ATLANTA -- Chris Sale won’t have to give Matt Olson or Ozzie Albies any guidance. But Michael Harris II and Raisel Iglesias may have some questions as they enjoy their first experience of being an All-Star.
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Drake Baldwin received good news on Saturday when he learned he was elected to his first All-Star team. The 25-year-old catcher will join Albies in the National League’s starting lineup. This year’s other Braves representatives are Olson and Sale, the latter of which can proudly say he’s now among the few who have ever earned 10 All-Star selections.
Atlanta’s five All-Star selections match the Phillies and Dodgers for the most among NL teams. This is also the most the Braves have had since they had eight representatives at the 2023 All-Star Game. Olson and Albies are the only members of this year’s Braves group who were also part of that large contingent three years ago.
“You want to have a good representation,” Olson said. “These guys have been playing well all year. I’m happy we’ve got some guys who are deserving. I still feel like there’s a couple more that deserve it as well. We’ll see what happens there.”
One of the deserving Braves is Michael Harris II. He and Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages finished third among NL outfielders with 16 percent of the vote. But Pages had a higher vote total. Harris should also be a top replacement candidate if another selected position player is deemed unavailable.
Baldwin’s first All-Star selection comes less than a year since he was named the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year. He’s the third different Braves catcher to gain a selection within the past five selections, joining Travis d’Arnaud (2022) and Sean Murphy (2023).
Iglesias’ first selection comes in his fourth full season with Atlanta. The veteran closer has teamed with Robert Suárez and Dylan Lee to form one of the game’s top high-leverage trios this year. Suárez’s candidacy was damaged by right elbow inflammation that will keep him sidelined until after the break. Lee could be one of the top candidates to be added to the roster if another selected pitcher is unavailable to pitch.
Sale‘s 10th All-Star selection is his third straight since joining the Braves. The Angels’ Mike Trout (12) is the only active MLB player who has more All-Star selections than Atlanta’s 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner. Former Brave Freddie Freeman also gained his 10th All-Star selection this year.
Freeman’s replacement in Atlanta has extended the franchise’s excellent run at first base. Olson has gained his four All-Star selections and third since joining his hometown team before the 2022 season.
Albies also gained his fourth All-Star selection, with his first coming in 2018, which was his first full season with Atlanta. But this will be just his first time to serve the NL’s starting second baseman.
Ronald Acuña Jr.’s injury-plagued season prevented him from gaining what would have been his sixth All-Star selection. The 2023 NL MVP had been elected as a starter five times before this year. That matches Hank Aaron and Chipper Jones for the most selections to the starting lineup in Braves history.
Acuña finished last among the six NL outfielders who advanced to Phase 2 of this year’s balloting process.
Braves All-Star selections
LHP Chris Sale
- Previous All-Star selections: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024, 2025, 2026
- Something to know: Entered Saturday’s start against the Mets ranked third in the NL with a 2.10 ERA. He has posted a 1.70 ERA over his past 12 starts. He was the AL’s starting pitcher three straight years (2016-18)
1B Matt Olson
- Previous All-Star selections: 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026
- Something to know: Entered Saturday with a 2.8 fWAR, tying him with Freeman for the lead among NL first basemen. His 207 home runs since the start of 2021 ranks fifth among all MLB players.
2B Ozzie Albies
- Previous All-Star selections: 2018, 2021, 2023, 2026
- Something to know: Joins Marcus Giles (2003) and Dan Uggla (2012) as the only Braves second basemen to be elected a starter. He hit a career-high 33 homers in 2023, but injuries limited him to 26 over the next two seasons combined. He has already hit 14 this season.
- Previous All-Star selections: First
- Something to know: Ranked fourth among all NL hitters with 156 Weighted Runs Created Plus when he strained his left oblique muscle on May 18. He joins Javy Lopez (2003), Brian McCann (2011) and Murphy (2023) as the only Braves catchers to be elected to the starting lineup
RHP Raisel Iglesias
- Previous All-Star selections: First
- Something to know: Entered Saturday with 17 saves and a 1.53 ERA. He ranked third among NL relievers in player balloting, trailing only the Padres’ Mason Miller and the Phillies’ Jhoan Duran.