The National League team wins in All-Star Game historic swing-off.
The Midsummer Classic finally arrived. The best of the American League faced off against the best of the National League at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Cleveland Guardians had José Ramírez voted in by the fans as the starter at third base, but José elected to sit out and rest during the All-Star break instead of participating this year. While there were no starters from Cleveland, Steven Kwan was chosen to represent the Guardians on the AL roster and manager Stephen Vogt was invited to Aaron Boone’s coaching staff.
The full roster for tonight’s game can be viewed here. The Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers were both tapped to start for their leagues.
Paul Skenes struck out the first two Tiger batters he faced, Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene. Aaron Judge grounded out for the final out of the inning.
Tarik Skubal had tough work immediately facing lead off hitter, Shohei Ohtani. Despite the Home Run Derby champ, Platinum Glove veteran catcher Cal Raleigh behind the plate calling the game, Shohei got a lead off single to start the bottom of the first. Skubal gave up another single to Ronald Acuña Jr. to get the first two batters on. Ketel Marte slapped a two run double down the first base line to put the NL up 2-0 before a single out was recorded.
Freddie Freeman grounded out for the first out and Skubal struck out Manny Machado after 1-2 count ABS challenge and struck out Will Smith for the final out of the inning.
Clayton Kershaw was mic’d up for his 2nd inning appearance and made two very quick outs of Cal Raleigh and Vlad Guerrero Jr., reminding fans why he was worthy of this year’s “Legend Pick.” Raleigh lined out to left fielder Kyle Tucker and Vladdy was called out on strikes.
Jason Adam of the Padres came on in relief to secure the final out of the inning, striking out Ryan O’Hearn of the Orioles.
Carlos Rodón replaced Tarik Skubal for the bottom of the 2nd. Kyle Tucker was a quick ground out to second. Francisco Lindor took his first All-Star at bat as a Met and as a starter. Rodón struck out Lindor but then gave up a 2-out double to Pete Crow-Armstrong. Ohtani almost got into one, sending a towering foul ball before grounding out to first for the final out of the inning.
With Logan Webb of the Giants on the mound, Junior Caminero hit a first pitch single to center to lead off the third. Javier Báez grounded out to third for the first out and Jacob Wilson had a loud out to left. Gleyber Torres abandoned the runner on with a groundout to Pete Alonso who came in for Freddy Freeman.
Bryan Woo took over for the AL in the 3rd, striking out Ronald Acuña Jr. while AL SS Jacob Wilson (Athletics) was interviewed alongside his father Jack Wilson who was in the crowd. Jack and Jacob became the first father/son duo to play shortstop in an All-Star game. Woo had an incredible outing, with Marte grounding out and Alonso lining out to retire the side.
David Peterson of the Mets didn’t need much to get two AL outs. He struck out Riley Greene and Aaron Judge grounded out to short. Cal Raleigh slapped a single to right and Vlad Guerrero Jr. followed up with a single of his own. Ryan O’Hearn grounded out to end the inning, leaving the American League scoreless again.
Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins was not intimidated by the NL line up, sending Manny Machado, Will Smith, and Kyle Tucker down 1-2-3 with two Ks in the bottom of the fourth. MacKenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals leaned on Francisco Lindor to get out of his inning of work. In the top of the fifth, Junior Caminero, Javier Báez, and Jacob Wilson all grounded out to Lindor for a 1-2-3 inning.
Drew Rasmussen of the Tampa Bay Rays replaced Joe Ryan for the bottom of the fifth. A lineout and two flyouts sent the NL down without allowing a baserunner. Andrew Abbott of the Cincinnati Reds faced Jazz Chisholm Jr. (replaced Gleyber Torres at 2B) who lined out, Riley Green who flied out, and Randy Arozarena (replaced Aaron Judge in RF) who grounded out to Pete Alonso.
Kansas City Royal Kris Bubic ended the quick inning “boring” portion of the game. Fernando Tatis Jr. (replaced Acuña Jr. in RF) drew a walk then stole second. Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals (took over 2B for Marte) and hit a single of his own. Pete Alonso, two-time Home Run Derby champion launched a three-run homer to right field to put the NL up 5-0.
The Arizona Dimondback Eugenio Suárez (playing 3B, replacing Machado) grounded out to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second for the first out of the inning. AL Manager Aaron Boone went to the bullpen for Casey Mize (Detroit Tigers). Catcher Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies flied out to Twins CF Byron Buxton for the second out of the inning. Corbin Carroll homered in his AB to put the NL up 6 runs to nil.
