 29 through Thursday. He beat Atlanta's Matt Olson for the starting spot while Olson still made the roster as a reserve.
Freeman's selection is his 10th career All-Star nod, per the Los Angeles Times. He joins Ohtani, who led all players in votes and will start at designated hitter.
Commissioner Rob Manfred later added Phillies slugger Bryce Harper as a "Legend Pick," giving Philadelphia a hometown star even after Freeman and Olson won the first-base spots through fan and player voting.
Who were the biggest All-Star snubs in 2026?
ESPN called Milwaukee's Brice Turang the clearest NL omission. Turang ranked seventh in Baseball-Reference WAR and eighth in FanGraphs WAR among NL position players, yet lost the second-base starter vote to Ozzie Albies and a reserve spot to Luis Arraez.
On the AL side, Boston's Willson Contreras posted the highest fWAR of any position player left off the roster. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was voted in as the starting first baseman despite a .265 average and four home runs, though Guerrero later declined the invitation to rest a sore back.
Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski drew attention as the top pitching snub. He entered the break at 10-2 with a 2.80 ERA, yet was not selected. The LA Times noted he could still appear as an injury replacement.
Why do the Dodgers, Braves and Phillies lead the roster count?
Los Angeles placed four players in the NL starting lineup for the first time since 1980, when Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Reggie Smith all started. Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined as a pitcher, giving the Dodgers five All-Stars tied with Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Atlanta sent Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Chris Sale and Raisel Iglesias. Philadelphia sent Brandon Marsh, Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sanchez and Jhoan Duran. Marsh was among five first-time starters leaguewide.
In the American League, the Yankees, Blue Jays and Rays topped the circuit with four selections each. Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement was a surprise Phase 1 vote leader alongside Guerrero, Dylan Cease and Louis Varland.
Which stars will miss the 2026 All-Star Game?
Judge was voted into the AL outfield but will not play because of a rib injury; Cody Bellinger replaces him. Guerrero also bowed out, opening his starting spot for Oakland's Nick Kurtz.
Ohtani is expected to hit only. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said a right biceps issue could lead the club to have Ohtani skip his last pre-break pitching start, making a mound appearance unlikely.
NL manager Dave Roberts and AL skipper John Schneider will choose starting pitchers in the coming days. For more roster fallout across sports and entertainment, follow our Celebrity Breaking News coverage.