Baseball pays tribute with poignant Stand Up 2 Cancer moment

In 2009, Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs became the founding donors of Stand Up To Cancer, a groundbreaking initiative supporting cancer research.

The most important work is done out of the spotlight, in the form of new therapies and innovative treatments. But there is a public element to this too, and that’s where MLB, beyond the dollars, has had so much impact.

For the past 17 years, the All-Star Game and Game 4 of the World Series have featured the in-stadium Stand Up To Cancer moment. At the end of the fifth inning, the game pauses and everyone in the ballpark – players, managers, coaches, support staffers, umpires, broadcasters and fans – honors people who have been touched by cancer: Those who are currently battling the disease, those who have survived it, and those who have succumbed to it.

The moment is a joint effort, supported by MLB, Mastercard and SU2C, and aired live on FOX. Everyone is invited to write a name or names on a placard and, for two minutes, everyone comes together – thousands inside the ballpark holding up their signs, and millions more watching at home.

The tradition continued on Tuesday in Philadelphia. With the Grammy Award-winning band Boyz II Men – one of the more famous musical groups to hail from Philly – performing the Jackson 5 hit “I’ll Be There,” cameras panned the field and crowd, showing the handwritten names that appeared on placards.

Dodgers All-Star infielder Max Muncy wrote “My dad” on his card, and manager Dave Roberts also paid tribute, with the name “Lee Muncy” on his.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s card included three names: Roger Rogalin, Suzan Ray and Jay Pierce. Twins manager Derek Shelton, a member of the American League All-Star coaching staff, wrote “Craigger” on his.

Phillies All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper wrote “family.” Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement paid tribute to beloved Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez, who battled cancer in recent years and retired earlier in 2026.

Hall of Famer Derek Jeter wrote “Gerald Williams” on his card, to honor his former Yankees teammate who passed away from cancer in 2022.

As a founding donor to Stand Up to Cancer, MLB has conducted significant awareness-building efforts through public service announcements, in-stadium promotions and various fundraising events. To date, the efforts between MLB, Mastercard and SU2C have raised upward of $80 million.

Learn more about SU2C at StandUpToCancer.org/MLB.