The night belonged to the new guys.@Plesac19's top 5 pitchers of the @AllStarGame are... pic.twitter.com/jugJ65TcI6
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2021
2021 MLB All-Star Game score, takeaways: AL beats NL for eighth straight time; Vladimir Guerrero Jr. goes deep
The American League, led by the young Blue Jays star, was a 5-2 winner at Coors Field
Tuesday night at Coors Field, the American League continued its All-Star Game dominance with its eighth consecutive win over the National League in the Midsummer Classic (AL 5, NL 2). The AL has won every All-Star Game since 2013 and holds a 46-43-2 edge all-time.
All eyes were on Angels star Shohei Ohtani, and he had a fairly quiet night. As the AL's starting pitcher, he tossed a perfect first inning. As the AL's starting DH, Ohtani went 0 for 2. Blue Jays wunderkind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slugged a 468-foot home run deep into the Coors Field bleachers for the game's loudest moment and was named the game's MVP.
The NL had several chances to get back into the game. The squad loaded the bases against Athletics righty Chris Bassitt in the sixth inning and against Red Sox righty Matt Barnes in the eighth, but could only muster one run on a Mike Zunino passed ball. Kris Bryant stranded five runners in two at-bats.
Here are six takeaways from the 2021 MLB All-Star Game:
1. Ohtani has quiet, victorious night
Tuesday night, Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani became the first ever player to start the All-Star Game on the mound and at DH. He was the first player to pitch and take an at-bat in the All-Star Game since the late Hall of Famer Roy Halladay in 2009.
All things considered, it was a quiet night for the greatest Sho in baseball. Ohtani threw a 1-2-3 first inning and went 0 for 2 with two groundouts at the plate. Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier robbed Ohtani of a hit with a nice play to begin the game.
Ohtani threw the All-Star Game's fastest pitch at 100.2 mph, and it was his fastest pitch since his first start of the regular season.
The American League took the lead in the top of the second inning and never gave it up, so Ohtani picked up the All-Star Game win. At least he walked away with that after all he's done the last few days (Home Run Derby, pitch and hit in the All-Star Game, nonstop interviews, etc.).
Shohei Ohtani is the first player in the modern era to start at pitcher, start in the leadoff spot and earn the win all in the same game (regular season, postseason or All-Star).
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) July 14, 2021
Ohtani was eliminated in Round 1 of the Home Run Derby on Monday night, though he pushed Nationals slugger Juan Soto to two dramatic tiebreakers.
2. Vlad Jr. goes deep, wins MVP
At 22 years and 119 days, Blue Jays wunderkind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. became the second youngest player in All-Star Game history to hit a home run Tuesday night. He socked a 468-foot homer against Brewers righty Corbin Burnes. It is the longest All-Star Game home run in the Statcast era (2015 to present).
The only player younger than Vlad Jr. to go deep in the All-Star Game is Hall of Famer Johnny Bench. Bench went deep in the 1969 All-Star Game at 21 years and 228 days. Bench, Guerrero, Hank Blalock, Ken Griffey Jr., Joe Medwick, Alex Rodriguez, and Ted Williams are the only players to hit an All-Star Game home run at 22 or younger.
Also, the Guerreros (Vladimir Sr. and Vladimir Jr.) are only the third father-son combo to go deep in the All-Star Game, joining Bobby and Barry Bonds, and Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. Vlad Sr. took Brad Penny deep in the 2006 All-Star Game.
Vlad Jr. went 1 for 3 with two runs in Tuesday night, which earned him All-Star Game MVP honors. He's the first Blue Jays player ever to win the award and the youngest player to take the honor.
⭐️ MVPLAKATA 💥
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 14, 2021
The youngest in #AllStarGame HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/HkWE089tR4
3. Red Sox players had a good night
The Red Sox sent an MLB-leading five players to the All-Star Game and they had an excellent night collectively. Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and JD Martinez went a combined 3 for 7 with a double and a run driven in at the plate, and Nathan Eovaldi threw a scoreless fourth inning.
Boston closer Matt Barnes pitched himself into and out of trouble in the eighth. He loaded the bases and brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but got Kris Bryant to line out to left field to escape the jam and protect the lead (more on that in a second). In the end, it was a scoreless inning.
4. Two catchers went yard
For the first time in nearly a quarter-century, a catcher from each league went deep in the All-Star Game. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto and Rays backstop Mike Zunino each hit a solo home run, and both were opposite field shots.
Prior to Realmuto and Zunino on Tuesday, the last time each league had a catcher hit a home run in the All-Star Game was 1997, when Sandy Alomar (Cleveland) and Javy Lopez (Braves) did the deed.
Realmuto's home run was the first All-Star Game homer by a Phillies player since Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt in 1981, if you can believe that.
5. Walsh made a game-saving play
If he weren't playing on the same team as two legends, Angels slugger Jared Walsh would be getting much more attention for becoming one of the game's best hitters. The former 39th-round draft pick is a natural first baseman but he found himself in left field in the All-Star Game, a position he never before played at the MLB level, and he made a nice sliding catch to steal a hit from Bryant in the eighth inning.
