Who could start on the mound for AL, NL in ASG?

3:43 AM UTC

The 2024 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field featured quite the starting pitching matchup, and it lived up to the billing. The American League turned to 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner , while Pirates phenom (and eventual 2024 NL Rookie of the Year) got the ball for the National League -- a rare All-Star start on the mound for a rookie. Both pitchers got things rolling with a scoreless first inning before the AL went on to a 5-3 win.

Will the 2025 Midsummer Classic on July 15 at Truist Park feature such a great pitching matchup? Since pitchers’ health and their starting schedules affect who is available for the All-Star Game, it helps to have a number of strong options to take the ball. Thankfully for baseball fans, there are plenty of elite starters in both the AL and NL who fit the bill.

The 2025 All-Star starting position players have already been announced, but before full rosters are revealed at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday on ESPN, let's take an early look at who could be in line for the honor of starting on the mound.

Here are the leading AL and NL candidates to start the 2025 All-Star Game, including favorites, other contenders and a dark horse in each league.

Favorites

American League

, Tigers
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has been even better in 2025, striking out 138 (against just 14 walks!) in 109 innings with a 2.15 ERA. Skubal’s start Sunday against the Twins, in which he struck out 13 across seven innings while allowing just one hit, was a great demonstration of the lefty at the height of his powers. It would be hard to pass over Skubal again for the All-Star Game starting nod, but it is a crowded field.

, Astros
The Houston right-hander has built on his stellar second half of 2024, posting 126 strikeouts in 104 innings in 2025. Brown, who posted a 5.09 ERA as recently as 2023, leads qualifying Major League starters with a 1.82 ERA this season. He has transformed himself into one of the best pitchers in MLB, and he will likely be rewarded with his first All-Star nod. There’s no certainty he draws the start for the AL squad, but if it’s not this year, it might only be a matter of time.

, Red Sox
Now in his second season as a starter and his first year with the Red Sox, Crochet has taken a major leap forward. The hard-throwing lefty leads MLB in innings, boasting a 2.34 ERA with Boston and 144 strikeouts in 115 1/3 innings. An All-Star in 2024 with the White Sox, Crochet is certainly a contender to start this year’s Midsummer Classic, but it might be hard for him to beat out Skubal and other AL favorites.

, Rangers
A healthy deGrom has been a joy to watch in 2025. The veteran right-hander has already made 17 starts, his most in a single season since 2019 with the Mets, and he has a 2.13 ERA in 101 1/3 innings. With nine wins in his past 12 starts, deGrom has shown shades of his vintage self -- but he has never started an All-Star Game. It’s a bit of a long shot, but 2025 could be his first.

, Yankees
A longtime ace in the National League with the Braves, Fried has been even better so far in his first season with the Yankees. The left-hander has been huge for New York in ’s absence with a 10-2 record and a 2.13 ERA, tied with deGrom for the second-best ERA in the AL. Fried has as good an argument as any pitcher to draw what would be his first All-Star start.

National League

, Pirates
Skenes was the fifth rookie to start on the mound in an All-Star Game in 2024, and his performance this year has been just as strong. The Pittsburgh star sports an NL-best 2.03 ERA this season and is second in the NL with a 0.92 WHIP. He could be the first pitcher to start back-to-back All-Star Games since and in 2017 and 2018.

, Giants
Webb is in the midst of his best year yet for the Giants after leading the NL with more than 200 innings in each of the past two seasons. The right-hander is sporting a career-best 2.61 ERA and the highest strikeout rate of his career as he seeks a second straight All-Star bid. Webb’s consistency and success make him a strong candidate to earn his first All-Star start.

, Phillies
Wheeler’s eight-inning, scoreless outing Monday against the Padres capped a stellar month of June in which the veteran posted a 0.58 ERA in five starts. The 35-year-old, who finished second last season in NL Cy Young voting, is still going strong and has proven himself a worthy contender to earn his first Midsummer Classic starting nod.

Don't count them out

American League

, Astros
It’s hard to ever count out Valdez, who has been consistently excellent since joining the Astros rotation full time in 2020. The left-hander’s 2.72 ERA in 2025 is his lowest since his eight-game rookie campaign, and he’s teamed up with Brown to give Houston an elite 1-2 punch in its rotation. After All-Star seasons in 2022 and 2023, Valdez should be in line for another ASG bid and perhaps his first start.

