From Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. returning to his hometown under the lights to former teenage sensation Jurickson Profar of San Diego making his All-Star Game debut at age 31, there’s plenty to talk about going into the 94th Midsummer Classic set for Tuesday night at Globe Life Field, home of the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers.

But the one player who is generating the most buzz is Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes, who will start for the National League. The right-hander, the top overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, is having a sensational rookie season, going 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 11 starts.

“Pretty dang cool to even be in this position, to be at the All-Star Game in the first place,” Skenes said during a pregame news conference on Monday. “Just super grateful to be given the opportunity to start it.”

NL manager Torey Lovullo, who guided the Diamondbacks to the NL pennant last season, said the decision to give Skenes the starting nod was a “no-brainer.”

“Paul is everything right about this game,” Lovullo said. “You mentioned youthfulness. He just got drafted. Youthfulness of the All-Star Game. Just his ability to balance what he’s had to go through over the past year has been amazing. He does it with humility. He does it very, very well.”

For the American League, manager Bruce Bochy of the Rangers is going with Corbin Burnes, ace of the Baltimore staff. Burnes, who had yet to arrive at the All-Star Game when Monday’s press conference began, is 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA in 19 starts. The right-hander, in his first season with Baltimore after six with the Milwaukee Brewers, is making his fourth straight All-Star appearance and first start.

“What he’s done this year in Baltimore, you know, they’re leading their division. He’s a big reason for that,” Bochy said. “In my mind, it’s just his time. It’s his time to start an All-Star Game. That’s why I chose him.”

As far as the lineups, there is plenty of power and versatility throughout. Both managers kept teammates together in the Nos. 3-4 spots with the AL boasting New York Yankees stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge back-to-back, while the NL will go with Philadelphia Phillies stars Trea Turner and Bryce Harper.

Just how deep are the lineups in general? Well, left fielder Profar is batting ninth for the NL and Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien is batting ninth for the AL. Profar – who made his major league debut at age 19 with the Rangers in 2012 — has spent most of his time as the Padres’ No. 3 batter this season, while Semien is usually the leadoff man for Bochy.

“The toughest thing about the lineup is picking the last two or three,” said Bochy, who is managing his fifth All-Star team.

For the game itself, both managers understand the importance of getting every player involved in some fashion. This is a glorified exhibition, after all.

The competitive juices, however, will be flowing once the game starts. Skenes said his goal is to throw 100-mph fastballs, just like he does in normal starts. And he would be more than OK matching up against Judge on the All-Star stage.

“Yeah, it will be cool,” Skenes said.

However, Bochy chimed in: “I hope he does. It means one guy got on.”

In the end, the back-and-forth banter is all in good fun. Just like the All-Star Game is meant to be.

“This is an absolute honor to be sitting up here,” Lovullo said. “With this group beside me, I get a chance to sit among the biggest stars in the game. It’s going to be one of the absolute baseball highlights of my life.”

The NL won last year’s game, ending what had been a nine-year winning streak by the AL. Overall, the AL owns the all-time series 47-44-2.

– Field Level Media

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SEATTLE — The streak is mercifully over for the National League.

After nine consecutive All-Star Game defeats to the American League, the NL finally snapped the streak with a come-from-behind 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night.

The AL was six outs away from extending its run of dominance to a full decade when Philadelphia’s Nick Castellanos led off the top of the eighth inning with a walk off Felix Bautista. Pinch hitter Elias Diaz then drilled the fifth pitch he saw from Baltimore’s closer 360 feet to left field — a homer that earned him MVP honors.

“When I was running the bases, I was overcome by emotion,” Diaz said through an interpreter after the game.

It was the first lead of the game for the NL, whose bullpen threw three scoreless innings to finish the game. That included San Diego’s Josh Hader holding the lead in the eighth inning and Philadelphia’s Craig Kimbrel surviving a 30-pitch ninth to pick up the save.

After Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco flied out to the warning track in right field, Kimbrel struck out Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who had won the Home Run Derby the night before. However, Kimbrel then issued consecutive two-out walks to Houston’s Kyle Tucker and Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez before striking out Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez.

NL manager Rob Thomson said it was Kimbrel’s final batter of the game no matter the outcome so that he will be available when the Phillies return to action Friday.

“The drama in the ninth, it was great,” Thomson said.

He also said he wasn’t sure that Diaz, the 32-year-old All-Star rookie, would make an appearance Tuesday night. But Diaz said NL teammate Orlando Arcia told him earlier in the game that he would get an at-bat, hit a home run and win MVP honors.

