All-Star - Baseball Wiretap

Shane Bieber Named ASG MVP As AL Tops NL

Jul 10, 2019 7:30 AM

Shane Bieber was named the MVP of Tuesday night's All-Star Game as the American League edged the National League 4-3.

Bieber earned the honor by striking out the side in the fifth inning at Progressive Field.

He is the third player in All-Star Game history to win the MVP award in his home ballpark, joining Pedro Martinez at Fenway Park in 1999 and Sandy Alomar Jr. also in Cleveland in 1997.

"I really didn't know what to think," Bieber said. "Kinda lost all feeling in my body. But it's an incredible feeling now. Now that it's kind of sinking in, just to be able to do it in front of the hometown crowd in my first All-Star Game is definitely not something I expected."

Bieber wasn't named to the All-Star team until Friday, when he replaced Mike Minor, who wasn't eligible to play because he pitched Sunday.

Jeff Passan/ESPN

Tags: Cleveland Indians, All-Star, Misc Rumor

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Vlad Jr. Breaks Home Run Derby Records

Jul 9, 2019 8:07 AM

Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. lost to Pete Alonso in the final round of the Home Run Derby, but made history along the way.

Guerrero hit a Derby-record 91 home runs in the event.

"First of all, you just have to thank God and the fans for all the support," Guerrero, Jr. said after breaking the record. "We gave everyone a good show, and that's what we wanted. ... I feel proud of hitting 91 home runs because I broke the record."

At 20 years and 114 days, Guerrero, Jr. was the youngest participant in the history of the Home Run Derby.

Guerrero hit 29 home runs in the first round, 40 in the second and 22 in the finals.

Juan Toribio/MLB

Tags: Toronto Blue Jays, All-Star, Misc Rumor

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Pete Alonso Wins 2019 Home Run Derby

Jul 9, 2019 7:52 AM

Pete Alonso bested Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. to win the Home Run Derby at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Monday night.

Alonso, hitting second, hit 23 home runs to surpass Guerrero's 22 in the final round.

He is the first New York Met to win the event since Darryl Strawberry was co-champion in 1986.

"That was a blast. Oh my god, that was a blast," Alonso said. "I'm gonna remember that for the rest of my life."

The win comes with a $1 million prize. Alonso's base salary this season is $555,000.

He said he would donate 10% of his winnings between two charities, the Wounded Warriors Project and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

ESPN

Tags: New York Mets, All-Star, Misc Rumor

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Rangers Prospect Sam Huff Wins Futures Game MVP

Jul 9, 2019 8:18 AM

Texas Rangers catching prospect Sam Huff was named the MVP of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field on Sunday.

Huff hit a two-run, game-tying blast to the bleachers off Rockies prospect Ben Bowden in the seventh inning.

The home run sent the game to an extra inning, where it ended in a 2-2 tie.

"When I saw it go, my heart started going and then I just started smiling to myself," Huff said. "I didn't think it was something I was ever going to experience in my life."

Anthony Castrovince/MLB

Tags: Texas Rangers, All-Star, Misc Rumor

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Futures Game Showcases New Tiebreaker Rules

Jul 8, 2019 7:48 AM

Sunday's Futures Game provided a preview of the new All-Star tiebreaker rules.

The format was changed this year with the game shortened from nine to seven innings. Texas Rangers' prospect Sam Huff hit a two-run home run in the seventh to force an extra, eighth, inning.

Both teams began their at-bats in the eighth with a runner at second, the same tiebreaking system already being used in the Minor Leagues.

The same tiebreaker could come into play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Major League Baseball plans to implement it after the past two games went 10 innings.

"It was definitely unique, but in a situation like this, it was necessary," Washington Nationals shortstop Carter Kieboom said. "Guys need their [All-Star] break, so you can't play forever and you only have so many pitchers here.

"It definitely speeds up the game in the minor leagues. I can't really predict the future. I don't know if the game of Major League Baseball will allow it because of its history, and it would be a drastic change. Maybe teams would try harder to score in the ninth inning if it happened."

Associated Press

Tags: All-Star, Misc Rumor

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Christian Yelich Pulls Out Of HR Derby

Jul 7, 2019 9:38 PM

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich has pulled out of Monday's Home Run Derby because of a back injury, Major League Baseball announced Sunday.

He will be replaced by the Oakland Athletics' Matt Chapman.

ESPN.com

Tags: Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, All-Star, Injury, Misc Rumor

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Max Scherzer Out Of ASG With Back Injury

Jul 7, 2019 9:35 PM

Max Scherzer won't pitch in the All-Star Game because of a back injury, although the ace right-hander intends to represent the Washington Nationals on the sideline Monday and Tuesday in Cleveland.

ESPN.com

Tags: Washington Nationals, All-Star, Injury, Misc Rumor

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Masahiro Tanaka Surprised To Be Replacing Marcus Stroman In ASG

Jul 7, 2019 1:40 AM

Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka said he was caught off-guard when manager Aaron Boone delivered the news that he would be replacing Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman on the American League's All-Star roster.

"It was similar to how everybody else, including you guys reacted: pretty surprised," Tanaka told reporters Sunday.

ESPN.com

Tags: New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, All-Star, Injury, Misc Rumor

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MLB Invites CC Sabathia To All-Star Game

Jul 6, 2019 1:33 AM

For the final time in his illustrious career, CC Sabathia will be going to the All-Star Game.

Major League Baseball announced Friday that Sabathia, the New York Yankees' left-handed pitcher who will retire at the end of this season, will be participating in events associated with next week's game at Cleveland's Progressive Field.

ESPN.com

Tags: New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, All-Star, Misc Rumor, Personal Award

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Anthony Rendon To Skip All-Star Game

Jul 6, 2019 12:20 PM

On Friday evening, MLB announced that Anthony Rendon has bowed out of next week's Midsummer Classic in order to rest his banged-up body. The Washington Nationals' third baseman will be replaced on the National League roster for Tuesday's game by utility man Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

ESPN.com

Tags: Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, All-Star, Injury, Misc Rumor

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Gleyber Torres Replaces Brandon Lowe On AL All-Star Roster
The Rays have placed Brandon Lowe on the IL with a bruised right shin.

ESPN

All-Star Game Rosters Announced
Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is expected to start for the NL in the All-Star Game.

ESPN.com