We are less than a week away from the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia. The game’s best will descend on the city of brotherly love and fight for league superiority. While MLB has announced which players will be in the Midsummer Classic, the baseball team here at Blitz Sports decided to put together a list of who we believed was most deserving to start the Midsummer Classic. Here is the starting lineup and pitcher for the National League.
The Blitz Sports All-Star Starting Lineup for the National League
Catcher: Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies: Without question, Hunter Goodman is the best power-hitting catcher in baseball. In 85 games, he has slashed .251/.318/.545 with 27 home runs, 51 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 121. Now, many will write this off as him taking advantage of Coors Field, but Goodman has hit more homers on the road this season. He leads all NL catchers in home runs, Slugging%, and ISO. Goodman would put on a show during the All-Star Derby, and should throw his hat in the ring for the Home Run Derby.
First Base: Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves: MLB’s Iron Man is in the middle of another great season. In 90 games, he slashed .273/.343/.545 with 24 home runs, 57 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 142. He leads all National League first basemen in runs and home runs. With Matt Olson’s consistency and strong stats, he deserves celebration. The perfect way to do this is to give him a starting spot in the All-Star Game. It’s one of the best ways to honor his tremendous play.
Second Base: Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants: Nobody is better at making contact than Luis Arraez, and that has continued this season. In 86 games, he has slashed .327/.364/.462 with four home runs, 34 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 133. He leads all NL second basemen in batting average and wRC+. He is the textbook definition of an old-school contact hitter. The type of player that focuses on putting the ball in play and getting singles. It will give the All-Star Game a bit of a nostalgic vibe.
Shortstop: CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals: After years of waiting, CJ Abrams has seemed to put it all together. In 89 games this season, he has slashed .276/3.54/.509 with 19 home runs, 65 RBIs, and a 138 OPS+. He ranks in the top three in most statistical categories among NL shortstops. He is turning into the player the Nationals hoped he could be and is a reason for their success this season. An All-Star Game start is the best way to display his talent.
Third Base: Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers: After struggling the past few seasons, Max Muncy has returned to the player he was when he first joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 86 games, he has slashed .264/.357/.496 with 17 home runs, 40 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 134. He is on track to have his best season since 2021, the last time he was an All-Star. With so many star players on the Dodgers, giving Muncy the start at third base will show everyone just how important he is.
Right Field: James Wood, Washington Nationals: Another young National that is tearing the cover off the ball is James Wood. In 93 games, he has slashed .270/.400/.549 with 25 home runs, 61 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 162. He has been an on-base machine, having an NL-best 74 walks. He also leads the majors in runs scored. Without question, this will be the best season of Wood’s career. A start in the All-Star Game will be the cherry on top and give him the respect he deserves.
Center Field: Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies: One of the biggest surprises this season has been the play of Brandon Marsh. In 87 games, he has slashed .305/.339/.505 with 15 home runs, 46 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 123. While Marsh has always been a solid player, nobody saw this coming. It’s one of the biggest reasons the Philadelphia Phillies have been able to overcome their terrible start. A start in the All-Star Game in front of his home crowd will be a great moment for him.
Left Field: Juan Soto, New York Mets: While the New York Mets are having a terrible season, Juan Soto has been the exact opposite. In 73 games this season, he has slashed .299/.410/.575 with 20 home runs, 49 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 173. He leads the National League in On-Base%, Slugging%, OPS, and OPS+. Had the Mets been in a pennant race, he likely would be the favorite for the MVP award. But a start in the All-Star Game is a nice consolation prize.
Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers: You can not put together a National League All-Star team and not have the best player on the planet as a starter. In 84 games this season, he has slashed .294/.409/.541 with 20 home runs, 56 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 161. He is once again seen as the runaway favorite to be NL MVP, which would be his fifth MVP award in the last six years. An All-Star Game Start is just the latest in a long list of accolades.
Starting Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers: There are many options to start for the National League, but Jacob Misiorowski edges them all out. In 18 starts this season, he has an MLB-low 1.62 ERA in 111 innings with an MLB-high 167 strikeouts, 27 walks, an MLB-leading 0.757 WHIP, and an MLB-leading 263 ERA+. He also has the lone complete game in the majors this season. Giving him the start in the All-Star Game will show the world just how dominant he really is.