, Royals
The Royals have only had one All-Star starting pitcher in their history: back in 1987. This season, Bubic is making his best case to join the franchise icon on that list. The rather unheralded lefty has been Kansas City’s best starter, taking a 2.25 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 96 innings into Friday's start in Arizona. A subpar June (4.23 ERA) might have hurt Bubic’s chances to draw the start for the AL, but he’s still a strong contender.

, Yankees
The southpaw is in the midst of his best season for the Yanks, lowering his ERA to 2.95 with 123 K’s in 106 2/3 innings. An All-Star for the White Sox in 2021 and for the Giants in 2022, Rodón would be the first Yankees lefty to start the Midsummer Classic since in 2000.

, Twins
Ryan has put it all together in 2025, staying healthy in the first half while pitching to a career-best 2.75 ERA and maintaining his impressive strikeout rate. Hall of Famer in 1991 was the last Minnesota pitcher to start the All-Star Game, but Ryan could be the latest in what would be his first All-Star season.

National League

, Dodgers
Yamamoto has cooled a bit since his stellar start to the season, but the second-year righty has still been one of the best pitchers in the Majors, let alone the NL. His 2.61 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 89 2/3 innings have been much needed for a banged-up Dodgers rotation. A mid-June injury in 2024 kept Yamamoto from an All-Star bid, but he’s earned one this season -- and he could even challenge for the NL’s starting spot.

, Nationals
Gore has taken a leap in terms of strikeouts -- he has 129, second most in the NL, in just 99 innings -- while lowering his ERA to a career-best 3.09. A key part of Washington’s impressive return in the trade, Gore could be just the third left-hander to start for the NL in the All-Star Game since in 2001, joining the Dodgers’ (2019) and (2022).

, Reds
Abbott hasn’t been going all that deep into games, but his 1.79 ERA entering Friday's start in Philadelphia leads all pitchers who have thrown at least 80 innings. The Cincinnati lefty has been stellar on a per-start basis, and his breakout year could be worthy of his first All-Star selection, if not the NL start. He’d be the first Reds pitcher to start the Midsummer Classic since in 1990.

, Giants
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023, Ray totaled just 34 innings over the past two seasons. He’s been brilliant in 2025, though, posting a career-best 2.75 ERA -- better even than his Cy Young Award-winning 2.84 ERA with the Blue Jays in 2021. The Giants’ rotation has been fearsome at the top thanks to Ray and Webb, with either pitcher worthy of a potential All-Star start.

, Phillies
Thanks to a fastball more than three miles per hour faster than it was in 2023, Sánchez has made himself into a great option behind Wheeler on the Phillies’ talented starting staff. In his third season as a full-time starter, he has a 2.68 ERA and is striking out a career-high 9.7 batters per nine innings. A ground-ball pitcher who can miss bats at an above-average level, Sánchez has molded himself into one of the NL’s most effective starters.

, Cardinals
The 13-year veteran has still proven capable of some standout performances: Just look at his one-hitter with 11 strikeouts against the Guardians on June 27, done on just 89 pitches. With a 3.51 ERA and 107 K’s in 100 innings, Gray has rather quietly been one of the best starters in the NL. He has yet to be named an All-Star with the Cardinals, but he’s got a good shot in 2025, even if he’s an outside candidate to start the Midsummer Classic.

Dark horses

American League

, Rangers
Eovaldi had just 77 1/3 innings this season, almost 40 innings behind Crochet for the most in MLB. His lack of workload -- due to a triceps injury that landed him on the IL -- won’t help his All-Star starting case, but the veteran righty has been stellar this season. Eovaldi has a sparkling 1.87 ERA through 13 starts for Texas, considerably lower than his career best (3.39 for Miami in 2013). The time he spent on the IL will likely keep Eovaldi from an All-Star start, but he’s still an outside contender.

National League

, Phillies
Suárez has a 2.00 ERA and is currently riding a streak of 10 consecutive quality starts, the longest such stretch in MLB this season. He’s only made 11 total starts after opening the season on the injured list with lower back soreness, but he continues to baffle opposing hitters more than almost anyone. Much like with Eovaldi, Suárez’s lack of overall workload could be an issue, but Suárez’s postseason success has shown he’s capable of getting star hitters out. If he were tabbed for the All-Star start, it would be fun to watch.