Mize got the final out, striking out Elly De La Cruz who took over at short in the top of the sixth.
Blue Jay Catcher Alejandro Kirk got a quick jump on San Diego Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon with a sharp single to center. Jonathan Aranda (Tampa Bay, playing 1B) drew a walk to get the first two runners on. Before Brent Rooker could take his first at bat of the game, NL Manager Dave Roberts lifted Morejon for Giants pitcher Randy Rodríguez. It didn’t matter much after the DH Rooker smacked a homer to left center, put the AL on the board and cutting the lead in half.
Maikel Garcia, the Royals 3B drew a walk. After Byron Buxton lined out, Garcia had some heads up baserunning stealing second. NL Catcher Goodman’s throw to second was off, allowing Garcia to reach 3B with only one out and MVP caliber teammate Bobby Witt Jr. at the plate. Witt Jr. grounded out to first, but scored Garcia to close the lead even more. Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached first on a fielding error by the Braves 1B Matt Olson, forcing the second pitching change of the inning.
Trevor Megill of the Milwaukee Brewers faced Cleveland’s own Steven Kwan. It was Kwan’s first AB of the game. He grounded out to third for the final out of the inning.
Carlos Estévez of the Royals came on in the bottom of the seventh to pitch for the AL. Miami Marlin Kyle Stowers (LF) struck out swinging. With two outs, there were runners on first and second. Kyle Schwarber drew a walk and Brendan Donovan singled to center. With a chance at regaining the lead, Matt Olson struck out looking in front of his home crowd.
Jacob Misiorowski made his All-Star game debut after only notching five games in the MLB career. Misiorowski debuted for the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12th, 2025 and was added to the All Star roster a month later. The young righty was all smiles as Randy Arozarena and Alejandro Kirk flied out for the first two outs of the inning. Jonathan Aranda hit a single to right to get a base runner on, but that didn’t damper Misiorowski’s spirits. Zach McKinstry pinch hit for Rooker, representing the game tying run. Misiorowski kept his scoreless inning as McKinstry lined out to right to retire the side.
The White Sox Shane Smith hit the first batter he faced, Eugenio Suárez and was replaced by Andrés Muñoz from Seattle after James Wood hit into a forceout. Corbin Carroll drew a walk, moving Wood to second. Kyle Stowers challenged a called third strike for what would be the final out of the bottom of the eighth. The call was upheld as the ball barely nicked the strike zone.
The Padres righty Robert Suarez took the mound to start the top of the ninth for the NL. Maikel Garcia grounded out to Eugenio Suárez who made a spectacular throw to first despite just being hit in the hand in his at bat.
Byron Buxton got aboard with a one-out double to right. Bobby Witt Jr. came up to bat representing the tying run again. Witt laid a perfect RBI double that curved down the right field line, cutting the lead to one run.
The NL turned to Edwin Díaz to secure the final two outs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. grounded out to first base. Matt Olson turned a fantastic play to get the out, but with Witt advancing to third. With the tying run on third and Steven “Please Cleveland, I’m Begging You, Extend Him” Kwan representing the go ahead run at the plate with two outs, things were looking to be wrapped up. After working a 2-2 count on six pitches, Steven Kwan knocked an infield bloop single to score Witt and tie the game.
Kwan put himself in scoring position, running on the first pitch and successfully stealing 2nd base. Arozarena struck out on a challenged third strike to send things to the bottom of the ninth.
Aroldis Chapman closed it out in his typical fashion. The final out was a weird ground out that rolled fair in the batter’s box. Catcher Alejandro Kirk applied the tag to send things into a shootout swing off. A first in All-Star Game history.
The AL put up Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena, and Jonathan Aranda. The NL put up Kyle Stowers, Kyle Schwarber, and Pete Alonso.
Each player got 3 swings to hit a home run. The team with the most home runs took the tie-breaker and the W.
Round 1 – Rooker v. Stowers
Rooker – 2
Stowers – 1
AL 2 – NL 1
Round 2 – Arozarena v. Schwarber
Arozarena – 1
Schwarber – 3
AL 3 – NL 4
Round 3 – Aranda v. Alonso
Aranda – 0
Alonso – X
AL 3 – NL 4
The National League won the swing off and win the tie breaker.