Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia hinges on a weather twist for the starting pitcher decision.
- One NL ace is set to pitch twice before the break, putting him on a short turnaround for the midseason classic.
- A rainout or delay this week could hand the start to the hometown favorite, shifting fan expectations and broadcast focus.
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia will host the MLB All-Star Game on July 14. It goes without saying that, in a just and perfect world, the hometown hero and local Cy Young candidate — Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez — would start on the mound.
That said, it's almost certain that, all things being equal, Milwaukee Brewers fireballer Jacob Misiorowski will start for the National League. Miz and Sánchez are tied for the MLB lead in pitching fWAR (4.3), but Misiorowski has a better ERA and more strikeouts. Plus, in the simplest of terms, he's box office. Sánchez is more methodical, understated in his demolition of opposing lineups; Misiorowski sets a new velocity record seemingly every week.
There is, however, one thing on Philadelphia's side potentially: Mother Nature.
Phillies need Mother Nature to hold off the rain this week
Misiorowski is currently scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, July 7, in the first half of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. He's scheduled to take the mound again five days later, on Sunday, July 12, against the Pittsburgh Pirates — the final regular-season game before the All-Star break.
If Miz makes those starts as scheduled, he will be ineligible to pitch in next Tuesday's All-Star Game. He'd still be an All-Star, but he would watch from the dugout, rather than risking even an inning of 105-mph magic on a short turnaround.
The only way Misiorowski pitches next week in Philly? If the heavens open up and rain disrupts the Brewers' current pitching schedule.
"I need it to rain all day [this Tuesday]," he told USA Today. "Obviously, with weather in the Midwest, you never know."
There is currently a chance for thunderstorms late Tuesday night in St. Louis, per USA Today, but Misiorowski is slated to pitch in the afternoon game. There is also a 40 percent chance of rain this coming Sunday in Pittsburgh, but it's too far out to predict the weather with any certainty.
Obviously, Phillies fans want Sánchez on the mound in the All-Star Game. If Mother Nature abides and the Brewers aren't rained out on Tuesday afternoon or Sunday evening, that very well may happen.
Which ace deserves to start for the National League?
The argument is neck-and-neck. The fWAR catch-all is equal on both fronts (4.3), far and away better than other National Leauge candidates. The NL Cy Young is shaping up to be a two-horse race. Sánchez has more innings (117.0), with the second-best NL ERA (2.00). He can pitch to contact or coax swing-and-miss will equal effectiveness. Misiorowski is the NL leader for ERA (1.47), strikeouts (156) and FIP (1.97), which measures a pitcher's success independent of the defense around them.
Sánchez, for what it's worth, has experienced his immense success despite having MLB's worst defense behind him. It's hard for a sinkerball pitcher like him to thrive when the infield is comprised of Alec Bohm, a reeling Trea Turner and an aging Bryce Harper, but Sánchez has been damn near flawless.
Misiorowski is undoubtedly harder to hit. That is an oversimplification, but it's also a simple truth. Beyond the velocity, he has improved his command tenfold since his rookie season and he's no longer a one-trick pony. The fastball fireworks are what keep him in the headlines, but Misiorowski's curveball can be equally devastating when hitters are expecting the heater.
He lets fewer opponents get on base. Sánchez allows more contact, but it's generally poor contact. It's exceedingly hard to tag Sánchez for a home run; he does not leave it up in the zone or over the heart of the plate. His command of location and spin is borderline unmatched. It's not as sexy, not as exciting, as watching Miz eradicate hitters with record heat, but it works. And Sánchez, more than anybody else in the league, can eat innings and give the Phillies bullpen some respite.
There's no wrong answer as to who "should" start. The hometown angle matters, but MLB fans outside of Philly probably want to watch Misiorowski. If the baseball gods design it so that Miz can't start, however, there should be no squabbling over Sánchez's merits when he takes the bump to raucous applause.
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