Gosh, if that ball gets by Walsh, we're looking a go-ahead inside-the-park grand slam and one of the coolest moments in All-Star Game history. Maybe a natural outfielder makes a more routine-looking catch and no one really notices, maybe not. It's an All-Star Game though, an exhibition, and a first baseman making a sliding catch in left made for an exciting moment.
6. The AL continued its All-Star dominance
The American League's winning streak is up to eight consecutive All-Star Games. The National League last won the All-Star Game in 2012, when they shut the so-called Junior Circuit out 8-0 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. The AL has won 19 of the last 23 All-Star Games, though their edge in the all-time series is pretty small at 46-43-2. The runs scored edge is 378-372.
Speaking of NL losing streaks, the Dodgers' Dave Roberts has now been the losing manager in three straight All-Star Games -- 2018, 2019, and now 2021. Had there been a 2020 All-Star Game, Dave Martinez of the Nationals would've been the manager of the NL squad, and that would've ended Roberts' streak. Things as they are, though, and he now owns the second-longest managerial losing streak in All-Star Game history. The unenviable record belongs to Casey Stengel, who lost four straight Midsummer Classics as manager of the AL from 1950 through 1953. Stengel also holds the record for most career All-Star Game losses as manager with six.
Live updates
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the 2021 @AllStarGame MVP!!@BlueJays | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/5pTxSVlh2H
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2021
That's a wrap from Denver!
— All-Star Game (@AllStarGame) July 14, 2021
We will see you next year at Dodger Stadium! pic.twitter.com/ulQjX8ELN8
What a night and what an All-Star week! pic.twitter.com/TGOnMeJhMo
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
2013
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2021 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/HDSgiVnVVN
🇯🇵 pitcher got the start.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2021
🇦🇺 pitcher got the save.
⚾️ is a world game.@AllStarGame | @whitesox | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/RCG5Tic1P5
Win: 🇯🇵
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
Save: 🇦🇺
MVP: 🇨🇦🇩🇴
A global game. pic.twitter.com/Qow6vCMNcC
#HRDerby contestant yesterday, winning pitcher today.
— All-Star Game (@AllStarGame) July 14, 2021
What a Sho. pic.twitter.com/K2i59enn0d
My MVP! @vladdyjr27 mi niño, mi ahijado! Te quiero, orgulloso de ti pic.twitter.com/NvEK7CVy7E
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) July 14, 2021
👀
— Vladimir Guerrero (@VladGuerrero27) July 14, 2021
✅ Participate in HR Derby
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
✅ Earn the W in the All-Star Game
Pretty solid couple of days for Ohtani. pic.twitter.com/ej8hgveI71
The youngest MVP in #AllStarGame history! pic.twitter.com/qHASc82k6F
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
The MVP! pic.twitter.com/rRn2VCGNdw
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2021
HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/U2AqB6oC91
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2021
American eague pic.twitter.com/sjom04myJa
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
"I honestly just want to thank my Dad, this is for you." ❤️💙
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
After being named the youngest All-Star Game MVP in MLB history, Vlad Jr. paid tribute to Vlad Sr. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/iub3D9O0gO
At 22 years, 119 days old, Vlad Guerrero Jr. is the youngest player ever to win #AllStarGame MVP. pic.twitter.com/CaN0Ov1TwC
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) July 14, 2021
Congrats to the 2021 All-Star Game MVP, Vladimir Guerrero Jr!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
He becomes the youngest AS MVP in MLB history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RQkF0CGcFk
this little boy grew up to become MVP of the 2021 MLB All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/X9y2ZmKfKw
— Cut4 (@Cut4) July 14, 2021
22 years old and already a superstar.
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is your @Chevrolet #AllStarGame MVP! pic.twitter.com/ZjAFvYodn0
"Just trying to soak up the moment because we dream about being here."@Ken_Rosenthal asked @RaysBaseball C Mike Zunino what it felt like rounding the bases at the @AllStarGame 💫 pic.twitter.com/yEKOWEMZkO
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
The final out for the AL to make it 8 straight wins 💪 @whitesox pitcher Liam Hendriks gets the save! pic.twitter.com/BJ0ApTuyqi
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
Your #AllStarGame winning pitcher: Shohei Ohtani pic.twitter.com/y5Pub3asFt
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
AL makes it 8️⃣ straight over the NL! 🔥🏔 pic.twitter.com/BZKcshj228
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
Is the American League a dynasty?!
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2021
That's 8 straight #AllStarGame wins for the AL! pic.twitter.com/T0zb5UTN6b
it's Trea Turner for the final out. AL wins 5-2
Ozzie Albies doubles and the NL apparently won't go quietly
Thanks for tuning in to our @AllStarGame shows this week in Denver! pic.twitter.com/ptjelY35wu
— Intentional Talk (@IntentionalTalk) July 14, 2021
Omar Narvaez, Chris Taylor and Ozzie Albies due to the NL
Pretty exclusive company 💫 pic.twitter.com/RvX8QO3CbP
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021