American vs National League All-Star Game

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The annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game is at Dodger Stadium tonight with the American League having won the Midsummer Classic eight straight times but tonight is a pick’em on the MLB odds.

How to Bet American League at National League MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Dodger Stadium
Probable pitchers (away/home): Shane McClanahan/Clayton Kershaw
TV: Fox
Stream/gameday audio: Fox Sports Go
Opening MLB Lines: AL -110, NL -110 (total 8)

Why Bet on American League?

The American League won its eighth straight All-Star Game last year 5-2 at Coors Field in Denver. Young Toronto superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed a 468-foot solo home run off Milwaukee right-hander Corbin Burnes in the third inning, waking up the Coors Field crowd and igniting the American League to the victory. He was named the game’s most valuable player. At 22 years and 119 days old, he became the youngest player to win MVP. The previous youngest was Ken Griffey Jr., in 1992, at 22 years and 236 days. It was the AL’s e 20th win in the past 24 games.

Los Angeles Angels sensation Shohei Ohtani became the first player in All-Star Game history to be selected as both a pitcher and a position player. Although the moment was historic, he didn’t play a huge factor, although he was the winning pitcher. He became the eighth different foreign-born pitcher (ninth time) to earn the victory, and third in a row, marking the first time in All-Star history that foreign-born pitchers have received the win in three straight All-Star Games.

With home runs by Mike Zunino and J.T. Realmuto, the Midsummer Classic was just the third in history in which multiple catchers homered, joining 1997 and 1969. Ohtani was picked for both again this year and will leadoff at DH for the AL but probably won’t pitch tonight as he prefers not to in order to rest his arm for the second half of the regular season.

From 1997-2009, a designated hitter was elected only in years when the All-Star Game was played in an American League ballpark. As of 2010, a designated hitter has been used in each All-Star Game, regardless of what league’s ballpark the game is being played in. With the adaptation of the universal DH beginning in 2022, the NL began electing a designated hitter.

Here’s the AL starting lineup:

DH Shohei Ohtani, Angels
RF Aaron Judge, Yankees
3B Rafael Devers, Red Sox
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
LF Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees
CF Byron Buxton, Twins (replacing the injured Mike Trout)
SS Tim Anderson, White Sox
2B Andrês Gimênez, Guardians (replacing the injured Jose Altuve)
C Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays

The starting pitcher is Rays lefty and AL Cy Young favorite Shane McClanahan. During the first half, he posted a streak of 10 starts in which he pitched at least 6.0 innings with seven-or-more strikeouts and two earned runs-or-fewer, representing the longest single-season streak in AL history. Trailed only Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (1999) and Mike Scott (1986) in MLB history. McClanahan became the first pitcher in history to tally at least 133 punchouts and permit 19-or-fewer earned runs through 16 appearances of a campaign.

“I’m honored,” said McClanahan, who had received more votes in the All-Star player balloting than any other AL starting pitcher. “There are so many deserving guys in the AL who have had a heck of a year so far. To even be in consideration for this was truly just an honor for me. I’d be lying to you if I told you I had never envisioned myself being on that mound competing against the best players in the world. For it to come true is truly an exciting opportunity for me.”

Why Bet on National League?

The NL starting pitcher is Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young winner but first-time All-Star starter. Kershaw, one of the best pitchers in Dodgers history, has accomplished just about everything on the Dodger Stadium mound. It’s where Kershaw has won 101 games en route to three National League Cy Young Awards and one NL MVP Award. Earlier this season, Kershaw became the Dodgers’ all-time strikeout leader in front of his home fans.

Over the past few weeks, the discussion surrounding the NL starter has centered around Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara and Kershaw. Alcantara was the most consistent starter in the NL in the first half, leading the league in ERA (1.76) with two complete games and 138 1/3 innings. NL manager Brian Snitker of the Braves said the decision was a “tough one,” but Kershaw’s name always came to mind. Kershaw will become just the seventh pitcher to start an ASG in his home park in the expansion era (since 1961).

“I think, honestly, in the All-Star Games that I’ve been to in the past, just being a part of them has been so great,” Kershaw said. “But I think because it’s at Dodger Stadium, I think there’s a little more meaning. It’s really cool to be a part of it and be around the guys in general. But this time specifically, for me, to be at home, it meant a lot more this time, for sure.”

Here’s the NL starting lineup:

RF Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
CF Mookie Betts, Dodgers
3B Manny Machado, Padres
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals
SS Trea Turner, Dodgers
C Willson Contreras, Cubs
DH William Contreras, Braves (replacing the injured Bryce Harper)
LF Joc Pederson, Giants
2B Jeff McNeil, Mets (replacing the injured Jazz Chisholm)

This has been a life-changing year for the Contreras family, culminating in both Willson and his younger brother, William, being in the starting lineup for the National League All-Star Team on Tuesday night. Even bigger than that honor, Contreras’ whole family will be in Los Angeles for the event.

There has been a peace of mind that has arrived this year for Willson, who now has both his parents, Olga and William, along with other family members, in the United States. That will make for quite the celebration as the Cubs and Braves catchers play in the All-Star Game together.

“This is once in a lifetime,” Willson Contreras said Monday of becoming the first brothers since Aaron and Bret Boone in 2003 to play in the same game, and the first to appear in the starting lineup together since Roberto and Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1992. “This is actually the first time we’ve gotten to spend on the field together in our lives. This is one experience where we can die and we will never forget. It’s amazing for me, my family and I’m proud of everything we’ve done together. Hopefully, we can keep that coming. Hopefully, we get to spend more All-Star Games together.”

This is the second All-Star Game to be played at Dodger Stadium. The Midsummer Classic was previously held here in 1980, the 51^st All-Star Game (NL, 4-2).