2018 MLB All-Star Game: Starting Lineups, Pitchers, Broadcast Information
The MLB season has reached the All-Star break, and while the majority of the league will take a well-deserved vacation. 73 of the MLB’s best players will convene in Washington, D.C. for the midsummer classic on Tuesday night.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will air on FOX.
Here is everything you need to know in preparation for the MLB’s 89th All Star game:
Starting Lineups
Managers AJ Hinch and Dave Roberts announced their star-studded lineups on Monday afternoon, as well as the aces who will take the mound for each club.
American League
RF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
2B: Jose Altuve, Astros
CF: Mike Trout, Angels
D.H.: J.D. Martinez, Red Sox
3B: Jose Ramirez, Indians
LF: Aaron Judge, Yankees
SS: Manny Machado, Orioles
1B: Jose Abreu, White Sox
C: Salvador Perez, Royals
National League
2B: Javier Baez, Cubs
3B: Nolan Arenado, Rockies
D.H.: Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals
1B: Freddie Freeman, Braves
OF: Matt Kemp, Dodgers
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals
OF: Nick Markakis, Braves
SS: Brandon Crawford, Giants
C: Willson Contreras, Cubs
Altuve led all players with nearly 4.9 million votes with Betts finishing roughly half a million behind him. Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman led the National League with more than four million votes.
Betts leads in the MLB in batting average and slugging percentage and ranks second in on-base percentage and runs scored. His teammate, Martinez, leads the MLB in home runs (along with Ramirez) and runs batted in.
With his seventh selection, Trout leads all starters in career All-Star appearances. Should the Angels’ slugger take home MVP honors this Tuesday, he’ll be the only player in MLB history to earn that distinction three times. Trout – still the best player in baseball – is currently topping the majors in on-base percentage, wins above replacement, and runs created.
The American League has claimed five straight victories over the N.L. and has won 18 of the last 21 meetings dating back to 1997.
Pitching Matchup
Chris Sale (Red Sox) vs. Max Scherzer (Nationals)
Sale and Scherzer will square off for the second year in a row and both have been better in 2018 than they were in 2017. Sale leads the American League in ERA (2.23) and strikeouts (188) and has walked just 31 batters in 129 innings pitched. Scherzer, gunning for his third straight Cy Young award, leads the NL in strikeouts and innings pitched. This is the third All-Star start of Scherzer’s career, and the first in his home ballpark. Sale, meanwhile, joins Robin Roberts and Lefty Gomez as the only pitchers in MLB history to start three consecutive All Star games.
Roberts and Hinch said that Jacob deGrom of the Mets and Luis Severino of the Yankees would be second on the depth chart for their respective teams.