MLB All Star Game on Sling TV
American League (Sale 14-3, 3.38) vs. National League (Cueto 13-1, 2.47)
8M ET on FOX
If there’s a theme to the 2016 All Star Game, it’s Theo Epstein, the Chicago Cubs general manager who acquired 9 of the 17 players named as starters, including the entire Cubs infield, two-thirds of the Red Sox outfield, and guys ranging in age from 22 to 40. In all, seven Cubbies made the NL team, and 6 from Boston will represent the AL, the most in each league.
Another theme, one all too common in baseball, is pitchers who are injured or in need of rest. Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg, Danny Salazar, Noah Syndergaard, Marco Estrada, Wade Davis and Craig Kimbrel are all unavailable for action, with the first four guys on the list being the top four pitchers in all of baseball according to WAR. Still, if you have to “settle” for Johnny Cueto and Chris Sale as your starters, there’s still plenty of talent on hand.
Here’s the rosters for tonight’s game:
American League Starting Lineup
Jose Altuve (HOU), 2B
Mike Trout (LAA), CF
Manny Machado (BAL), 3B
David Ortiz (BOS), DH
Xander Bogaerts (BOS), SS
Eric Hosmer (KCR), 1B
Mookie Betts (BOS), RF
Salvador Perez (KCR), C
Jackie Bradley Jr. (BOS), LF
National League Starting Lineup
Ben Zobrist (CHC), 2B
Bryce Harper (WAS), RF
Kris Bryant (CHC), 3B
Wil Myers (SDP), DH
Buster Posey (SFG), C
Anthony Rizzo (CHC), 1B
Marcell Ozuna (MIA), CF
Carlos Gonzalez (COL), LF
Addison Russell (CHC), SS
AL Bench
Stephen Vogt (OAK), C
Matt Wieters (BAL), C
Miguel Cabrera (DET), 1B
Robinson Cano (SEA), 2B
Josh Donaldson (TOR), 3B
Francisco Lindor (CLE), SS
Eduardo Nunez (MIN), SS
Carlos Beltran (NYY), OF
Ian Desmond (TEX), OF
Michael Saunders (TOR), OF
Mark Trumbo (BAL), OF
Edwin Encarnacion (TOR), DH
AL Back-Up Starters
Marco Estrada (TOR)*
Cole Hamels (TEX)
Corey Kluber (CLE)**
Jose Quintana (CWS)**
Danny Salazar (CLE)*
Aaron Sanchez (TOR)**
Steven Wright (BOS)
AL Relievers
Dellin Betances (NYY)
Brad Brach (BAL)
Zach Britton (BAL)
Alex Colome (TBR)
Wade Davis (KCR)*
Will Harris (HOU)
RH Kelvin Herrera (KCR)
Craig Kimbrel (BOS)*
Andrew Miller (NYY)
NL Bench
Jonathan Lucroy (MIL), C
Wilson Ramos (WAS), C
Brandon Belt (SFG), 1B
Paul Goldschmidt (ARI), 1B
Daniel Murphy (WAS), 2B
Nolan Arenado (COL), 3B
Matt Carpenter (STL), 3B
Aledmys Diaz (STL), SS
Corey Seager (LAD), SS
Jay Bruce (CIN), OF
Yoenis Cespedes (NYM), OF
Adam Duvall (CIN), OF
Dexter Fowler (CHC), OF
Odubel Herrera (PHI), OF
Starling Marte (PIT)*, OF
NL Backup Starters
Jake Arrieta (CHC)
Madison Bumgarner (SFG)*
Bartolo Colon (NYM)**
Jose Fernandez (MIA)
Clayton Kershaw* (LAD)
Jon Lester (CHC)
Drew Pomeranz (SDP)**
Max Scherzer (WAS)**
Stephen Strasburg (WAS)*
Noah Syndergaard (NYM)*
Julio Teheran (ATL)
NL Relievers
Jeurys Familia (NYM)
Kenley Jansen (LAD)
Mark Melancon (PIT)
A.J. Ramos (MIA)
Fernando Rodney (MIA)
* Injured/Inactive, ** Replacement
Last year’s All Star Game was won by the American League, by a score of 6-3. It was the AL’s third consecutive victory, and the second year in a row that Mike Trout was named MVP, thanks to a lead-off home run off NL starter Zack Greinke. Trout is one of five men to win the ASG MVP twice, and the only one to do it in consecutive years. With the AL victory, homefield in the World Series went to the Kansas City Royals, who made the most of it, going 3-0 at Kauffman Stadium en route to their first title in 30 years.
Watch baseball on MLB All Star Game Tuesday at 8pm ET on FOX by subscribing to the Sling Blue.
All stats courtesy of ESPN and Baseball Reference.