MLB All-Star Game: 5 things to watch for tonight

The starting pitchers

By the very nature of the contest, the All-Star Game typically features a great starting pitching matchup. While you’re not going to see these guys go at it for seven-plus innings like you would in the regular season, it’s still cool to watch two of baseball’s best arms go toe-to-toe for a bit, especially when they might not face off under usual circumstances.

This year’s starters were a virtual no-brainer. Max Scherzer and Chris Sale have by most metrics been the top two pitchers in baseball during the first half. In fact, Sale leads all hurlers with 5.3 fWAR and Scherzer comes in second at 4.4. These guys pretty much come with only one setting: dominate.

Sale has somehow been even better than advertised in his first season in Boston. The lefty owns an 11-4 record, 2.75 ERA, 0.901 WHIP and 8.09 K/BB ratio over 127.2 innings at the break. Meanwhile, Scherzer boasts a 10-5 record, MLB-leading 2.10 ERA, 0.779 WHIP and 6.41 K/BB in 128.1 frames.

We very well could be seeing a clash between this year’s eventual Cy Young winners. Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if we’re watching future Hall of Famers too. It might be an exhibition game, but that’s not something that just happens every day.

Next: X's and O's

How will the game be managed?

As mentioned previously, “This time it counts!” has gone out the window, as per the new collective bargaining agreement. Most fans agree that’s a good thing. The all-important home field advantage in the World Series should go to the team with the better regular season record, not whichever league won a game in July – which despite MLB’s best intentions over the past 15 years, was always an exhibition at heart.

However, will the managers of this year’s game make a full return to the previous way of doing things? That is, making lineup and pitching changes in an effort to get every All-Star some playing time. While some might roll their eyes at that, there’s some merit to it. Making the All-Star team isn’t an annual occurrence for some of these guys, and you’d like to give them the full experience.

That said, it’s hard to completely eliminate the desire to win and some of that playoff intensity might always seep in. Could you blame either skipper for not wanting to mess with these starting lineups too early?

Of course, the last thing any All-Star manager wants is to send a player back home with an injury. Truncated appearances can help minimize that risk. We’ll just have to see how NL manager Joe Maddon and AL skipper Brad Mills (who’s filling in for Terry Francona) decide to play it.

Next: Youth is served

Young players and first-time All-Stars

You might think the All-Star Game is exclusively the domain of established players with extensive resumes, but it seems more and more each year the event showcases baseball as a young man’s game. Two of last night’s leading Home Run Derby competitors, Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, have 181 games of major league experience between them, but you’d be hard-pressed to claim they’re not among the best the game has to offer right now.

This year’s game features 18 players age 25 or younger, 11 in the American League and seven in the National League. There is plenty of power represented in that group, as three (Judge, Bellinger and Miguel Sano) participated in last night’s Derby and put on quite a show in reaching the contest’s final two rounds. You’ll find two of the game’s top closers as well in Roberto Osuna of the Blue Jays and Corey Knebel of the Brewers.

The Midsummer Classic will also see lots of new faces regardless of age. Of the 68 players selected, 28 are first-time All-Stars. That’s always a great sign: It keeps the game fresh and indicates the league isn’t overwhelmingly dominated by the same handful of stars. You can always sense the excitement from guys who are experiencing it for the first time.

It’s worth noting there are a few players who have been around for a bit and pretty much came out of nowhere to nab their first All-Star nods. Did anyone expect back in March that Justin Smoak and Zack Cozart would be voted in as All-Star starters? Both have put up deserving numbers, and it’s nice to see them recognized.

Next: The final box score

Pitchers’ duel or barn-burner?

With the starting pitching matchup we’re being treated to, under normal circumstances you’d think we’re in for a low-scoring affair. But the All-Star Game always seems to be a test of whether great pitching or great hitting wins out. All these guys are talented players, but with the various lineup changes anything can happen over the course of nine innings.

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In recent years, All-Star pitchers have more or less been able to keep their counterparts in check. A team has scored more than five runs just twice in the past 10 All-Star Games. The games have been close, too: The average margin of victory over that span is 2.7 runs. The only one that qualified as a blowout was the NL’s 8-0 win in 2012.

If tradition holds, you would think we’re set for another tight, low- to moderate-scoring battle. However, with the firepower contained in tonight’s lineups, you certainly don’t want to dismiss the possibility of an offensive onslaught either.

The National League will also be looking to reverse its recent All-Star Game misfortunes. They have gone 3-16-1 (gotta love that 2002 tie!) over the past two decades’ worth of Midsummer Classics. After winning three straight from 2010-2012, they’ve dropped the last four. The Senior Circuit is considered a slight favorite tonight by betting outlets, though. We’ll see if the NL can stop its slide or if the AL continues its dominance.

Next: The hardware

MVP candidates

On a field full of All-Stars, there’s something special about being named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Plenty of legends have taken home the All-Star Game MVP since it was first awarded in 1962, including Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Carl Yastrzemski and Frank Robinson.

In 2015, Mike Trout became the fifth player in history to win the award twice (joining Mays, Steve Garvey, Gary Carter and Cal Ripken Jr.) and the first to earn it two years in a row. Though again voted in as a starter this season, Trout is still sidelined with his thumb injury and won’t be able to attempt to make it three out of four. That means we’re guaranteed to have a first-time MVP tonight.

Who it will be is anyone’s guess, and sometimes it’s a player few expected. But it’s fun to speculate. After last night’s booming display, everyone is wondering what Aaron Judge will do for an encore. Another 513-foot blast isn’t too much to ask for, right? He’s definitely shown a knack for rising to the occasion.

Next: 5 All-Stars who could be traded

Fans in Miami would surely love to see one of their own come away with the prize. The Marlins’ All-Star representatives may be modest in number, but they certainly aren’t lacking in talent. Outfielders Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna are both in the NL’s starting lineup (Stanton will DH), so they should each get a solid opportunity to put their mark on the game.

What are you looking forward to seeing in tonight’s MLB All-Star Game? Sound off in the comment section below.