Lopez, Meyer set to represent Miami as 1st-time All-Stars 

WEST SACRAMENTO – The 2026 Marlins wouldn’t be in the thick of the National League postseason picture without a cast of characters. Two of their headliners – the Majors’ batting average and hits leader as well as a nearly unbeatable pitcher – received recognition for their first half.

Shortstop Otto Lopez and right-hander Max Meyer earned their first All-Star selections on Saturday and will represent the NL team at the 2026 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, which will be held on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Miami has multiple All-Stars for the first time since 2023, when second baseman Luis Arraez and designated hitter Jorge Soler represented the club. Lopez and Meyer will serve as reserves after Lopez was elected via the players’ ballot and MLB chose Meyer to round out the roster.

“That just speaks to kind of what we are,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “This is our team. Just in general, guys can come and make a mark as a player in this league from a lot of different backgrounds and a lot of different paths. It's not always linear, and certainly not easy, and you look around our roster and the players that [president of baseball operations] Peter [Bendix] has acquired, and the players that are here that have gotten better. Those two and their stories kind of speak to a lot of what we are.”

The 27-year-old Lopez becomes the fourth shortstop in franchise history to make the Midsummer Classic, joining Hanley Ramirez (2008-10), Alex Gonzalez (1999) and Edgar Renteria (1998).

Meyer, also 27, is the first Marlins starting pitcher to be named an All-Star since ace Sandy Alcantara’s 2022 NL Cy Young Award-winning campaign.

Lopez’s journey is a full-circle moment. He was about to board a bus at Sutter Health Park as a member of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats when he was informed that the Giants had designated him for assignment in 2024.

Miami would select Lopez, who had just nine MLB games and 11 plate appearances on his resume, off waivers from San Francisco in an under-the-radar move on April 4. More than two years later, Lopez recalled his history with the ballpark to Marlins teammates and coaches inside the cages.

“This is the team that DFA'd me, and now I became an All-Star in the same place,” Lopez said. “It's a good story I would say.”

Through 87 games this season, Lopez has taken his game to an elite level. He paces the big leagues with a .337 average, 117 hits, 23 doubles, five triples and 37 multihit performances and the NL with a 3.9 fWAR and 17 steals. His 135 wRC+ is tied with NL starting shortstop CJ Abrams.

Meyer, on the other hand, began his professional career as a consensus top prospect. Injuries, however, impacted each of his MLB seasons since his debut in 2022 and prevented him from reaching his potential. Those setbacks fueled questions as to whether Meyer could remain a starting pitcher.

Throw all that out the window.

Meyer was the only qualifying Major League pitcher without a loss until Wednesday, matching a single-season franchise record with nine straight wins. He entered Saturday with the sixth-lowest ERA (2.53) and sixth-most innings (103) and tied for the eighth-highest fWAR (2.3) and strikeouts (112) among NL pitchers.

“It's pretty special,” Meyer said. “Just kind of looking back at my career, a lot of injuries. I'm glad that it doesn't really feel like a personal award, because I have so many staff members that are always pulling for me, and the day-to-day stuff that just keeps me on the field and keeps me feeling good with all the boys, being so fun to be around. It feels special.”

Here’s a closer look at Miami’s two All-Star representatives:

Otto Lopez, SS

• Previous All-Star appearances: None
• Something to know: Trilingual in English, Spanish and French. Served as Canada’s starting shortstop in the World Baseball Classic.

Max Meyer, RHP

• Previous All-Star appearances: None
• Something to know: Takes the mound to “YMCA” by Village People. Tied with Hall of Famer Paul Molitor for highest Draft pick in University of Minnesota history (third overall).

The 96th Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish language coverage in the United States. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game, while Univision will provide Spanish language coverage on radio. MLB Network and MLB.com will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information about MLB All-Star Week, including ticket information and updates, please visit allstargame.com and follow @MLB on social media.