MLB’s 2020 All-Star week celebration continues on Tuesday with the 2022 MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium.
This year’s MLB All-Star Game will be the 92nd edition of baseball’s mid-season classic. It will be the 4th time that the Los Angeles Dodgers will host the game and their first since 1980.
The American League currently leads the all-time series at 46-23-2. The game has seen several eras where one league has dominated the game. The AL won 12 out of the first 16 installments of the All-Star game while the National League went 33-8-1 from 1950-1987. Meanwhile, the AL has taken over since 1988 winning 26 out of the last 33 games, including a 13-game stretch from 1997-2009 where they went 12-0-1. The AL has won the last eight MLB All-Star games played.
In case the 2022 MLB All-Star Game is tied after nine innings, a new rule states that the teams will battle in a best-of-five home run derby. The manager will choose five players from his team to join the tie-break derby. The team which hits the most number of home runs ( each player gets one swing ) after five rounds, will get one run added to its score and will be declared the winner. If the teams are tied after the first home run derby round, they will play in sudden death rounds until one team hits a homer.
Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞 ⚾️: https://t.co/b67pYHFpJY pic.twitter.com/PgSmNfo5dF — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 19, 2022
Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞Please let the MLB All-Star game end in a tie 🤞
⚾️: https://t.co/b67pYHFpJY pic.twitter.com/PgSmNfo5dF
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 19, 2022
The longest MLB All-Star game lasted 15 innings. This occurred in 1967 and 2008. The 2008 game stands as the longest as far as time is concerned as it lasted four hours and 50 minutes.
• Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2022
• First pitch: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX, Sportsnet
The first pitch will be thrown at 8:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 19, 20202, with big stars like Shohei Ohtani teaming up with Aaron Judge to face an opposing team led by Paul Goldschmidt and Mookie Betts of the host Dodgers.
Dodgers’ left-hander Clayton Kershaw will get the nod to open for the home team. This marks the first time in Kershaw’s nine All-Star game appearances that he will get the chance to open the mid-season classic.
Clayton Kershaw will start for the National League in the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.https://t.co/TeSPYLwyyj pic.twitter.com/GEyiO6dNJz — Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) July 18, 2022
Clayton Kershaw will start for the National League in the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.https://t.co/TeSPYLwyyj pic.twitter.com/GEyiO6dNJz
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) July 18, 2022
Meanwhile, opposing Kershaw will be Shane McClanahan of the Tampa Bay Rays. The left-hander starter is Major League Baseball’s top pitcher this season with an ERA of 1.71.
“I’m honored,” #Rays McClanahan said. “There are so many deserving guys in the AL who had a heck of a year so far, and giving me consideration for this was truly just an honor for me to take the ball.” https://t.co/gjue0jvO3r — Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 19, 2022
“I’m honored,” #Rays McClanahan said. “There are so many deserving guys in the AL who had a heck of a year so far, and giving me consideration for this was truly just an honor for me to take the ball.” https://t.co/gjue0jvO3r
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 19, 2022
The 2022 MLB All-Star Game rosters were announced last July 10th during the Chevrolet All-Star Selection Show on ESPN. Here are the rosters:
SIX All-Stars 🤩 (via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/R4qhLtK6oa — Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 18, 2022
SIX All-Stars 🤩
(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/R4qhLtK6oa
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 18, 2022
The New York Yankees, who are the owners of the best record in baseball at the break, have the most players on the AL All-Star team with six. However, only Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are among the starters. More than half of the starting lineup for the AL team comes from the American League East Division which the Yankees currently lead by 13 games.
Los Angeles’ Mike Trout was named to his 10th All-Star Game selection and was chosen to start alongside teammate Shohei Ohtani but Trout will not be playing due to injury.