“It feels incredible,” Diaz said when asked about helping to end the NL’s All-Star Game losing streak. “We all talked about it when we got here. I just didn’t realize it would be me, but it feels amazing to contribute.”

AL manager Dusty Baker said Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman told him it was the first home run that Bautista has given up off his split-fingered fastball all season.

San Francisco’s Camilo Doval pitched a scoreless seventh inning, picking up the win courtesy of the winning homer by Colorado’s catcher.

The AL had pulled ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette hit a sacrifice fly to score Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, who had singled after entering the game in place of designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Perez was moved to third on a double by Oakland’s Brent Rooker off Cincinnati closer Alexis Diaz.

The AL took the first lead of the game in the second inning, when Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz opened the scoring with a 383-foot home run to left field off Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller.

The NL evened the score when Miami’s Luis Arraez, the league’s batting leader, singled home the Dodgers’ J.D. Martinez, who had opened the top of the fourth inning with a double off Seattle right-hander George Kirby. Kirby, who was named to his first All-Star Game as an alternate, was bailed out of further potential trouble when Arraez was caught stealing on a call that was overturned following a challenge by Baker.

Starting pitchers Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees and Zac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks both pitched scoreless innings, but they accomplished the feats in different manners.

Cole, starting for the AL in his sixth All-Star Game, was taken to the wall twice. The first was by Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr., whose deep shot to right field on the second pitch of the game was snagged on a jump by Texas’ Adolis Garcia.

Not to be outdone one batter later, Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena made a leaping catch against the left field wall to rob the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman.

Gallen had a far less eventful time in the bottom of the inning. He retired his first two batters before giving up a single to Arozarena, who was promptly thrown out attempting to steal by Atlanta catcher Sean Murphy.

NOTES: Toronto closer Jordan Romano left with one out in the seventh inning with what Baker said was a stiff lower back. … The AL now owns a 47-44-2 advantage in 93 All-Star Games. … This was the second All-Star Game held at T-Mobile Park, with the venue also playing host to the event in 2001, when it was called Safeco Field.

–Field Level Media

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Field Level Media) – Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson could rely heavily on a division rival’s players when he takes charge of the National League lineup in tonight’s All-Star Game in Seattle.

Eight Atlanta Braves made the All-Star team, including three starters: catcher Sean Murphy, shortstop Orlando Arcia and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., who earned the most All-Star fan votes of any player.

But from his roster of reserves, Thomson can slot in three more Braves — Matt Olson at first base, Ozzie Albies at second and Austin Riley at third — and play with the entire Atlanta infield if he so chooses.

“I guess there could be a chance that we have an all-Braves infield,” Thomson said Monday.

Thomson is managing in the All-Star Game after he took over the Phillies in June 2022 and guided them to the World Series after a disappointing start to the season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros, whose skipper, Dusty Baker, will be in charge of the American League on Tuesday.

The Phillies are a respectable 48-41 and in third place in the NL East at the break. However, the division rival Braves are 60-29 with a plus-147 run differential and look primed to make a run at their second World Series title in three years.

“…They have got a great club,” Thomson said. “They put up some really good offensive numbers, and they have all have earned that right to be on this team. So I’m really looking forward to getting to meet them, everybody in the clubhouse really, but I’m really looking forward to get to meet them and be with them and it’s really an honor to be managing this group of talent.”

Baker has a similar option available to him on the AL side.

The Texas Rangers — who hit the break leading Baker’s Astros by two games in the AL West — got a whopping five starters in the All-Star Game. Catcher Jonah Heim, second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Adolis Garcia will all be in the starting lineup on Tuesday.

Baker can’t make it an all-Texas infield, but he could insert Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi so that all six members of the organization are in the game simultaneously.

“Well, I hope so. I haven’t spoken to him yet,” Baker said Monday. “I haven’t spoken to our pitching coach yet who is going to talk to him.

“So, yes, right now we’re planning on getting everybody in there probably on one inning that’s available. But we’ve had to mix and match a little bit on who is available, who pitched Sunday, who pitched Saturday. So, above all, we have to try to take care of other people’s players.”

–Field Level Media

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. eliminated record-setting hometown favorite Julio Rodriguez in the semifinals and then made history of his own Monday night.

The Toronto Blue Jays slugger beat Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena 25-23 in the finals to win the 2023 Home Run Derby at T-Mobile Park, completing the first father-son duo to claim Derby titles. Vladimir Sr. won the Derby in 2007 as a member of the Angels.

