87th MLB All-Star Game – National League vs. American League
- Game Time – 7:00pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FOX – Radio: ESPN Radio, XM Radio Channel 89
- Location: PETCO Park, San Diego
Johnny Cueto, RHP (13-1, 2.47/0.99/2.70) vs. Chris Sale, LHP (14-3, 3.38/1.04/3.74)
It’s that time of the baseball season. It’s the Midsummer Classic, the Senior Circuit versus the Junior Circuit in the 87th Major League Baseball All-Star Game. First pitch is scheduled for around 7:15pm CDT.
The American League is the home team tonight in the National League park due to four straight All-Star Games in National League cities (Cincinnati, San Diego, Miami, Washington DC).
Home field advantage for the World Series in on the line as the AL looks to continue its dominance of the NL. The American League beat the National League last summer for the Junior Circuit’s third straight win in the Midsummer Classic. Ned Yost is calling the shots for the American League after his Royals beat the Mets last fall. Terry Collins is the skipper of the NL squad.
The starting infield for the National League tonight will be all Chicago Cubs. The Cubs become the second team in history to have its entire infield start an All-Star Game, joining the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals.
Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell are in the starting lineup for the Senior Circuit. And Zobrist is batting leadoff for the NL. A total of seven Cubs will be introduced and five are expected to play in the game.
Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Dexter Fowler are on the NL roster. Lester is expected to pitch out of the pen. Fowler will not play and Arrieta has asked Collins not to use him unless it’s absolutely necessary.
The National League starting lineup is almost an entirely different starting nine from a year ago. Bryce Harper and Buster Posey are the only holdovers from last season at Great American Ball Park. The AL squad has new additions in Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Eric Hosmer, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr.
It’s amazing when looking at the rosters for both the National and American Leagues, the impact Theo Epstein’s front offices in Boston and Chicago have on this year’s All-Star Game.
Johnny Cueto and Chris Sale will start tonight’s game and Ned Yost has set up his AL pen like the one he uses in Kansas City.
• Click Here for Complete National League and American League Rosters from MLB.com
Starting Lineups
National League
- Ben Zobrist – 2B
- Bryce Harper – RF
- Kris Bryant – 3B
- Wil Myers – DH
- Buster Posey – C
- Anthony Rizzo – 1B
- Marcell Ozuna – CF
- Carlos Gonzalez – LF
- Addison Russell – SS
American League
- Jose Altuve – 2B
- Mike Trout – CF
- Manny Machado – 3B
- David Ortiz – DH
- Xander Bogaerts – SS
- Eric Hosmer – 1B
- Mookie Betts – RF
- Salvador Perez – C
- Jackie Bradley Jr. – LF
Let’s Talk All-Star Baseball …