Another middle of the July, another All-Star Game. A preview and discussion thread for the game.
All-Star Game Information:
AL vs. NL
Location: Truist Park, Cobb County GA [Home stadium of the Atlanta Braves]
All-Time: AL Leads 48-44-2 (AL winning 10 of the last 11)
AL favored at -105 (if you are into that sort of thing) with the over/under at 7.5 runs
Pitching Matchup: 7/15 (7:00 CDT on FOX) Paul Skenes (PIT) vs. Tarik Skubal (DET)
AL:
- 1. 2B Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers
- 2. LF Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers
- 3. RF Aaron Judge, NY Yankees
- 4. C Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
- 5. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
- 6. DH Ryan O’Hearn, Baltimore Orioles
- 7. 3B Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays (Jose Ramirez (CLE) voted in, but opted out)
- 8. CF Javier Báez, Detroit Tigers
- 9. SS Jacob WIlson, Athletics
Reserves
- C: Alejandro Kirk (TOR)
- INF: Jonathan Aranda (TB)
- INF: Alex Bregman (BOS)
- INF: Jazz Chisholm Jr. (NYY)
- INF: Maikel Garcia (KC) [Replacing Lowe]
- INF: Brandon Lowe (TB) (Not playing due to injury)
- INF: Zach McKinstry (DET) [Named as replacement for Pena due to injury]
- INF: Isaac Paredes (HOU) [Replaced Ramirez, but not playing due to personal reasons]
- INF: Jeremy Peña (HOU) (Not playing due to injury)
- INF: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC)
- OF: Randy Arozarena (SEA) [Replacing Rodriguez]
- OF: Byron Buxton (MIN)
- OF: Steven Kwan (CLE)
- OF: Julio Rodríguez (SEA) (Not playing due to…not wanting to play)
- DH: Brent Rooker (ATH)
Starting pitchers
- RHP: Hunter Brown (HOU) (Not pitching due to starting Sunday)
- LHP: Kris Bubic (KC)
- LHP: Garrett Crochet (BOS) (Not playing due to pitching on Saturday)
- RHP: Jacob deGrom (TEX) (Not playing due to pitching on Saturday)
- LHP: Max Fried (NYY) (Not playing due to pitching on Saturday)
- LHP: Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) (Not playing due to pitching on Saturday)
- RHP: Casey Mize (DET) [Replaces Crochet]
- RHP: Drew Rasmussen (TB) [Replaces Kikuchi]
- LHP: Carlos Rodón (NYY) [Replaces Fried]
- RHP: Joe Ryan (MIN) [Replaces Brown]
- RHP: Shane Smith (CWS)
- RHP: Bryan Woo (SEA)
Relief pitchers
- LHP: Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
- RHP: Carlos Estévez (KC) [Replaces deGrom]
- LHP: Josh Hader (HOU)
- RHP: Andrés Muñoz (SEA)
NL:
- DH Shohei Ohtani, LA Dodgers
- LF Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
- 2B Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
- 1B Freddie Freeman, LA Dodgers
- 3B Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
- C Will Smith, LA Dodgers
- RF Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs
- SS Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
- CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
Reserves:
Field Players:
- C: Hunter Goodman (COL)
- INF: Pete Alonso (NYM)
- INF: Elly De La Cruz (CIN)
- INF: Brendan Donovan (STL)
- INF: Matt Olson (ATL)
- INF: Eugenio Suárez (AZ)
- OF: Corbin Carroll (AZ)
- OF: Kyle Stowers (MIA)
- OF: Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD)
- OF: James Wood (WSH)
- DH: Kyle Schwarber (PHI)
Starting pitchers
- LHP: Andrew Abbott (CIN) [Replaces Yamamoto]
- LHP: Matthew Boyd (CHC) (Not playing due to pitching on Saturday)
- LHP: MacKenzie Gore (WSH)
- LHP: Clayton Kershaw (LAD) — Legend Pick
- RHP: Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) [Replaces Boyd]
- RHP: Freddy Peralta (MIL) (Not playing due to pitching on Sunday)
- LHP: David Peterson (NYM) [Replaces Ray]
- LHP: Robbie Ray (SF) (Not playing due to pitching on Sunday)
- LHP: Chris Sale (ATL) (Not playing due to injury)
- RHP: Logan Webb (SF)
- RHP: Zack Wheeler (PHI) (Not playing due to pitching on Saturday)
- RHP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) (Not playing due to pitching on Sunday)
Relief pitchers
- RHP: Jason Adam (SD)
- RHP: Edwin Díaz (NYM)
- RHP: Trevor Megill (MIL) [Replaces Peralta]
- RHP: Randy Rodríguez (SF)
- RHP: Robert Suarez (SD) [Replaces Sale]
- LHP: Adrian Morejon (SD) [Replaces Wheeler]
Astros that made the roster:
Voted as Starters: None
Named as Reserves: Brown, Hader, Peña
Named as Replacement: Paredes
SP Hunter Brown: (9-4, 2.43 ERA, .957 WHIP). Building upon the break-out he had in late spring/early summer 2024. Does come into the All-Star Break struggling by his standards over the last two starts. Still, pitching at an All-Star caliber level and earned his first bid. Will not pitch due to starting on Sunday.
RP Josh Hader: (5-2, 2.53 ERA, 25 Saves, .820 WHIP). His 6th All-Star appearance, but first with Houston. Hader seemingly put his 2024 struggles behind him to start 2025, converting his first 25 save opportunities. He did blow his first save this season on Saturday, but the Astros won that game. Will have to see how the rest of the season plays out, but could auger well for Houston. Also, likely the only Astros that might actually play in this game.
SS Jeremy Peña: (.322/.378/.489; 11 HR, 40 RBI). Peña was having a career start to this season, emerging as arguably Houston’s best offensive weapon. This to go along with his usual stellar defense. Unfortunately, Peña has been on the IL since late-June due to a broken rib. As a result, he will not get to actively participate in his 1st All-Star Game. Latest reports indicate that he could be back shortly after the All-Star Break, but as with any reported injury on the Astros, take that news with a rather LARGE grain of salt.
3B: Isaac Paredes: (.257/.357/.468; 19 HR, 49 RBIs). Named as an alternate to the AL All-Star team when Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez opted out, Parades immediately opted out of the game for a “family matter.” This was Paredes’ second All-Star selection. He certainly was worthy of this nomination with his play in Houston after coming over in the trade with the Cubs.
Outlook: Well, this is the All-Star Game. Nothing of significance save bragging rights decided here (we won’t discuss the abomination of when the winner of the All-Star Game secured home-field for the World Series for their respective league). You hope for some entertainment and that no one gets injured. Unfortunately for the Houston fan, aside from a possible appearance from Hader, not a lot of pure Astros reasons to watch the game. Perhaps a chance to check in on Tucker (who made it from the Cubs) and some other players of interest. Does the MLB All-Star mean what it used to? Probably not, especially since interleague play took away the exotic nature of AL vs. NL matchup you would rarely see otherwise. Still, unlike basketball or the abomination that is the NFL’s Pro Bowl, baseball still offers some drama.
With that, the thread is open. All discussion board rules apply. Enjoy the game and see everyone on the other side of the break.