(For extended coverage, check out our SCORES section
HARDBALL 24/7
Reliving The Highlights
Latest Moves Throughout The Off-Season
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RETURNING IN APRIL
THE POWER
RANKINGS
ALL-STAR GAME CENTRAL
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HOME RUN DERBY AND FUTURES GAME COVERAGE DOWN THE PAGE
Drought Over!
The American League was on their way to a tenth consecutive win against the National League
Until the eighth inning
NL catcher Elias Diaz hit a two-run homer off the AL's Felix Bautista as the NL win this year's Midsummer Classic 3-2. The NL ended the AL's winning streak at nine. For ending such a drought, the Colorado Rockies catcher was named the All-Star Game MVP. Diaz is the first Rockies player to win an All-Star Game MVP.
Prior to the eighth inning, scoring was provided by shortstop Bo Bichette (RBI sacrifice fly) and 1B Yandy Diaz (home run) for the AL. 2B Luis Arraez provided the lone run with a RBI single for the NL
Next year's Midsummer Classic heads down to the state of Texas as the Texas Rangers will host the 94th installment at Globe Life Park.
HOME RUN DERBY
Son Follows Father To The Title
History was made as Vladimir Guerrero Jr joined his father (who won it in 2007) as they become the first father-son duo to win the trophy. Junior had to go through the Dodgers Mookie Betts in the first round and hometown favorite Julio Rodriguez to get in the finals. The Blue Jays first baseman hit a total of 72 home runs. After falling short in an epic battle against the Mets Pete Alonso four years ago, he gets his title this time around.
This derby didn't fall short of highlights as it featured hometown favorite Julio Rodriguez setting an opening round record with 41 home runs against the Mets Pete Alonso. It also featured an epic showdown between the White Sox Luis Robert Jr and the Orioles Adley Rustchman- where he hit home runs from both sides of the plate.
This derby did not disappoint at all.
FUTURES GAME
Marlins Prospect Steals The Show
An overall unranked prospect, not even ranked in any publications Top 100 Prospects list, shined so brightly that even the top elite was just glad to be there.
Miami Marlins 2B Nasim Nunez (ranked #20 on their farm list) delivered the critical hit for the NL squad as they shutout the AL squad 5-0. Nunez cleared the bases with a double in the sixth-inning..... which was enough for the NL pitching staff to takeover the game. Nunez was named the Larry Doby Futures Game MVP. Other NL hitters that contributed in the winning cause were Brewers catching prospect Jeferson Quero and Phillies outfielding prospect Justin Crawford.
The NL pitching staff was lights out from beginning to end. Phillies pitching prospect Mick Abel (#35) got it started with a two-strikeout performance. The big story was Brewers pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski threw stuff that makes him look major-league ready; he literally struck out the side. Another Marlins prospect, Patrick Monteverde, closed out the final two outs of the game as he needed just five pitches.
In the second-half of the season: SS Jordan Lawler, SP Kyle Harrison, multi-positional player Endy Rodriguez, C Tyler Soderstrom and SS Noelvi Marte made MLB debuts.