Elected starters
Legacy selection
Reserves
Starting pitchers
Relievers
#Dodgers now have six All-Stars for the game played at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Joining Freddie Freeman are starters Mookie Betts and Trea Turner and pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson. pic.twitter.com/eYUNl4m0ZT — Bleednblue (@BleednblueJohn) July 18, 2022
#Dodgers now have six All-Stars for the game played at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Joining Freddie Freeman are starters Mookie Betts and Trea Turner and pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson. pic.twitter.com/eYUNl4m0ZT
— Bleednblue (@BleednblueJohn) July 18, 2022
This year’s hosts, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are very much well-represented in the mid-season classic with Trea Turner and Mookie Betts in the starting lineup and four others on the team. Meanwhile, pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin are members of the pitching staff.
St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols was named to the team as the Legacy Selection ( commissioner’s pick ). Pujols has previously announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season.
*Denotes a player who is inactive or has chosen not to play
+Named as a replacement
The American League has dominated the midseason classic, beating the National League in each of the last eight MLB All-Star games, and going 20-3-1 in the last 24 games played overall. However, the National League enter the 2022 MLB All-Star Game as the slight betting favorites as of Monday morning.
According to online sportsbook Bovada, the NL is the -116 odds-on favorite with the AL coming back at -104 odds. It’s interesting why the AL is favored but looking at the number, the AL has drilled 42 more home runs than the NL this season and has scored 273 more runs than their counterparts.
The NL will be led by Paul Goldschmidt who leads the NL in batting average (.330), on-base percentage (.414), and slugging percentage (.590). He will be joined by fellow MVP betting favorite Manny Machado, Ronald Acuna, plus hometown boys Mookie Betts and Trea Turner. On the bench, NL will boast newly-minted home run King Juan Soto and former Home Run Derby winner Pete Alonso.
However, the NL will be without superstars Bryce Harper, Jazz Chisholm, and Nolan Arenado among others.
On the other hand, the AL is bannered by Los Angeles Angels dual-threat star Shohei Ohtani and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. Judge is one of the game’s most feared hitters and hit 33 home runs this season the most in the big league. Joining them will be fellow big-hitters Giancarlo Stanton and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The AL has its share of injuries, most notably Mike Trout. However, given that this is an All-Star game, you have to say they have the same pop as the AL, or even slightly better. The AL also packs plenty of star power off the bench with the likes of Jose Ramirez, Cory Seager, and J.D. Martinez all ready to step up when their number is called.
The edge in this game could come in the pitching department with the AL missing the trio of Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon. These three are arguably three of the best pitcher in the AL but won’t be representing their league on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the AL has an exciting trio of Shane McClanahan, Alex Manoah, and the one and only Ohtani.
Prediction: I like the value on the AL and with their edge in the pitching department, I expect them to win for the 9th consecutive game. Give me the underdogs and the American League to win the game.
If you’re not sure about picking a winner at the Moneyline market, then maybe betting on the over/under for the All-Star game might be the one for you. If you are not convinced that the AL going 9-0 in the last nine All-Star games isn’t enough, then perhaps the 12-1-2 under record since 2006 might be enticing to you.
Sure, both teams pack plenty of pop in their bat, and both teams are loaded with offensive weapons. However, MLB’s All-Star game has not been as high-scoring s the NBA’s All-Star game.
During the last 15 years, the average total score for the MLB All-Star game has been 6.87 with the total hitting double-digits only once during that span – an 8-6 win by the AL in 2018 in a game that went extra innings. But even that game had only a total of 8 runs going to the bottom of the 9th so, it was a fairly low-scoring game before it went to extra innings.
Also, it’s worth noting that this season is on pace to register the 4th lowest league batting average in MLB history at .242. It’s also the lowest batting average in the majors since 1968. Likewise, this year’s totals are on pace for the 5th most strikeouts per game average in the league at 8.35. Given that the trends and stats support it, I have to pick the under.
This year’s total has been set low at 7.5 runs. However, 10 out of the last 15 games between these teams have seen a total of 7 or lower. I know it’s unusual for an exhibition game to register low scores. But great pitching always beats great hitting. Especially when you have one ace pitching after another. Give me the teams to hit the under.
Prediction: Under 7.5
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