The 93rd MLB All-Star Game is set to take place Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. The American League versus National League battle has historically been very tight, with the AL owning a 47-43-2 record and a plus-7 run differential through 92 meetings.
Those figures may be surprising given the AL's recent run of dominance. The American League has won nine consecutive All-Star Games, outscoring the National League by 18 in aggregate.
All-Star week took place in an NL city in six of the past seven years. Perhaps a change of venue - the Seattle Mariners are hosting this year - can aid the Senior Circuit's quest to get back on track.
National League (-110) @ American League (-110)
Taking the bump first for the NL will be Zac Gallen. He has been fantastic for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season, authoring a 11-3 record, 3.04 ERA, and 2.77 FIP - the best mark of his young career.
He'll need to be good early because the rotation gets a little dicey - relative to past All-Star Games - once he leaves. Spencer Strider, Clayton Kershaw, and Marcus Stroman are all sidelined and will not participate.
That means the likes of Justin Steele, Mitch Keller, Kodai Senga, and Alex Cobb will back Gallen up before the NL turns things over to the relievers.
There is talent - and solid production - in that group, but it's rather lackluster compared to what the American League has to offer.
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will take the hill for the AL. His strikeout rate is down this season, but he is still enjoying plenty of success with a 9-2 record and 2.85 ERA.
Even with Framber Valdez and Shane McClanahan sitting out, the AL has a very strong group of starters beyond Cole. Kevin Gausman, Shohei Ohtani, and hometown favorites Luis Castillo and George Kirby are among the notable arms backing him up.
The home side definitely appears to have a strong pitching advantage.
The bats look pretty good as well, with the MLB's second-leading hitter (Bo Bichette) and the Home Run Derby king (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) slated to come off the bench.
MVP
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Shohei Ohtani | +900 |
| Ronald Acuna Jr. | +1200 |
| Gerrit Cole | +1400 |
| Corey Seager | +1600 |
| Freddie Freeman | +1600 |
| Mookie Betts | +1600 |
| Luis Arraez | +1800 |
| Randy Arozarena | +1800 |
| Adolis Garcia | +2000 |
| Corbin Carroll | +2000 |
| Josh Jung | +2000 |
| Julio Rodriguez | +2000 |
| Nolan Arenado | +2000 |
| Zac Gallen | +2000 |
| Austin Riley | +2500 |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | +2500 |
| Austin Hays | +3000 |
| Adley Rutschman | +4000 |
| Bo Bichette | +4000 |
| Jonah Heim | +4000 |
| Marcus Semien | +4000 |
(Note: Only players 40-1 or shorter listed)
The Midsummer Classic is not conducive to big games from pitchers. With so many of them involved, an individual generally plays so few innings that there just isn't enough time to make a big enough impression.
Given as much, it's no surprise only two pitchers have won MVP since 2000. The award historically goes to the most productive hitters or those who came up with the biggest moment of the game.
With that in mind, Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Julio Rodriguez are a few names worth considering.
Ohtani is the runaway favorite for AL MVP this season. As the sport's most impactful player and a possible dual threat in this game, he should have a strong case on a squad that seems likely to come out on top.
Betts is an intriguing option from the NL. He is one of the hottest hitters in the sport and didn't have the best showing in the derby on Monday night. Hitting third behind a couple of people who live on the bases - Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman - should provide him with real opportunity to produce at the plate and redeem himself.
Although Rodriguez is not starting for the AL, he is likely to be thrown into the most opportune position coming off the bench as the hometown hero.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.