“I feel very happy,” Guerrero Jr. said via an interpreter on the field after Arozarena fell two homers short of matching him. “I’m just happy to be in this moment right now.”

Guerrero Jr. nearly accomplished the feat in his first appearance in 2019, losing to Pete Alonso in the finals. Four years later he proved he had learned from that experience, using his timeouts wisely en route to winning all three of his matchups.

After cruising past the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts in the first round and hitting a walk-off homer in bonus time against Rodriguez, it was Guerrero who had to sweat out the final seconds in the finals. The 24-year-old went first as the No. 6 seed and set the mark for Arozarena to beat with 25 home runs.
Arozarena smashed 20 in two minutes and earned 30 seconds of bonus time. However, the 28-year-old was clearly fatigued and with 15 seconds to go it became clear Arozarena would run out of time. Guerrero insisted he wasn’t worried.

“I felt pretty good,” Guerrero said of watching bonus time. “I felt like the pressure was on him.”

Trying to become only the fourth player to win the Derby in his own ballpark, Rodriguez put on a show before running out of gas for the second consecutive year. After clubbing a single-round record 41 homers in the first round, the seventh seed managed only 20 in the semifinals — the third fewest hit in any round of the night.

Guerrero Jr. matched that total during regulation, then walked off the win with his 21st homer with 43 seconds remaining in his bonus time.

“It feels like your mind is there, but your body is not. That’s the best way to explain it,” Rodriguez said of being tired in the second round.

Meanwhile, saving time proved beneficial for Guerrero, who faced a quick turnaround to the finals.

After opening the event with 24 homers, good for only fourth most in the first round, Arozarena put on a display by smashing 35 in the semifinals. He easily dispatched top-seeded Luis Robert Jr., with the Chicago White Sox star fading after a decent start to finish with 22 long balls.

Arozarena kicked off the event by eliminating Texas’ fourth seed Adolis Garcia, but the competition picked up in earnest when Adley Rutschman stepped to the plate.

Baltimore’s second-year star catcher smashed 21 home runs from the left side in regulation. The only non-right-handed hitter in the contest, Rutschman brought cheers from the crowd when he switched to the right side for his 60 seconds of bonus time. The former Oregon State star then clubbed six more for a total of 27.

“It was kind of on the fly, we were debating about whether to do it,” the eighth seed said.

However, the mark didn’t last long, with Robert equaling it during regulation and walking off after hitting his 28th homer during his bonus time.

Next up, Guerrero Jr. easily eliminated the third-seeded Betts, with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star managing only 11 homers to the Toronto slugger’s 26.

The momentary lull from Betts’ session was quickly followed by fireworks.

Rodriguez blasted 32 home runs in regulation — four more than anyone else in the first round managed including bonus time. Needing eight in 60 seconds to set the single-round Derby record, Rodriguez smashed nine more for a total of 41, bringing a roar with each one from the sellout crowd of 46,952.

“I wanted to live in the moment. Kind of be able to give a show to the Mariners fans and just kind of give it my all,” he said. “It was electric. Just like the fact that we’re out here and the whole crowd was into it and they were supporting me, all that. I feel like it meant the world for me, I really enjoyed it and I hope they enjoyed it, too.”

That performance didn’t guarantee a spot in the next round with two-time Derby champion Alonso the final batter of the first round. Attempting to join Seattle legend Ken Griffey Jr. as the only three-time champions, Alonso started strong before fading and finishing with 21 homers — falling to Rodriguez for the second consecutive year.

Despite failing to get out of the first round, Alonso did add to his all-time Derby home run lead — the Mets’ slugger now has 195 in four career appearances. Rodriguez has 142 in five combined rounds through his first two appearances.

Guerrero Jr., who does not have a single home run in 10 career games at T-Mobile Park, hit a combined 72 Monday night to up his career total to 163.

2023 HOME RUN DERBY RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
#5 Randy Arozarena (24)
#4 Adolis Garcia (17)

#8 Adley Rutschman (27)
#1 Luis Robert Jr. (28)

#6 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (26)
#3 Mookie Betts (11)

#7 Julio Rodriguez (41)
#2 Pete Alonso (21)

SEMIFINALS
#5 Randy Arozarena (35)
#1 Luis Robert Jr. (22)

#6 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (21)
#7 Julio Rodriguez (20)

FINALS
#5 Randy Arozarena (23)
#6 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (25)

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