Well, it’s finally here. Will you watch?

It’s also the unofficial midpoint of the season? How are our staff’s preseason predictions so far? (see below)

Philadelphia will be on baseball’s center stage tonight for the 96th annual midsummer classic. If you are going, it should be a memorable night.

Having Citizens Bank Park as its background, more Phillies’ fans may tune in than in recent years. With its changes, the game definitely has lost some of its luster.

The city has reveled in the HBCU Swingman Classic, the Futures Game, the Home Run Derby, and the All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. That place is always worth the visit.

The Last Time ... In 1996, the Vet played host to the Classic, and the National League pitched a 6-0 shutout. Reliever Ricky Bottalico was the lone Phillies’ representative, and he pitched a hitless fifth inning with a strikeout.

A crowd of 62,670 watched the game in a nifty time of 2:35. See how long tonight’s game takes.

Meet Me Halfway ... The Phillies ended Sunday with an overall 54-43 record, and they were two games behind the Braves.

Last season at the break, the Phils were 55-41 and were a half-game ahead of the Mets.

Under Don Mattingly, the Phils are 46-24.

Quick Quiz ... What pitcher was the Phillies’ All-Star selection in 2017?

Go East, Young Man ... Minnesota’s Byron Buxton continues to be the loudest bleep on the Phillies’ radar screen for a right-handed hitter. However, it has become more evident that the Phils might not have the necessary pieces to bring him East.

According to multiple sources, the Phils are likely in the running for San Francisco 27-year-old outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, who has been hitting over .300 most of the season. San Francisco is looking to unload salaries.

The third-year player hit .266 with eight homers and 55 RBIs in 105 games last season. He entered 2026 as a career .269 hitter.

The problem here is Lee is a left-handed bat and not the desired right-handed bat. He could form a productive platoon with Derek Hill, who has constantly hit over .300 since he came over from the Chicago White Sox.

Lee is under club control until 2029, and he is owed $63 million. He’s not a home-run hitter with 20 career shots and five this season. Before the season, Lee struck out only 116 times in 1,029 plate appearances.

Along with Lee, the Phils would also acquire veteran 34-year-old lefty Robbie Ray, who has an 8-6 mark with a 3.78 ERA in his first 18 starts. Ray, who has a career 96-87 mark with five teams, is in the final year of his contract.

Arizona right-handed hitting outfielder Lourdes Gurriel might be a reasonable pickup even though he is slumping (two homers, 20 RBIs, .211).

The 32-year-old Gurriel is making $13 million, and he has 61 homers and 237 RBIs over the previous three seasons.

Dutiful Dan ... Since 1972, Dan Baker has been the PA voice for the Phillies, and his distinctive voice is one we all have recognized over the years.

Baker will be the only PA announcer to work three All-Star Games (1976, 1996) tonight. He is the third-announcer in baseball history behind the Cubs’ Pat Pieper (59 years) and the Yankees’ Bob Sheppard (57). Baker missed the 2020 season to undergo treatment for sinus cancer.

But the 79-year-old Baker (he’ll turn 80 in September) plans to reach 60 years in his profession. He has maintained his energetic and optimistic attitude, and there are no signs of him slowing down.

I’ve been fortunate to know Baker for over 40 years, and he is one of the most genuine and nicest persons you will ever meet.

Quick Quiz Answer ... Pat Neshek went 3-2 with a 1.12 ERA in 43 games with 45 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. However, he was traded to Colorado in late July.

Don’t Take It to the Bank ... With the midseason here, this a look back at our staff’s preseason predictions, and see how many have a legitimate shot to come to fruition:

Sports editor Patrick Matsinko: The “boss” liked the Phillies, Reds (43-52) and Padres (48-48), Orioles (46-51), Tigers (44-52), Mariners (48-49) as division winners with wildcards Braves (55-40), Cubs (54-42), Dodgers (61-36), Yankees (54-42), Rays (56-38), and Rangers (49-47). The Phillies beat the Mariners to win it all.

