96TH MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 14, 2026

John Schneider

Citizen's Bank Park

American League

Press Conference

American League 4, National League 0

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to local Jersey guy, victorious manager. We'll start with questions.

Q. That moment in between innings with the kids coming out and, you know, a bit of remake of the Sandlot thing, what was that like for you guys, the players, and just everyone in here as a whole?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: It was pretty cool. We got told before the game the production of it. You know, the players get asked to do a lot, and I think in the moment, you kind of realize how special baseball is and just how many people it affects, kids, adults. Kind of brings you back to your childhood a little bit. You know, celebrating the 250th year of this country, too.

It was pretty special. I thought the league and Philly did a great job with it. It was a cool baseball moment, for sure.

Q. As someone who knows this area well, how have you experienced Philly this week, all the booing, all the cheering? What will you remember from this week at All-Star?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: A lot. I think for me personally, you think of time spent with your family. You know, my wife and my kids, my parents and my brothers. It's pretty cool for them to be here.

I didn't get to see Philly too much. You're kind of going, going. But overall you never know when you're in this position, so you are trying to just take everything in. You know, it's special for me that it was close to home and a place that I'm pretty familiar with, too.

I just tried to enjoy it, and it was definitely a fun last 48 hours.

Q. Part of being an All-Star Game manager is being responsible for everyone else's guys throughout the game and throughout this whole period. Seeing Caminero go down like that, what's going through your mind? Obviously not a great situation to be managing and be part of, I imagine.

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, that's the last thing anyone wants to see, whether you are here or sitting at home. I know X-rays on Junior's pinky were negative, and everything seems to be okay. I shot Kevin Cash a text right after that happened, and he was appreciative of that.

We'll see them in about a week, so I hope Junior is all right. He's an unbelievable baseball player and even better person. You're trying to do what's right by everyone. It's the last thing that you want to see, like I said, but glad he's okay.

Q. What does it say about current baseball that Dylan and the pitchers who followed held a lineup like that to three singles and no one getting past first base?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, that was impressive from everyone really. Really happy for Dylan getting three strike-outs in the first. And I haven't listened to the whole commentary yet. I'm sure it was pretty entertaining with him and Langeliers talking.

That's the game now. You know, guys' stuff is unbelievable. To see Luis Arraez strike out and Yandy Diaz strike out a couple times is kind of like -- you never see it. So it speaks volumes to how good these guys are. Hitting is at an all-time high.

I think as the game went, I think the bullpen guys kind fed off of it. They were all excited coming off the mound. It speaks volumes to how good the pitching is, for sure.

Q. John, you're kind of a '90s kid, if I'm not mistaken. What was it like greeting Boyz II Men as they came into the dugout.

JOHN SCHNEIDER: That was cool. Me and Shelty were sitting there talking like, wow, this is kind of cool here in Philly. You know, brings you back to your teenage days a little bit.

I thought that everything, every performance was cool from that to the anthem to God Bless America. Everything was really cool. Awesome to shake their hand and say, hey, huge fan. You know what I mean, for a 46-year-old dude saying huge fan.

Everything about tonight was pretty special.

Q. In this game specifically there was a couple of the young talents in the league missing because of the pitching rule on Sundays. Do you hope that maybe the game, the date of the game, maybe goes back a day to have those pitchers available for the fans to experience those guys in a game like this setting?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I don't know. This is my first time doing it, right? So you are kind of adjusting on the fly.

I think both sides, you know, you're trying to just line it up and make sure you have enough coverage, whether it's pitching or position players. We used everyone. Everybody got in which was the biggest worry today and getting through it healthy.

I don't know the answer to that, if there's a way to maybe have more guys available and knowing they're not going to pitch. I know off-days and the break is precious for everyone that plays every day. I don't know. But I think you're kind of trying to thread the needle with the availability that you do have.

I've said it a million times the last couple of days. It's really tough on the pitching coaches and DeMarlo and Jamie over there and Doc and Donny and Ollie. It's hard to get everyone in and make sure it works. Yeah, I don't really know the answer to that. But I think it's really important that the fans see the best players in the game.

Q. Like in any game, getting an early start, so being able to get the three runs early, how key was that in terms of what you wanted to do the rest of the way in terms of your rotation and players and substitutions and so forth?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: It was nice because you get out to a lead. It gives Dylan a little bit of a chance to take a deep breath, I think, and before the first inning, but you're always worried about guys getting at least one at-bat.

When you are making a lineup, you're trying to figure all that stuff out. So it was nice that you send eight guys to the plate and you knew certain guys were going to get a couple at-bats. You can kind of get them in, get them out and get everybody in. That was the biggest part.

But against a guy like Sanchez, there was some pretty good at-bats, you know, Bobby's walk and Shea's walk and a couple of knocks from the Yankee boys. It was nice to do that so we could get everybody in.

Q. Did Justin ask to speak to the team? Did you ask him to speak to the team? What exactly did he say to kind of rally the team?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: No, I actually asked him yesterday. I said, hey, man, out of respect for you and your career, you're a future Hall of Famer, this game is bigger than any one individual. But I that thought for him in his last year, it would be cool for him to share some of his thoughts. He's been through this a lot. And kind of just gave him a little heads-up as to what I was going to say, and what he said echoed it. It was you never know when you are going to be in this position and you have to appreciate the people along the way. He's made life-long friends from being in this game for so long, whether it's Mike Trout or, you know, Kevin McGonigle sitting here in his first All-Star Game.

Baseball connects you, and we're all kind of part of this same big family. I thought what he said was spot-on just to appreciate the people that you meet along the way. You know, it was an honor to give him the floor for a couple of minutes.

Q. Has managing the American League brought back any emotion from last year's playoff run?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah. Yeah, you know, you're going against a team that you played in the World Series, and you kind of get familiar with Doc and his staff and the players a little bit. You know, you reflect on it, and I think you're thankful that you're able to do this where not many people are able to do this.

You get people like Joe Torre coming up before the game and saying, hey, enjoy it. He's done it forever. I feel like Doc does it every year right now. I'm joking with him about that.

Yeah, you reflect on the run that we had and the group that we had and the year we had last year. We remember how special it was, and it's really cool to share it with the staff that was there last year and the players that were there last year, too. Definitely a moment that I won't forget.