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Predicting the 2026 NL All-Star Roster

Originally posted on Just Baseball | By Daniel Fox | Last updated Jun 12, 2026 4:07 PM ET

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After predicting the American League All-Star roster earlier this week, I will shift my attention to the Senior Circuit, a league that has thus far been defined by young breakout position players and some of the most dominant pitcher performances in recent memory.

The rules for the roster are the same: 20 position players, 13* pitchers and at least one representative from each team. The one notable difference in the NL is Shohei Ohtani, who will count as both a position player and a pitcher.

As I did for the American League, I will also highlight some notable omissions who will be the next men up when the inevitable injury or opt-out occurs.

Predicting the NL Starting Lineup

DH Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
LF Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
1B Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
RF James Wood, Washington Nationals
CF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers
C Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
3B Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
SS Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins
2B Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
SP Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies

It hasn’t been Shohei Ohtani’s best season at the plate, as he is currently posting his lowest OPS since 2022 and his full-season isolated slugging percentage since 2019. Of course, a “down season” for Ohtani still results in a .305/.421/.543 slashline, more than good enough to warrant being selected as the leadoff hitter in this order.

After three tumultuous seasons to begin his big-league career, Jordan Walker is finally showing why he was once a consensus top-five prospect entering the 2023 season. He ranks inside the National League’s top five in home runs, total bases, and bWAR, a product of shaving over six points off both his strikeout and ground ball rate.

The catalyst of a Nationals lineup that surprisingly leads MLB in runs scored, James Wood has leveled up by cutting his strikeout rate below 30% while maintaining his elite power and plate discipline. His 62 runs scored and 56 walks both lead the National League, the latter of which represents a 5% increase from 2025.

Matt Olson continues to be every bit as steady as the man he replaced in Atlanta. He has once again played in all of the Braves in 68 games while posting an OPS+ above 140 for the third time in the last four seasons.

For all the superstars in the Dodgers lineup, it is the unheralded Andy Pages who has not only been their best position player but arguably the most valuable player in all of baseball. He leads MLB with a 3.7 bWAR and 56 RBI, combining steady production at the plate with elite center field defense.

In spite of an oblique injury that has cost him the last four weeks, Drake Baldwin has still been far and away the National League’s best catcher. His .931 OPS is nearly 100 points higher than any other qualified NL backstop, and he still possesses a healthy lead in WAR despite the missed time.

With the disappointing performances of veterans Manny Machado, Alex Bregman and Austin Riley, Max Muncy has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the starting National League third baseman spot. His 14 home runs are 106 total bases are more than any of his peers, and he is the only NL third baseman to surpass an .800 OPS.

In what is the closest race among National League position players, the criminally underrated Otto Lopez holds the narrowest of edges over Nationals star CJ Abrams. While Abrams has the edge in the power department, Lopez makes up the difference with an MLB-leading .344 batting average while being a far more capable defender.

Brice Turang has proved that his 2025 power surge wasn’t a fluke, setting new career highs with a .466 slugging percentage and an .852 OPS. That power has forced pitchers to attack him more carefully, which has in turn led to a 98th percentile walk rate of 16.4%.

The battle for National League All-Star Game starting pitcher is shaping up to be the most competitive in recent memory, as at least five different pitchers would get the nod in nearly any other year. Right now, Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez gets the nod thanks to an MLB-leading 5.0 bWAR and 1.85 FIP, but Chris Sale, Chase Burns, Shohei Ohtani, and especially Jacob Misiorowski are all right on his heels.

Predicting the NL Reserves

C Hunter Goodman, Rockies
1B Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
2B Brandon Lowe, Pittsburgh Pirates
2B Luis Arráez, San Francisco Giants
SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
3B Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants
OF Juan Soto, New York Mets
OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
OF Pete-Crow Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
OF Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves
DH Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies

Hunter Goodman has essentially hit copy-paste on his 2025 All-Star campaign, pacing all National League backstops in home runs (18) and total bases (123) for the second straight season. His advantage in volume stats will turn up the pressure on Baldwin to maintain his torrid pace when he returns from his oblique injury.

While his MVP peak might be behind him, Bryce Harper has been a remarkably steady offensive presence during the second half of his career. His .893 this season marks the fifth straight campaign he has posted an OPS+ between 129 and 146 while steering clear of the injury bug that has limited him to just 125 games per season during that span.

In a season full of pleasant surprises for the Pirates, perhaps none have been more impactful than the play of Brandon Lowe. The longtime Ray has not only posted his highest OPS (.857) and slugging percentage (.523) since 2021 but has registered 4 Outs Above Average at second base after posting a -14 mark in 2025.

Luis Arráez’s offensive prowess has been as advertised in his first season in San Francisco, as the three-time batting champion currently ranks third in MLB with a .327. His defense, however, has been simply stunning, as he has already registered 9 Outs Above Average after years of ranking as one of the worst defenders in all of baseball.

Though he isn’t quite able to beat out Lopez for the starting job, CJ Abrams has taken a massive leap forward in his age-25 season. His .905 OPS is over 150 points higher than any of his previous four seasons, and he is already approaching his career high in both home runs and stolen bases.

After an ice-cold start to the season, Matt Chapman has caught fire since the calendar turned to June, slashing .460/.548/1.000 with five home runs in his last 10 games. This torrid stretch, along with still-stellar defense, has him tied with Muncy for the third base lead in bWAR with 2.8.