Patrick looms as a favorite.

Assistant sports editor Rod Heckman: Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers, Blue Jays (45-51), Tigers (44-52), and Mariners at the top with Mets, Braves, Brewers (59-37), Yankees, Red Sox (46-48), and Royals (38-59) in the secondary spots. He liked the Dodgers to make it a three-peat.

Rod also is a favorite.

Sports writer Rich Strack: The “big guy” likes Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Tigers, and Mariners grab gold. Phillies, Pirates, Padres, Yankees, Blue Jays and Astros are follow-ups. The Mets beat the Red Sox in the fall.

Sorry, Rich, football season is around the corner.

Sports writer Sam Matta: “Schuylkill Sam” liked the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Orioles, Tigers, and Mariners in the driver’s seat, and the Phillies, Pirates (50-47), Padres, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Astros in the passenger seat. He foresaw the Tigers over the Mets in the final series.

Like Rich, Sam can begin working on those football previews.

Sports writer Brock Heckman: The younger Heckman went with the Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Royals, and Mariners with the Mets, Reds, Padres, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Astros in the co-star role. Dodgers down the Mariners in the series.

Brock will battle it out with his father.

Sports writer T.J. Engle: The “Southern son” chose the Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Tigers, and Mariners to gain the most wins followed by the Braves, Brewers, Padres, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Astros as the supporting cast. The Dodgers edge the Mariners in the final.

T.J. can still make it interesting.

As for my picks, I took the Mets, Pirates, Dodgers, Yankees, Royals, and Mariners to claim the top prize, and the Phillies, Braves, Padres, Orioles, Red Sox, and Astros to win the subsidiary one.

I saw the Yankees finally getting their 28th championship in a classic World Series over the Dodgers.

The Mets, Red Sox, Royals, Astros, Padres, and even the Pirates and Orioles have been the biggest disappointments, although Boston is back in the Wild Card chat, winning 10 straight and 15 of 16. San Diego was on the Dodgers’ heels before they slipped off.

Detroit, Boston, San Diego could still be in the Wild Card running. Toronto has the potential to make another second-half run.

How do your picks look at this stage?

Time Passages ... In each column, I will review the career of a former player or manager from the diamond.

Phillies’ reliever Al Holland recently passed away at age 73, but he was the stopper in the bullpen from 1983-85. The Phillies acquired him and Joe Morgan from the Giants after the 1982 season for Mark Davis and Mike Krukow.

In 1983, Holland was the Rolaids Relief Award winner for his 25-save, 100 strikeout performance (8-4, 2.66 overall) in helping the Phils to the World Series and finished ninth in the MVP voting. He didn’t allow a run in the postseason in 6.2 innings and recorded two saves with eight strikeouts.

Holland followed that with a 5-10, 3.39, 29-save season and was the Phils’ All-Star.

In August 1985, he was traded to Pittsburgh for reliever Kent Tekulve.

Holland amassed an overall 34-30, 2.98 slate over 10 seasons and five teams, his last stop with the Yankees in 1987. He accrued 55 of his career saves with the Phillies.

Scrapbook ... In each column, I will recall a former standout from the area.

Chase Petrilyak was a former standout outfielder for the Marian Colts. Petrilyak, the son of current head coach Charles “Pilsy” Petrilyak, was a three-year letterwinner at Marian.

In his senior year, he played in 22 games, hitting .423 with 24 runs, 30 hits, eight doubles, a homer and 24 RBI. He hit over .400 twice during his seasons at Marian. Petrilyak also played club baseball for Baseball U Anthracite.

Petrilyak continued his career at Penn-State Hazleton, where he hit .250 in 24 games for one season.

Your thoughts are always welcomed and will be published; email them to tnonline.com

Also, check out and support the Times News Lehigh Valley Press YouTube channel and subscribe.