The 2026 All-Star Game festivities have come and gone. The dust has settled, and for the first time since 2024, the American League came away victorious by shutting out the National League 4-0 at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday.
Scoring was scarce on Tuesday, as the four runs the AL scored came in only two innings. Former Dodgers MVP Cody Bellinger had the deciding hit in his first All-Star Game since 2019, driving in two against Cristopher Sánchez. As a result of him driving in half of Tuesday’s final score, Bellinger was awarded with the All-Star Game MVP honors, becoming the first Yankee to do so since his teammate Giancarlo Stanton in 2022.
From being atop the baseball summit, to the pitfalls he experienced with the Dodgers in 2021-22, to reviving his career with the same organization his father played for, Tuesday marked a full-circle moment for Bellinger, as he envisioned being in the All-Star game regularly following his first three big league seasons, writes Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
“I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll be here every year,’” Bellinger said. “It took a long time to get back. It’s such a competitive league. It’s hard to be an All-Star. Health, performance, it all has to come together.”
Another former Dodger, though lacking the hardware Bellinger earned in Los Angeles, added the exclamation mark for this year’s Midsummer Classic. Miguel Vargas tattooed a 433 foot home run into the second deck of the left field bleachers against Justin Wrobleski, bringing the score to its final mark. With his home run, Vargas now joins Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordoñez as the only White Sox with a home run in the All-Star Game.
Vargas spoke with Tom Verducci of FOX Sports following the game, noting how making his All-Star debut felt just like his big league debut with the Dodgers back in 2022.
“It’s an unbelievable experience. I have no words to describe it, but I’m glad to be here and be around all these superstars.”
Last year, I noted that Andy Pages was a noticeable snub from last year’s All-Star Game. The situation was rectified this year with Pages being an actual starter, but it seems I wasn’t alone in my assessment last year. Freddie Freeman noted prior to Tuesday’s game that Pages should have been an All-Star last year as well, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“It should be his second. I think he should have had it last year,” said Freddie Freeman, who will be in the NL’s starting lineup alongside Pages at his 10th All-Star Game. “Andy has been great for a couple years now. So I’m glad he’s getting the recognition. I’m glad the fans are gonna get to see him in Philadelphia.”
Great minds think alike, Freddie.
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