Philadelphia gets something it has not had in 30 years this July: an MLB All-Star Week at Citizens Bank Park. And leading the charge on All-Star Sunday is the MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3, a fast-paced, bracket-style competition that brings three of the most beloved Phillies in franchise history back to the ballpark where they made their names.

Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Shane Victorino will each captain a three-player team when the competition tips off Sunday, July 12, following the All-Star Futures Game. For Phillies fans, watching these three in any context at Citizens Bank Park would be enough. Watching them compete — against each other and against an unnamed fourth rival still to be announced — is something else entirely.

MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 Makes Its Debut on All-Star Sunday in Philadelphia

MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 is new to All-Star Sunday, though MLB has run iterations of the format at Major League and Minor League parks and alongside international competitions. At Citizens Bank Park it will follow the All-Star Futures Game as the final event of the day, airing on Peacock after the Futures Game opens on NBC at noon.

Citizens Bank Park heads into All-Star Week as a freshly renovated stadium — the ballpark’s 2026 upgrades were unveiled earlier this year — and will host its first Midsummer Classic since 2004.

Howard, Rollins, and Victorino Lead the Charge

Each legend captains a roster of three players through a bracket format: two semifinals followed by a final, each game running approximately 30 minutes. The fourth team will be captained by a former Phillies rival — details and all rosters will be announced in the coming weeks alongside AUSL stars and additional talent.

“Phillies fans appreciate competition and entertainment, and that’s what MLBx is,” Howard said, describing the chance to lead a team at his old home as something he has genuinely been looking forward to.

“MLBx is a fresh take on baseball,” Rollins said — one that still puts power and defense front and center. Competing alongside this group in Philadelphia, he added, only makes it more exciting.

“It’s quick, competitive and built for fans to stay engaged the whole time,” Victorino said. He called being back in Philadelphia during All-Star Week a privilege he has been looking forward to since the announcement.

All three are members of the 2008 World Series championship — the last time Philadelphia won it all. That shared history gives the MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 a layer of meaning that most exhibition events never find. They are not just competing; they are reminding a generation of Phillies fans exactly why this city fell in love with them.

How MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 Works

The MLBx format runs across three innings, with each player receiving a two-minute at bat. One team places its three players in the outfield while the opposing team hits from a custom stage built into the field. Teams score a point for every home run and a point for every catch made.

Bonus points are earned by hitting balls through a centerfield target positioned above the outfield fence. The tactical wrinkle that can decide close games is the hot streak: at any point in an at bat, the batter can call for five consecutive swings where both offensive and defensive points count double.

At the end of each game, the team with the most points advances. The bracket structure means every matchup carries real stakes — two semifinals determine who reaches the final, and the final decides the champion.

All-Star Sunday Tickets Available Starting May 27

Tickets for All-Star Sunday — which covers both the All-Star Futures Game and the MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 — go on sale Wednesday, May 27, at AllStarGame.com. The Futures Game airs on NBC at noon, with MLBx following on Peacock approximately 30 to 45 minutes after its conclusion.

All-Star Sunday opens a five-day run in Philadelphia that stretches through the Midsummer Classic on July 14 — the city’s first All-Star Game since Veterans Stadium hosted it in 1996.

For Phillies fans who grew up watching Howard anchor the middle of the order, Rollins set the table from the top, and Victorino track down everything in center field, July 12 is a rare chance to see all three in the same dugout — on the same side, for once.

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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