In spite of the offensive streakiness and some lowlight-worthy defensive gaffes, Pete Crow-Armstrong has essentially turned in an exact replica of his breakout 2025 campaign. A red-hot start to June has pushed his OPS to .782, while his league-leading 12 Outs Above Average in center field has resulted in a 3.6 bWAR that trails only Pages among MLB position players.

Corbin Carroll has shown no ill effects from the hamate injury that forced him to bow out of the World Baseball Classic. He leads the National League in triples for the third straight year, powering him to a career-high .548 slugging percentage and .920 OPS.

Someone needs to be an All-Star representative from the floundering Mets, and Juan Soto is still the obvious choice despite a 5-for-34 start to June. While his .906 OPS would be his lowest mark since 2022, his underlying metrics are right in line with his career averages, and he has also graded out as an average defender after registering -14 Outs Above Average last season.

A frustratingly inconsistent player through his first four MLB seasons, Michael Harris II has finally put it all together for the first-place Braves. His .306 batting average and 139 OPS+ both represent new career highs, while his 6 Outs Above Average ranks in the 95th percentile.

Only the greatness of Ohtani can prevent Kyle Schwarber from batting in the middle of the National League’s starting lineup, but his MLB-leading 24 home runs are still plenty worthy of his fourth career All-Star selection.

Toughest Hitter Omissions

C Liam Hicks, Miami Marlins
1B Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds
1B Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
1B Jake Bauers, Milwaukee Brewers
2B Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins
2B JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals
2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
SS Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds (Injured)
3B Nolan Arenado, Arizona Diamondbacks
OF Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates (Injured)
OF Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs
OF Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies
OF Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants
OF Mickey Moniak, Colorado Rockies (Injured)
DH Casey Schmidt, San Francisco Giants

Predicting the NL Pitching Staff

SP Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies
SP Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers
SP Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds
SP Kyle Harrison, Milwaukee Brewers
SP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
SP Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
SP Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
SP Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies
SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
RP Mason Miller, San Diego Padres
RP Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia Phillies
RP Rasiel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves
RP Robert Suarez, Atlanta Braves

While Jacob Misiorowski was selected as a surprise All-Star last season after just five career appearances, this one is going to feel a little different. “The Miz” has been absolutely dominant this season, pitching to a 1.50 ERA and striking out an MLB-high 116 batters in 78 innings, and he could overtake Sanchez if he can close the innings pitched gap.

Perhaps overshadowed by fellow NL-Central fireballers Paul Skenes and Misiorowski, Chase Burns has enjoyed an electric breakout season of his own. The former second overall pick trails only Sanchez in bWAR while also ranking inside the top five in strikeouts (88) and ERA (2.14)

Fully recovered from September 2023 Tommy John surgery, Shohei Ohtani has been fully unleashed in 2026, and the results have been simply incredible. The two-way superstar has allowed just eight earned runs over 67.2 innings, overwhelming hitters with his upper 90s fastball and assortment of wipeout breaking pitches.

Though a Las Vegas shellacking at the hands of the Athletics put a dent in overall numbers, Kyle Harrison has thoroughly exceeded expectations in his first season in Milwaukee. Only his teammate Misiorowski can top his 11.6 K/9, and he has cut his walk rate to a career-low 7.3%.

By ERA, 2026 has been Paul Skenes’ worst season to date, but a look under the hood will show he has been just as dominant as ever. His 1.8 BB/9 and 10.5 K/9 are both better than his Cy Young 2025 season, and his 2.47 xERA is actually the lowest mark of his career.

After injuries wiped out much of his Red Sox tenure, Chris Sale has been a model of consistency with the Braves. The 37-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down, posting his lowest ERA (2.30) since 2018 and somehow setting a new career-high with a 95.9 average four-seam fastball velocity.

If there were any concerns about whether Zack Wheeler would regain his form after undergoing venous thoracic outlet decompression surgery, his first 9 starts of 2026 have provided a quick and decisive answer. The 36-year-old currently possesses a career-low 2.22 ERA, with his four-seam fastball (.106 opponents average, 30.7% whiff rate) proving just as dominant as ever.

It’s been business as usual for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as the World Series MVP is in the midst of another sub-3.00 ERA season despite trading in some strikeouts for better control. This isn’t to say that he can’t still get a punchout when he needs it, as his splitter and fastball both possess whiff rates north of 30%.

Save for a short IL stint due to an oblique strain, this may be Jhoan Duran’s best season to date. The Phillies closer has set a new career high with a 38.6% strikeout rate while cutting both his walk rate (5.7%) and FIP (1.34) to career–low levels.

It looked as if Rasiel Iglesias’ closer days might be coming to an end last year after he posted his highest ERA since 2019, but the 36-year-old has responded in a big way in 2026. Iglesias has converted all 13 of his save opportunities with a microscopic 1.21 ERA, striking out 26 batters against just four walks.

The second half of the game’s most dominant one-two punch, Robert Suarez has been everything the Braves could have hoped for after inking him to a 3-year, $45 million contract last winter. Suarez has allowed just two runs in his first 29.2 innings in Atlanta, posting career-low home run and walk rates and ranking in the 98th percentile or higher in both average exit velocity and chase percentage.

Mason Miller has unequivocally been the best closer in baseball this season and the biggest reason why the Padres have stayed afloat despite ranking 30th in MLB in runs scored. While he has cooled off slightly from the white-hot April that had him in way-too-early Cy Young conversations, Miller has still struck out over half the batters he has faced this season and converted all 18 of his save opportunities.