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The 2025 MLB All-Star Game will be held Tuesday night at Truist Park in Atlanta, and, as of Sunday, 79 players have been named All-Stars. Seventy-nine! That's broken down into 40 All-Stars in the American League and 39 All-Stars in the National League once you include injury and workload replacements.

Among those 79 players is Brewers righty Jacob Misiorowski, who was added to the All-Star roster despite making only five career starts. That has led to some consternation across big-league clubhouses. Several pitchers, including Phillies lefty Ranger Suárez, reportedly declined All-Star invites that MLB extended with the stipulation they pitch in the game.

Given all the roster updates and the sheer number of players going to the All-Star Game this season, here's an explainer on how the rosters are put together, and how replacements are selected.

Who picks the initial All-Star rosters?

Initially, All-Star rosters are 32 players per league -- 20 position players plus 12 pitchers -- plus any legends selections made by commissioner Rob Manfred. (Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw is a legends selection for the NL this year.) Roster selection is set forth by Article XV(N) of the collective bargaining agreement. It's codified, not based on vibes. Here is the process:

  • Starting position players selected via fan voting.
  • Player voting selects the next nine position players plus five starting pitchers and three relievers.
  • The commissioner's office selects the rest of the roster.

The All-Star managers, this year Aaron Boone (Yankees) and Dave Roberts (Dodgers), no longer select players. Back in the day the All-Star managers filled out several roster spots and inevitably chose a bunch of their own players. It was a perk of the job. That is no longer the case. Fan voting and player voting build most of the roster, and the commissioner's office fills in the gaps.

What if a starting position player has to be replaced?

This part is easy. If a position player voted as a starter by the fans is unable to play, he is replaced by whoever finished next in the voting. This happened this year. Guardians third baseman José Ramírez was voted in as the AL starter, but will not play due to nagging injuries. Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman finished second in the fan voting, but he will also skip the game with injury. Rays third baseman Junior Caminero finished third in the fan voting and will step into the starting lineup. Easy peasy.

What if a reserve position player or pitcher has to be replaced?

This has become a hot topic lately because so many pitchers have withdrawn from the All-Star Game for workload reasons, including Hunter Brown (Astros), Garrett Crochet (Red Sox), Jacob deGrom (Rangers), Max Fried (Yankees), and Zack Wheeler (Phillies). Some position players withdraw as well, though it is not nearly as common as it is with pitchers.

Again, the replacement process is laid out in the collective bargaining agreement. Here is the process for selecting All-Star replacements:

  • A position player is replaced by the next player on the player ballot as long as he finished in the top three of the voting.
  • A starting pitcher is replaced by the next player on the player ballot as long as he finished in the top five of the voting.
  • A relief pitcher is replaced by the next player on the player ballot as long as he finished in the top three of the voting.

Once the player ballot has been exhausted (top five starting pitchers, top three position players, top three relievers), the pick falls to the commissioner's office. This is what allowed MLB to float an invite to Suárez before moving on to Misiorowski. The top five starting pitchers on the player ballot were either in the All-Star Game already, or had withdrawn from the game.

Pitchers who start the Sunday before the All-Star Game are eligible to be added to the ASG rosters. This leads us to the most confusing snub of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game: Phillies left-hander Christopher Sánchez. Sánchez is pitching on Sunday against the Padres (and enters with 2.59 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 18 starts). 

Per a report from The Athletic, MLB only would name Sánchez an All-Star if he agreed to make himself available to pitch in Tuesday's Midsummer Classic. MLB passed over Sánchez, apparently thinking he would not be able to throw in the All-Star Game. Sánchez's agent, Gene Mato, disputed that to The Athletic, saying "he is willing to pitch no matter what." For reasons that are not exactly clear, Sánchez will not officially be an All-Star this year, but the Phillies did agree to pay him the $50,000 All-Star bonus in his contract.

Here's how the current Collective Bargaining Agreement addresses "usage accommodations" for All-Stars starters who pitch on Sunday.

If a Usage Accommodation is granted by the Office of the Commissioner to a Sunday Pitcher, the specifics of the accommodation will be discussed and agreed upon by the Player in question, his Club and the Field Manager of the All-Star team in question, with any disputes resolved by the Office of the Commissioner after it consults with the Players Association. If a Sunday Pitcher obtains a Usage Accommodation directing that he be held from the game entirely, he will be replaced on the roster but treated in the same manner as other All-Stars who are excused from participation, and he will also be encouraged to attend and be announced at the All-Star Game.

Does a player have to be replaced by someone on the same team?

Not necessarily, though every team needs a representative at the All-Star Game. If a team's lone representative has to be replaced, then someone from that team has to take his place. Otherwise the replacement can come from any team.

Does a player have to be replaced by someone at the same position?

Yes and no. Pitchers have to replace pitchers and position players have to replace position players, but roles can be mixed and matched. A relief pitcher can replace a starting pitcher, an outfielder can replace an infielder, etc. This year Padres closer Robert Suarez replaced Braves ace Chris Sale.