(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
20
ALL-STAR GAME CENTRAL
24
HOME RUN DERBY AND FUTURES GAME COVERAGE DOWN THE PAGE
The AL Gets It Du-ran!
The 94th Annual Midsummer Classic is in the books.
This game had a feeling of a coming out party of sorts.
In the end, the American League prevails 5-3 as outfielder, Jarren Duran, hit a decisive two-run home run off the NL's Hunter Greene in the fifth inning. That proved to be the difference maker as Duran earned MVP honors.
The NL got the scoring party started behind designated hitter Shohei Ohtani slamming a three-run home run off the AL's Tanner Houck in the third inning. The AL answered back with Juan Soto's two-run double off the NL's Logan Webb and a game-tying RBI single from David Fry.
After the fifth inning, both pitching staffs took over the game. It featured the power of the AL's Mason Miller.
The anticipating was high as Paul Skenes made himself known as the opening starter of the National League. The ROY contender had no problem facing his batters that featured the likes of the AL's Steven Kwan, Gunnar Henderson, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. The fans drooled as the Skenes vs Judge matchup...........only to end in a force out.
The second shortest All-Star Game in history lasted two hours and twenty-eight minutes. It now lags behind the 1988 Classic.
Next year's All-Star classic will be at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.
ROSTERS
HOME RUN DERBY
Dodgers Get Their First Derby Champion
It took a lot of close calls and sweating for the Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez to be this year's Home Run Derby Champion.
With the odds against him and the crowd cheering for the other batter, Teoscar had to depend on the likes of Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani to guide him through the tournament.
In the first round, Teoscar beat hometown favorite, Adolis Garcia by the score of 19-18 for the final spot. In the semis, this went through a swing-off where the Dodgers slugger beat the Phillies Alec Bohm 2-1.......after being tied at 14 a piece. It was on to the finals as Teoscar sweated a sigh of relief from a hot Bobby Witt Jr (Royals) 14-13. The winner had to sweat the final at-bat as Witt hit the ball to one of the deepest parts of Globe Life, only to fall short as it hit the middle of the wall.
The Derby proved to produce the most exciting finishes where it counted the most.
futures game
Reds Third Base Prospect Shines
The NL Futures came out on top over the AL Futures 6-1. As this was a showcase of today's top prospects scattered throughout the minor league universe, one stuck out in the crowd.
Reds third base prospect, Cam Collier, showed up as he went 1 for 2. That hit: a 409 foot home run. That home run was apparently enough to win the game's MVP.
Adding support to the NL's cause:
-Atlanta Braves Top Prospect, C Drake Baldwin, with a solo home run; contributes two runs batted in
-RBI contributions from the Phillies Adrian Miller, the Diamondbacks Deyvison De Los Santos and Druw Jones
On the AL side: Red Sox C Kyle Teel shows off his potential to be one of the game's top offensive catchers with a double off the slider of the Reds Rhett Lowder and a heater off the Pirates Bubba Chandler. Making history was the Rangers Emiliano Teodo pitching two perfect innings and showing off his explosive array of pitches as advertised as he was the opening starter.
Red Sox outfielding prospect, Roman Anthony, won the debut of the Futures Skills Showcase; he recorded a competition high of six home runs after a slow start in the first round.
Next Season's All-Star Game
After been unfairly taken away thanks to evil outside forces, the Atlanta Braves will get to host the Midsummer Classic next season for the first time in their new ballpark. It was a long time coming and a privilege that should have never been taken away.